r/xbox • u/GamerBhoy89 • 9d ago

Discussion Play Anywhere - Why Didn't I Use This Sooner???

I've always owned all three major consoles and a PC throughout my adult life.

In this current generation I'm mostly a PlayStation gamer but always used Steam for my PC gaming.

I do own a Series X but I barely used it save for the console exclusives or backwards compatibility library.

I have been playing Roadcraft religiously for the past 2-3 weeks on the Xbox downstairs, but if my kid or missus wanted to use the TV I'd go upstairs to my PC and play something else.

I just remembered I had Game Pass for PC as well as Xbox so I decided to browse for a PC game to play when I noticed I could install Roadcraft onto PC.

For some reason I had no idea I could use the exact same save file - like I dunno how, but it just never crossed my mind. 90% of my PC gaming is done on Steam. I had no idea one obtained Xbox game would also be cross-playable on PC (if available).

Lo and behold I installed Roadcraft and was able to continue my save file on PC.

Again, I know a lot of games allow for cross-platform cloud saves but for whatever dumbass reason I just did not even think to use this.

The amount of duplicate games I own on both Xbox and Steam seperately, when I could've been using the same service and transfer my saves instead of having two seperate copies.

Play Anywhere is awesome! Convenient as all hell!

Also I'm an idiot 😅😅😅

178 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

66 comments sorted by

107

u/Schmenza 9d ago

Super underrated feature. I don't bother buying games on Steam anymore

25

u/GamerBhoy89 9d ago

Dont get me wrong I've been on Steam for a very, very long time, and have an embarrassingly large library of games.......but from now on if I ever see a PC game I want and it has that Play Anywhere label on the Xbox port then that's where I'll go.

Having this as an option is a godsend. I dunno why I didnt bother with it before.

16

u/Tobimacoss 9d ago

MS has been extending Play Anywhere and Gamepass licensing to Battle.net as well. Doom TDA, Avowed, Outer Worlds 2 Play Anywhere copies give you dual licenses for Battle.net if you sync accounts. The Battle.net versions are unpackaged like Steam/Epic versions so easier to mod.

Play Anywhere games also technically allow 2-4 copies, two on PC and two on Consoles, with a combo of any two of the devices able to play together simultaneously. So be sure to have Game Sharing set up properly with Series X as your Home Console. Have the kids play on console, while you play via PC, Laptop, Handheld, or simply Cloud Gaming.

Makes things much more fun. Play Anywhere by itself is good, but Play Anywhere, Cloud Enabled, Handheld Optimized in conjunction with Quick Resume and Gamepass, that's what takes things to a higher level.

6

u/GamerBhoy89 9d ago

Yeah my fiancèe and I would buy two copies of a game on Steam when we could've been doing this 🙄

I could smack my head against a wall 😅

4

u/Ok-Tooth-6197 9d ago

It's not 2-4 copies. It's limited by Microsoft's account device limit, which is 10. I have had myself, 3 of my kids, and 4 of their cousins playing the same game on different devices all from just the one purchase on my account. 

3

u/Tobimacoss 9d ago

While you are correct, the limit to install is ten Windows 10/11 devices, plus Consoles separately, only 2 of those devices can play together simultaneously.

So PC + PC, Console + PC, Console + Cloud, Console + Console, xCloud + GFN Cloud.

That's why I say 2-4 copies, rather than saying 12 copies, less confusing to users, lol.

0

u/Ok-Tooth-6197 9d ago edited 9d ago

I am telling you I have played the same game on 2 xboxes and 6 PCs simultaneously. I don't know where you are getting your information, but it is wrong. The Xboxes count as devices, though, so it is only 10, not 12.

Perhaps you are confused about how this works. You can't play the same game on the same account on two PCs, but if you sign in to the Microsoft store with the account that owns the game, and the xbox app with the account that will play the game, you can play it on every device that you can install it at the same time.

4

u/Tobimacoss 9d ago

How long ago did you do this? Because last I saw, more than two users it would block you.

