The next version of Windows 10 might let you play Xbox One games on your PC

By Arif Bacchus Published February 26, 2019

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ever dream of enjoying your entire library of Xbox One games on your PC? Well, that could very soon be a reality as Microsoft is working on bringing native support for Xbox One Games to Windows 10, according to Thurrott.

While Microsoft never explicitly or officially stated support for such a feature, it is instead hidden away in a Windows Insider build 18334, a beta version of the incoming Windows 10 April 2019 Update. According to Thurrott, Microsoft is giving away the game State of Decay for free in this version of Windows 10 so beta testers could try out a new download and install mechanism for Xbox games.

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Thurrott finds that instead of being downloaded from the Microsoft Store through serverdl.microsoft.com, the game is being pulled from assets1.xboxlive.com. That is a departure from tradition, as most Xbox Games ported to the PC through the Xbox Play anywhere program typically come from the serverdl.microsoft.com server.

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Additionally, Thurrott reports that once the installer files are extracted after a download, it is set as the .XVC format. This format is typically used on the Xbox One, but in this beta release can also be installed manually through Windows Powershell, the task automation and configuration management framework in Windows 10. The file even launches a DirectX window which typically only pops up when software and games are installed. Added together, this all shows that the version of State of Decay being tested with Windows Insiders is more than just a PC port, and could indeed be the Xbox One version.

“The company is in the process of making the delivery mechanisms based on the Xbox infrastructure, appears to be making it possible to run Xbox games on the PC, and replacing the existing Store PC games infrastructure on that of what Xbox has built,” Thurrott said.

Although big Xbox One games like Forza Motorsport 7 are already available on PCs through the Xbox Play Anywhere program, native support on Windows 10 could be huge for Xbox One developers. It means they wouldn’t need to write the code for games twice. It also means that Microsoft is further working on a more seamless experience for consumers so that the gaming experience on PCs is the same as it is on Xbox One.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…

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