Microsoft is working on a new software development kit that will allow your Xbox Live data to sync "to almost every screen" that you own, including iOS devices, Android smartphones, and Nintendo Switch, in addition to existing support on Xbox consoles and Windows PC. The SDK will bring your Xbox achievements, friends list, clubs, and more to supported iPhone and iPad games in the future (via Windows Central).
The news comes from the GDC 2019 scheduling website, hinting at more details for the feature to come during the conference, which takes place in San Francisco the week of March 18. Microsoft already supports cross-platform play for certain smartphone games, like Minecraft on iOS, but the new SDK is described as a big expansion to this existing feature, since it would support games besides first-party, Microsoft-owned titles.
Even Sony announced interest in expanding its presence on mobile devices in early 2016, creating a new company called "ForwardWorks" to specifically focus on smartphone gaming. As of now, ForwardWorks has mostly developed games for release in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, and there have been no big first-party IP mobile games released from the company, akin to Nintendo's Super Mario Run.
More details on Microsoft's new Xbox Live SDK should be coming next month, following the GDC session.
The news comes from the GDC 2019 scheduling website, hinting at more details for the feature to come during the conference, which takes place in San Francisco the week of March 18. Microsoft already supports cross-platform play for certain smartphone games, like Minecraft on iOS, but the new SDK is described as a big expansion to this existing feature, since it would support games besides first-party, Microsoft-owned titles.
Now Xbox Live is about to get MUCH bigger. Xbox Live is expanding from 400M gaming devices and a reach to over 68M active players to over 2B devices with the release of our new cross-platform XDK.The SDK will allow developers to build cross-platform Xbox Live achievements, social features, multiplayer modes, and more into games created for iPhone, Android, and Nintendo Switch. This will allow Microsoft to greatly expand its reach in the smartphone gaming market, which has boomed in recent years thanks to games like Fortnite and a renewed interest in mobile gaming from companies like Nintendo.
Xbox Live players are highly engaged and active on Xbox and PC, but now they can take their gaming achievement history, their friends list, their clubs, and more with them to almost every screen.
This will break down barriers for developers that want their communities to mingle more freely across platforms. Combined with PlayFab gaming services, this means less work for game developers and more time to focus on making games fun.
Even Sony announced interest in expanding its presence on mobile devices in early 2016, creating a new company called "ForwardWorks" to specifically focus on smartphone gaming. As of now, ForwardWorks has mostly developed games for release in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau, and there have been no big first-party IP mobile games released from the company, akin to Nintendo's Super Mario Run.
More details on Microsoft's new Xbox Live SDK should be coming next month, following the GDC session.
4 comments
Apple-owned Beddit recently launched a new beta testing program that's designed to allow those who own the new Beddit 3.5 device released in December to test new and upcoming features.
In a...
Apple this morning released the second iOS 13 beta for developers, addressing bugs, introducing new bugs, and adding and refining iOS 13 features.
There are no super exciting new changes in the...
Apple today seeded the second betas of iOS 13 and iPadOS to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after first unveiling the new updates at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
Registered...
Apple today seeded the second beta of macOS 10.15 Catalina for testing purposes, two weeks after the new Mac operating system update was first unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
...
Walmart today announced that its customers can now complete postpaid cell phone upgrades on the Walmart website for the first time, allowing Walmart to better compete with both carriers and retailers...
Apple plans to release three new iPhones in the second half of 2020, including high-end 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch models with OLED displays and a lower-end 6.1-inch model with an OLED display, according...
Update: Apple Camp registration is now open. This year's programs run between July 7 and August 3 in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and select European countries like Italy, France, Spain,...
Apple plans to produce six small-budget movies a year with an eye toward stories that could win Academy Awards, according to The New York Post.
The Post's sources claim Apple wants to...
