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Why it issues: When Obsidian’s upcoming RPG, Avowed, launches on February 18, gamers who entry the sport by means of Recreation Cross or buy a digital copy exterior of Steam will be capable of play it on Xbox Collection consoles, Microsoft’s Xbox app for PC, or Blizzard’s Battle.web launcher. Whether or not future Microsoft-published video games will assist Battle.web cross-buy stays unclear, however this transfer suggests a possible growth of Blizzard’s platform inside Microsoft’s ecosystem.
Microsoft’s Recreation Cross subscription has garnered reward for providing comparatively low-cost entry to a constant stream of recent and standard titles. Nonetheless, PC subscribers have lengthy expressed frustration with the Xbox app used for putting in video games by means of Recreation Cross. Blizzard’s video games nonetheless depend on the corporate’s well-regarded Battle.web launcher, and Obsidian’s Avowed is the primary non-Blizzard title that enables subscribers and consumers to decide on between the Xbox app and Battle.web, probably indicating a shift in coverage.
Following Microsoft’s historic $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Blizzard’s library was added to Recreation Cross, however its video games remained tied to Battle.web as a substitute of being transitioned to the Xbox app. Whereas most Recreation Cross titles run by means of Microsoft’s storefront, taking part in Diablo, Diablo 4, Overwatch 2, and StarCraft on PC Recreation Cross requires installing Battle.net.
Additionally see: Most Anticipated PC Games of 2025 (Avowed is certainly one of them)
Though PC customers typically bemoan the necessity for added launchers, Blizzard followers doubtless favor Battle.web to the Xbox app. The latter has confronted years of criticism as a result of bugs and a comparatively mild characteristic set. Though Battle.web principally solely hosts Blizzard titles, followers take into account it extra dependable by comparability.
Non-Blizzard video games like Name of Responsibility and Crash Bandicoot have been obtainable by means of Battle.web for years, however Avowed’s inclusion means that Microsoft could also be keen to convey extra of its first-party catalog to the platform. Furthermore, Avowed is the primary title to permit non-subscribers to seamlessly swap between taking part in on Xbox consoles, the Xbox app, or Battle.web.
To allow cross-buy, customers should hyperlink their Battle.web and Microsoft accounts by logging into Battle.web, clicking on their username within the top-right nook, navigating to Account Settings > Connections, and choosing Xbox Community to log into their Microsoft account.
Along with offering a substitute for the Xbox app, this integration additionally creates a possible pathway for Recreation Cross subscribers to play Avowed on the Steam Deck. Hopefully, Microsoft extends Battle.web cross-buy to different in-house titles just like the upcoming Doom: The Darkish Ages and South of Midnight, or latest releases like Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle.
Avowed is an open-world motion RPG set within the Pillars of Eternity universe, closely specializing in nonlinear quests. The sport launches on Xbox consoles, Game Pass, Battle.net, and Steam on February 18. Gamers who buy the premium version will achieve early entry beginning February 13. The sport requires 75GB of cupboard space, and Obsidian recommends an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT for easy gameplay.