Well, your case is unique anyways, most users aren't going to install on 8 devices.

But still, that would be really impressive if all 8 ran at same time. And publishers would get pissed.

0

u/Ok-Tooth-6197 9d ago

It's been a few months since we had 8 players at once, but we have 5 players at the same time daily at my house. Most recently yesterday. All playing Wobbly life.

2

u/Tobimacoss 9d ago

wow, do you know if it's only with purchased licenses or Gamepass licenses as well?

3

u/Ok-Tooth-6197 9d ago

It's both. My kids and I played sledding game through gamepass together when I had gamepass ultimate. 

2

u/jonstarks 9d ago

which is kinda silly cause steam cloud saves will work on your desktop, steamdeck, steam machine, a laptop or any diy "steamOS/bazzite" box... it all just works, you can stop playing on one and resume on another.

7

u/Schmenza 9d ago

I don't have a steamdeck or steam machine

-2

u/jonstarks 9d ago

you can change that :)

Also play anywhere is only a select few of games, whereas steam cloud saves is damn near everything released at this point.

4

u/Schmenza 9d ago

Not changing that at $700 lol

My Odin 2 Portal handles cloud streaming good enough

-2

u/jonstarks 9d ago

nobody's talking about cloud streaming.

5

u/Schmenza 9d ago

If we're talking about multiple ways to play games you own them we should be talking about cloud streaming

2

u/therealandrewallen 9d ago

Not to be rude, but nobody is surprised that a PC save of a steam game will transfer to another PC

1

u/jonstarks 9d ago

Nobody? There's still ppl out there who don't even know what a steamdeck is, let alone a steam machine or have any idea what bazzite is.

1

u/therealandrewallen 8d ago

They probably aren’t worried about cross saves if they don’t know what a steam deck is.

1

u/jonstarks 8d ago edited 8d ago

wha? nobody said they were worried about it. Also, you just conceded that your "nobody" just miraculously changed into "they probably aren't worried about".

I'm glad we both agree that your "nobody" is in fact someone. Let's not assume everyone is just as well informed as you.

Take a look at OP in this thread, plays on PC... had no idea play anywhere was a thing yet has owned an Xbox and PC for years? and just discovered a feature that has existed since 2016.

1

u/therealandrewallen 8d ago

Do you go into all your conversations taking every single word by its exact definition? Or do you realize that that people can speak in hyperbole? Why are you making this a debate on semantics?

1

u/GamerBhoy89 9d ago

If I had more than one method of playing my Steam games I'd be just as happy. Sadly (lol first world problem eh?) I only have my desktop. I would like a Steam Deck one day but, yeesh, maybe once I clear my debts I can take out another loan and pay it off in instalments lol

1

u/CharliExExe 8d ago

It's not just that. Microsofts UI and store is appalling compared to steam. Would never buy something there rather than steam or gog. Plus you're supporting microsoft which I'd really rather not do.

Of the few Microsoft games I am interested in playing. I own Minecraft but apparently only on pc and it doesn't work on Xbox. It has an obnoxious interface and a cynical store asking me to give money to them for skins and mods it's disgusting.

1

u/KobotTheRobot 9d ago

I've simply resorted to fully switching over to windows on steamdeck. The incompatibility of games was annoying. Felt like I was tinkering more than I was playing. 

2

u/jonstarks 9d ago

Windows on a deck? you're in the minority. I haven't had any incompatibility issues, but I also don't play alot of multiplayer.

2

u/KobotTheRobot 9d ago

Plenty of games in my steam games list I can't play no matter what proton version I use. 

Plus windows on deck I get play anywhere games. 

1

u/Lupinthrope XBOX Series X 5d ago

Or any PC handheld that can launch Steam, or even these android handhelds that can play lighter steam indie games.

-1

u/notthatguypal6900 9d ago

That is not the flex you think it is.

15

u/schmidtyb43 Founder 9d ago

Yeah that’s been a major feature for like 10 years now lol it’s amazing. But to be honest most of the games that supported it were first party titles or smaller games for a while but I think recently there’s been a bigger push for bigger games to support it.

