Microsoft has a big event planned on Wednesday, which should provide a great deal of inormation about the company’s forthcoming Windows 10 update. Although details have yet to be revealed regarding what the new operating system will bring, it could no doubt change the landscape for Microsoft’s PC userbase — and, yes, that includes games.
Led by CEO Satya Nadella, the company has undergone a few changes to bring its stock to an all-time high, with a focus on not only cross-platform support for its products, but also a huge leap forward for its video game division, led by the popular Xbox One.
Windows 10 is likely to bring with it a new desktop operating system, as seen in the photo above, that makes it easier for programs to be accessed. This is even better for gamers that want to launch their titles right away, rather than jumping through sub-menu after sub-menu just to begin a round of Halo: Spartan Assault or Hydro Thunder Hurricane. There’s a possibility that users can activate their programs by voice command as well, as Windows 10 is likely to have support for Cortana, the company’s patented voice recognition system.
There’s also word that a new Xbox app within Windows 10 will make buying and browsing for games that much easier, as well as tracking progress with Achievements and seeing what their friends are up to on interactive activity feeds. Microsoft hasn’t broken down just how smoothly the downloading process will work, but its main goal is ease of use with the new program, so we’ll likely see something come out of that.
Integration isn’t just limited to PCs, laptops, and notebooks, though. Windows 10 is likely to be introduced acroos a full specturm of devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones, allowing users to access their data and applications much more easily than before — and probably have more access to games in the process. As well, Microsoft is rumored to be making it easier than ever to develop applications that run across all of its platforms, with the goal of leveraging its major market share on desktops to bring more apps to mobile devices. In particular, this could mean game developers could easily support not just PCs, but Windows tablets and Windows smartphones with the very same application and only a minor amount of effort. Which could result in a huge increase in the number of games available on Windows mobile devices.
SmartGlass, the company’s connected application that works with a number of Xbox One games, may also see better integration with Windows 10-related products, making it easier to activate a “second screen” experience with the likes of Halo and other games.
Finally, depending on the power of the service, Microsoft could very well introduce a new line-up of games to attract a bigger Xbox-style audience. Although it’s doubtful we’ll see something like Halo: The Master Chief Collection running on a mobile device anytime soon, that’s not to say we can’t see the original Halo running in some form — or maybe even one of the newer titles in the series. And Microsoft could always figure out a side release to coincide with the forthcoming Halo 5: Guardians, as a way to appeal further to the gaming public.
It’s even possible that Microsoft may introduce some new hardware at this event, though we wouldn’t expect to see a mobile Xbox One. Still, seeing some games appear on both the Xbox One and on mobile devices might be in the offing, which would certainly open a new front in the console wars.
More details on Microsoft’s plans with Windows 10 will be unveiled tomorrow, but don’t be surprised if they provide a number of changes for the better.
