Microsoft announced at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco that its Xbox One will be able to run Universal Windows apps starting this summer, reports Business Insider.
The Xbox Store and the Windows Store for apps and content will also be merged into one.
That’s huge for developers who want to build cross-platform apps and games for the company’s desktop and mobile OS as well as its gaming console. The move should help extend the lifespan of the console, and give palyers a reason to use it for more than just gaming.
Microsoft has been keen on unifying its cross-device OS with its gaming platform for some time now. Last year, the company added features to Xbox One to allow users to stream games to their Windows 10 PCs, chat with gamer buddies and explore the Xbox Live community.
It’ll be interesting to see what sort of Windows apps make it to the console. I imagine that social media, messaging and tools for streaming and creating music and video content will be part of the mix.
Microsoft will likely share more details of its UWP plans for Xbox One at its Build developer conference which kicks off on March 30 in San Francisco.
➤ Microsoft is mashing Windows and the Xbox together to win over its most critical market [Business Insider]
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