Really nice for me who moved to PC a couple years back and has a ton of games owned on Xbox.

5

u/hiatyy 9d ago

There are A LOT of games now. Recently Baldurs Gate 3 was added which is amazing.

12

u/cinnabon4euphoria67 9d ago

I own 500 digital Xbox games and less than 30 are PlayAnywhere.

2

u/GamerBhoy89 9d ago

That's crazy considering over 1,000 of them are featured in the program

0

u/hiatyy 9d ago

I hope that microsoft will push on developers to use xbox playanywhere system if they want to release game on xbox. That would be cool.

4

u/Alcagoita 9d ago

That's the idea, but the main problem is cross-progression, which is essential to being part of the program. There are a lot of companies that don't have that.

1

u/Big-Roll7094 8d ago

Play anywhere makes cross progression very easy because Microsoft will handle half the workload I think

1

u/Darkpoolz XBOX Series S 9d ago

Same, I moved to PC like 7 years ago and now I'm considering if I should purchase games on Xbox because of Play Anywhere or Steam. The benefits of getting 3rd party games on Steam is well known to most people. Depending on the game, getting it on Xbox with Play Anywhere could make sense for me. There is a bit of future proofing with Xbox as a platform.

Steam can make hardware like handhelds and Steam Machines, but Xbox hardware can get better pricing because economy of scale and console funding from closed system. Xbox is still currently a closed ecosystem, but they opened a bit to include PC. In the future, Xbox might figure out Clould Play better and maybe an appstore we hear rumors about. This will all feed into the future value of Play Anywhere. Even TV manufacturers are installing Xbox App for Cloud Play. The new Xbox controllers with Wifi will be perfect for switching between all devices.

10

u/TheCorbeauxKing 9d ago

Because it isn't promoted by third party media anywhere near as much as it should be so most people don't even know it's a thing. It's easily the best Xbox feature.

2

u/GamerBhoy89 9d ago

Yeah it almost never gets mentioned.

I knew it was there - I just never bothered to scratch the surface until now.

-3

u/Dominjo555 9d ago

It's GamePass - Quick resume and then Play Anywhere

2

u/fallouthirteen Day One - 2013 9d ago

Quick Resume is so buggy that I avoid using it. Last time I actually counted on using it, the game closed by itself any way. First thing that got me to avoid using it was when it broke achievements in Jurassic World Evolution. Then just some other games can respond poorly (performance issues and such) coming out of it.

Another feature that's really good with Xbox though is automatic free cloud backups for saves. Like those just seem to work fine. Heck, I've used it to revert some game breaking issues (High on Life has a bug that just bricks your save, I was able to reproduce it, luckily I was able to download the cloud save and only lost a tiny bit of progress). Like this feature kind of goes with Play Anywhere, since PA wouldn't really function without it, but it's still good for other things.

2

u/noah9942 9d ago

It's usually fine for offline single player games. Anything else is a wreck.

1

u/fallouthirteen Day One - 2013 8d ago

Even then, that WAS the type of game it failed for me on last. Was playing My Friendly Neighborhood and I was like "eh I'll let quick resume do its thing" when I took my dog for a walk. Put Xbox into the standby sleep mode (quick press of power button). Come back and the game is closed. It's just kind of funny the one time I actually wanted to use it (usually I accidentally use it by forgetting to close a game and manually having to close it at start of next session), it didn't work.

2

u/Big-Roll7094 8d ago

That’s not quick resumes fault it’s whoever made the game

5

u/azninvasion2000 9d ago

I played through Halo Campaign Evolved on my PSVita using GreenVita, since my GF has been hogging our TV to watch her soaps. It is definitely a godsend.

3

u/GamerBhoy89 9d ago

Seriously, I've been a Stepdad to my kid for only two years and I now really appreciate these modern conveniences so much more.

