1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Microsoft wants Xbox Game Pass on PS4. Cross-platform news expected at GDC 2019

By
PlayStation 4 Pro review
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s executive vice president of gaming, has continued to change the definition of “Xbox” over the last few years, releasing console-exclusive games on PC and even planning to offer Xbox Live services on Nintendo Switch. If Microsoft gets its way, however, things could go even further, including possibly offering the Xbox Game Pass service on PlayStation systems.

Speaking to GeekWire, Spencer explained that selling games and services to players is Microsoft’s biggest focus, and this extends beyond only offering them on Xbox or PC hardware. With Xbox Game Pass, subscribers get launch-day access to all new Microsoft games as part of their monthly fee, and they have unlimited time with the games.

Recommended Videos

“We want to bring Game Pass to any device that somebody wants to play on,” Spencer said in the interview.”

Spencer stopped short of mentioning putting Xbox Game Pass on the PlayStation 4 specifically, but the connotation of his statement was clear. If Microsoft gets its way, the service will be on everything from PlayStation 4 to phones and Nintendo Switch.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Microsoft is already moving to have its games available for play on mobile devices through the Project xCloud program. The game-streaming service will let members play Xbox games on their phones, with special touch-based control schemes implemented alongside support for Bluetooth controllers. The program will also be compatible with the Xbox One itself, as well as PC, giving consumers more choice over how and where they play. This all could be playing into a new report that suggests the next Xbox One will be digital only, meaning it could go completely disc free.

Cross-platform play between Xbox One and other systems is already implemented for a small number of games. Fortnite players can enjoy the game across all devices, and Rocket League also features play between Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. With the exception of PS4 and a few legacy systems, players can also enjoy cross-platform play in Minecraft. As we move into the next generation of consoles, this should only continue, as there appear to be few technical limitations on cross-platform play.

It’s expected that Microsoft will reveal more information on expanded Xbox Live functionality during GDC 2019 later in March. As there is no achievement system on Nintendo Switch, we’re crossing our fingers that something can be implemented with the addition of Xbox Live support.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Gabe Gurwin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
GTA 5 cheats: codes and phone numbers PS4, PS5, Xbox, and PC

A slam-dunk of a game for the talented developers at Rockstar, Grand Theft Auto V has been out for several years now, but it’s still an extremely popular title. We’re also guessing there’s some renewed interest in the game because the world knows we’re getting a Grand Theft Auto VI in the somewhat-near future. If you’ve ever played a GTA game, you’ll know the going can get a little tough from time to time. This is why it’s nice to live in a world with cheat codes. 

Whether you just want to have a ton of fun with unlimited health and ammunition, or you’re seriously struggling with a certain section of the game, we’ve rounded up all the cheat codes you’ll need to know for GTA V, for platforms including PS4, PS5, Xbox, and PC.
How to use GTA 5 cheats
There are a few ways to enter GTA 5 cheat codes. The first and easiest is to use your cellphone. You can open your cellphone by pressing Up on the D-pad. From there, enter the corresponding number, and the cheat will fire. You can also classically input cheats by following a specific button combination. The combinations are the same across PlayStation and Xbox, but we've split them up to account for their different button-naming conventions, so it should feel more natural reading and entering them.
GTA 5 character cheats
Max Health and Armor

Read more
All cross-platform games (PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC)

Cross-platform support is becoming more important in the world of video games. Multiplayer hits like Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 and Fortnite have pushed crossplay into the limelight, and now most AAA multiplayer games release with at least partial cross-platform support. Finding every cross-platform game is no easy feat, though, so we did the hard work to bring you a comprehensive list of games that support crossplay.

Unfortunately, there aren't any rules when it comes to crossplay, so each game handles the feature a little differently. To make matters more confusing, certain backward-compatible games on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X still support crossplay on the most recent hardware, even if there isn't an official release for that hardware.

Read more
April’s most anticipated RPG is coming to Xbox Game Pass

We've learned about the titles that will come to Xbox Game Pass throughout the back half of April, and several of them are games getting added to the catalog the day they launch. Of those, the most notable is Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes.

While that name is a mouthful, RPG fans will want to pay attention to Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes as it is a spiritual successor to the long-dormant Konami RPG series Suikoden. Many of the developers who worked on the original Suikoden games worked together to reimagine the concept for the modern era, creating an RPG with over 100 recruitable party members, engaging combat, and a gorgeous pixelated art style that gives Square Enix's HD-2D games a run for their money. Prequel game Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is already on Xbox Game Pass too, so Microsoft seems all-in on backing this Suikoden successor as we wait for Konami to release remasters of those titles or a new game in the series.

Read more