There was a recent report from Windows Central which suggested that Xbox is currently working on including a new cross-platform feature—a cross-platform Xbox menu. The goal is to improve players’ gaming experience and Xbox’s game offerings across multiple platforms through the addition of a set of in-game APIs and user interface features.
Xbox Seeks to Improve Their Cross-Platform Offerings With New Cross-Platform Feature
The new cross-platform feature comes as no surprise, as PlayStation 5 has been steadily outselling the Xbox Series X|S with a ratio of 3:1. Due to the gap in sales between PlayStation and Xbox, the latter has continued to expand, even though the fierce competition seems to be a significant setback hindering its steady progress. That said, the Xbox Game Pass has also witnessed steady growth with the consistent inclusion of several exciting games.
However, the Game Pass isn’t the peak of Xbox’s offerings. According to Windows Central, Xbox is reportedly developing a cross-platform feature that standardizes user interfaces across devices. The feature is apparently codenamed Project Rainway. Though, it remains unclear which platforms will support the feature. It is less likely that platforms like PlayStation or Nintendo would accept Xbox’s cross-platform menu.
Microsoft has emphasized improving the Xbox platform’s accessibility, and this is one step toward achieving that goal. On that note, Xbox is gradually making its way into the console wars once again.
The report goes on to explain that Xbox draws its motivation for the project from various social features incorporated in games like Hearthstone, Diablo IV, and World of Warcraft through Battle.net. Xbox aims to include features found in several games like the ones listed above, including Indiana Jones.
This could mean that games from Xbox available on other platforms would retain an Xbox influence, including features like in-game Xbox systems and potentially cloud save support. For instance, Indiana Jones on Steam utilizes Xbox cloud saves, and Diablo IV ensures your progression is synced across all platforms. This could all enhance Xbox’s user experience if the stated features—and others unknown—are incorporated into Xbox’s entire catalog of cross-platform menu features available on other platforms.