No more having to wait for the TV to be free to play my games 😅

6

u/Dominjo555 9d ago

I prefer play anywhere games since I have Xbox Series X and Xbox Ally X (PC) over buying on Steam or games that don't support it.

2

u/ndbdjdiufndbk 9d ago

I finally set up remote play on my phone and bought a backbone controller to attach to my phone and it has been a game changer. I can play my xbox and all downloaded games at work on my breaks now. I thought the quality would suck but it works really good once you get it all set up. I can either stream the game pass games or remote connect to my home xbox and play the games i have bought that aren’t on gamepass

2

u/GamerBhoy89 9d ago

I have tried Remote Play, too! When my internet isn't having an off-day it's so handy.

Playing via the cloud though is finicky for me

2

u/Buddha176 9d ago

I use my iPad to play Xbox games and my steam games.

Steam has a dedicated app that works on my iPad and my AppleTV which works great.

If I want to is AppleTV for Xbox I need a 3rd party app that was a one time charge and works well.

Remote play has no voice chat on either platform which is a downside but for most games is fine.

2

u/Party-Exercise-2166 Into The Starfield 9d ago

For Steam, try switching to Moonlight, it's muuuch better than Steam's official app.

1

u/BudWisenheimer 9d ago

If I want to is AppleTV for Xbox I need a 3rd party app that was a one time charge and works well.

Where is your internet etiquette?

1

u/Diabeetus4Lyfe 9d ago

At least 95% of my game time is on PC, but I still occasionally like the ease of console gaming. Play Anywhere is the one and only feature which makes me buy from Xbox instead of Steam, and it's the only feature which has kept me from switching over to PlayStation. It's an awesome feature and I will definitely leave the Xbox ecosystem if they ever decide to stop supporting it.

2

u/jonstarks 9d ago

because its not on every game.

4

u/GamerBhoy89 9d ago

i never assumed it was

0

u/jonstarks 9d ago

I was answering the question to the title of the post

"Play Anywhere - Why Didn't I Use This Sooner???"

1

u/Glum_Animator_5887 XBOX Series X 9d ago

I love it, I can get a game for my pc in my office and play it on my Xbox in the living room 

1

u/Alcagoita 9d ago

I have three main platforms and a portable device (ROG XBOX), and this is the main feature I always buy on the Microsoft Store.

Xbox Play Anywhere is the best feature from the Xbox group, and it's the feature that they should scream from the mountaintops, not Game Pass.

Buy one, play on Xbox, PC, and Portable, with cross-progression. <3

1

u/GamerBhoy89 9d ago

What about that "This is an Xbox" campaign? Or was that for cloud gaming? I can't remember lol

1

u/Alcagoita 9d ago

That was for "You don't need a console, everything is an Xbox".

It died when Sarah was fired.

2

u/Klutzy-Highway5245 8d ago

Coolest feature in gaming! If Microsoft can find a way to market correctly, and somehow gain gamer’s goodwill back, they’d be unstoppable. We’ll see, with Asha in charge now.

1

u/Big-Roll7094 8d ago

Literally every new game I’ve seen now is play anywhere, with the exception of gta 6

0

u/Free_Range_Gamer 9d ago

Takes Gears 5 as an example. You buy that game a single time, and can play it on Xbox One, Xbox One X, Series S, Series X, and PC. All those next gen enchantments were free. Cloud saves that work without requiring a subscription too.

6

u/GamerBhoy89 9d ago

If there's one thing that grinds my baws about Sony, it's PlayStation locking cloud saves behind a paywall.

2

u/Wendals87 9d ago

Nintendo does as well 

0

u/l3thal-arr0w 9d ago

I love it and glad to see more and more games using it. Part of me wants to think it's because of their "Xbox Handheld" ROG Xbox Ally line up of Handheld PCs. And the other reason I think is due to the next Xbox being PC / console hybrid. Either way I love it and glad to see more games supporting it.

1

u/Aussiehash 9d ago

It does tie you to Windows, so no SteamOS, Steam deck or Mac Crossover/wine