Xbox and PC gamers can finally battle as Microsoft rolls out cross-network play

By Danny Cowan March 14, 2016

microsoft enables cross network multiplayer for xbox live 70 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Microsoft is breaking down the barriers that have long divided online gameplay in multiplatform video games, as the company announced today that licensed Xbox developers can now enable support for cross-network multiplayer with non-Xbox consoles and PCs.

The first game to offer cross-network multiplayer is Psyonix’s Rocket League, which is now open to “Xbox One and PC players, with an open invitation for other networks to participate as well.”

Recommended Videos

The feature is optional both for developers and for players, as Microsoft notes that “Xbox Live players will always have the option of choosing to play only with other Xbox Live players.” Microsoft’s newly relaxed standards also apply to games released for Windows 10, as developers can now enable multiplayer PC gameplay across independently operated networks and online services in addition to Xbox Live.

Xbox Live will also grow its presence on PC platforms with the launch of Microsoft’s ID@Xbox program on Windows 10. The addition will allow developers to use Xbox Live for online gameplay and matchmaking in Universal Windows Platform games, at their option. Multiple PC games with Xbox Live support via ID@Xbox are already in the works, as Microsoft announced that “hundreds of developers have committed to shipping on Windows 10 with Xbox Live.”

Microsoft’s policy change dramatically expands its Xbox Live online gaming service, which until this week has been the exclusive domain of Xbox 360 and Xbox One games, in addition to select Windows PC titles. Xbox Live launched in 2002, and has since grown into a multiplatform service that requires players to maintain an active paid subscription in order to access the multiplayer modes in supported Xbox 360 and Xbox One games.

Microsoft also revealed that it will continue its Xbox Game Preview program after a strong launch last year, and notes that support for MonoGame’s open-source programming framework is coming to the Xbox One “soon.”

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…

Gaming

Is the Stardew Valley 1.6 update on consoles and mobile? Switch, PS5, Xbox, more

Stardew Valley

There are few cozy games as successful and beloved as Stardew Valley, so it's no wonder it has received regular updates since its 2016 release.

The 1.6 update for Stardew Valley was released back in March 2024 for PC, adding new festivals and events, NPC dialogues, farm types, more pets, and much more. Unfortunately, the update did not immediately release on consoles, leaving farmers playing on smartphones, Switch, Xbox or PlayStation waiting for all the new content.

Gaming

How to open the Warden Vault in Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Inside the Warden Vault in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

If you thought the puzzles in Dragon Age: The Veilguard were too easy, you haven't tackled The Warden Vault quest yet. Available in the Rivain Coast, The Warden Vault is a side quest, one of many incredible side quests, that has you figure out how to open the locked door to the Warden's Vault underneath a huge castle.

This puzzle requires you to solve three separate puzzles within the castle, but they are far from obvious. Without the right guidance, Rook and the party can easily get lost throughout this castle and not know how to unlock the Warden's Vault in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, so here's how to solve it.
How to unlock The Warden Vault side quest

Gaming

The fastest ways to gain XP in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Kill Order gameplay in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.

Ever since Modern Warfare, Call of Duty fans have been obsessed with finding every tip and trick they can to level up faster. Now that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has arrived with a refreshed Prestige system, the drive to grind levels is again at an all-time high. While everything you do does earn you XP, they are not all created equal. Just like picking your Wildcards or Perks, earning XP as fast as possible takes a bit of thought and planning. If there's a piece of equipment you have your eye on at a high level, or just want to grind through some Prestige ranks as fast as possible, here are the fastest ways to grind XP in Black Ops 6.
Do your dailies

We'll get the most obvious tip out of the way first. Daily challenges are back and work just as they always have. Every 24 hours you will be given a handful of small optional tasks to complete for a heap of bonus XP. These can be things like getting Scorestreak kills, getting Point Blank Kills, and getting kills with a specific weapon type. Most daily challenges are worth 2,500 XP, which is already a nice bonus, but there is also a fourth one that can be worth between 3,000 and 5,000 additional XP. Each day you log on, you should prioritize your daily challenges.
Tailor your loadout and play the objective