Quantum Break’s Steam Release Could Be the Start of a More Accepting Microsoft

Microsoft recently made a surprise announcement. Quantum Break’s PC version, which was so far being sold only on Windows Store, will also appear on the Steam store. Not only that, but the game will also no longer be exclusive to Microsoft’s premier operating system Windows 10—it will also be playable on Windows 7. What does this mean for the future of Microsoft's Games?

[sdcard4gb]

Nah, it's just a sign that Microsofts enslavement programme is not going so well, thankfully.
Fuck, I need to uninstall Windows 10... This shit is slowing down my computer.

[Erik7357]

Well your computer must suck cause mine is way faster on it.

[XanderZane]

Mine to. Surfing speed increased by about 50% since I moved to Window 10. I still love Win 7, but I'm not having any problems with Win 10 so far. I could care less if these games go to Steam or Win 7 because I'm playing all my XBox games on my XBox One and eventually my XBox Scorpio next year.

[badz149]

50%? How did you come out with that figure?

[sdcard4gb]

Or your computer is in cahoots with Microsoft and is actively spying on you while you masturbate. Beware.

[ULTp0ltergeist]

Why is your computer slower on Windows 10, that's not possible considering Microsoft designed it that way ;)

So you have a crap rig ...

[MyDietEqualsGames]

In theory crap rigs should also work faster. I have a shitty laptop I had been experimenting with on Win 10 and it's miles faster than Win 7.

[ULTp0ltergeist]

Well then in theory if you want to be consistent, he then has a very shitty rig.

[sdcard4gb]

Let's just say that my last notebook on Windows 7 turned on much faster then this new one with Windows 10 preinstalled on it.
Why do I even bother typing to you guys, I should not give a fuck :D I smoked me some weed, drank some cognac, I am living a dream babyyyyyyyyy XD

[ULTp0ltergeist]

^^

Good for you, seems like you need it.

[MyDietEqualsGames]

As someone who hated the idea of migrating to Win 10 for gaming, fully, I can say that's on you. I'm spending more and more time on it and MS are getting reamed and opening it up more to the consumer, thankfully!

I have nearly everything cut off and turned off as I want. I'm working on setting up watching communications between the OS and remote servers so I can keep a strict eye on things. It it moving towards my main OS soon. Cortana also cut down and turned off <3

Edit: Main OS for gaming.

[ULTp0ltergeist]

Are you doing anything illegal? If not, why do you have to kill poor Cortana? Some of you don't make any sense.

[rainslacker]

You don't find it kind of counter to the experience of a streamlined OS to have to "keep a strict eye on things"?

Kind of implies you don't trust MS, or you know that not everything is as it seems.

Do you really feel that in control if you have to keep a strict eye on things? Is that what one should have to do with a consumer level OS, or shouldn't it just already be set up to make it as seamless for the consumer as possible?

Don't ever thing MS is opening up control of the system to the user. Despite turning off automatic updates, they recently installed a new update which made my computer hard to work with, and if I didn't have years of IT experience on how to get around without using start menus or shortcuts, I wouldn't even be on this site now typing these words, and instead would have spent the whole weekend to come to the realization that I have to completely reinstall my OS, and set all the hundreds of crap things I want to turn off back up again, so I too can "keep a strict eye on it".

That isn't being open to the consumer. That's controlling the consumer. And I will not thank MS for it.

[ps360s]

Lol

Well I am using Windows 10 devices and it seems fine to me, I like Windows 10.

Even my tablet with 2gb ram handles Windows 10!

I do get some problems with Windows 10 (having trouble signing in after my surfacebook or pro 4 goes to sleep, ect ect) but bugs are bugs which will be fixed with updates.

Windows 10 to me is by far one of their best OS (based on home use)

[rainslacker]

When it works, Win10 works great. When it breaks, it can be a real pain in the ass to fix compared to Vista/7/8 versions of the OS. If the wrong thing breaks, it requires a complete reinstall, which is not ideal for some people who don't want to go through the hassle, whereas with older versions, there were usually fixes which remidied the actual problem without having to revert back to "factory settings".

[brich233]

Nope, This is an experiment to see how good or bad it will sell in the steam store in comparison to the Microsoft store. I'm sure it will sell more because they are opening the game to windows 7 players. Although in my opinion they should have upgraded to win 10, its so much snappier and faster, and everything I had in 7 works with 10!

[FreeSpeech69]

I'm not some huge "Windows 10 is amazing" fanboy but honestly windows 10 feels exactly like windows 7 with a couple of extras I turned off. Actually glad they got rid of Aero it was buggy. Windows 7 did LOOK more visually impressive but Windows 10 looks good enough. Windows Store would be decent if they changed a couple of things but yeah right now I'm sticking to GOG > Steam > Origin > Windows Store > Uplay, in that order.

[rainslacker]

Half my system is now inoperable since the last update. I can't even revert back to a prior setup because it deleted my restore points, and luckily for me, my settings program where the updater resides is corrupted and can't start. So, no access to my start menu, can't right click on anything...which means it's a pain to get into admin mode on my admin enabled user account, which for some reason MS doesn't actually allow admin to be done without express permission, and as far as I can tell, no way to fix it without a complete reinstall of my OS.

Fun times.

At least MS is aware of the issue....and who can fault them since it only seems to affect the "small" percentage of PC users who use SSD drives....so no chance the power user gamers would ever run into these kinds of issues.....right? Because of this, I can't see why people would be adverse from using MS services to buy their wares, since MS apparently is so great at support and timely fixing of issues, because a mostly inoperable OS for a week is completely normal and acceptable.....am I right?

To bad whatever fix they come up with will still require me to reinstall my system. Heck, even the "reset" doesn't work.:(

@Fries

My computer does suck, but Win 10 runs faster on it. But I still require it to actually run. Something that it did with Win8.1, 7, and even VIsta without major issues.

@Xander

Surfing worked great for me, except that MS kept overwriting their own TCP/IP drivers with one's that made the net slow for me in their updates, until I went and explicitly protected them from modification through methods which the common user would never even know existed, and would have a hard time performing themselves. Go figure.

Funny how the both of you ignore that not all computers are the same, and one's own experience will be different with Win10, and it has nothing to do with the quality of their computer set up, and sometimes, not even their knowledge or abilities with computers. Was in IT for ten years, and I'm still stuck with a half inoperable system, which requires a complete reinstall, from an update that MS wasn't supposed to be able to perform without my permission as I have automatic updates turned off.

Go figure, the things MS provides to allow me to control my environment mean nothing, when they can just go ahead and bypass them at their leisure.

[Unspoken]

Gtfo you paranoid troll.

[lelo2play]

Finally... I might actually purchase Quantum Break now.

Interesting article. I know Microsoft wants their own gaming platform on PC (Win 10 store) but it's simply stupid to ignore Steam at this moment. Steam is just too big...

[ULTp0ltergeist]

They know that, no doubt about it. Only way for Microsoft to find leverage is basically have a stake in Steam and provide support with Steam executive still at the helm. They can definitely support each other and in my opinion they need each other.

[MyDietEqualsGames]

There is no need for Steam to support MS, but if we're talking making things easier on Win 10, I agree. Optimisations and such. I welcome that. Many of us on Steam have huge backlogs, me included. MS cannot ignore that. It's much too established to ignore, even if a competitor.

[badz149]

The only thing MS is accepting in this case is defeat! They tried using RoTR and QB to increase the activity and relevance of the Windows Store but most PC gamers aren't bulging from Steam and those games aren't selling as well as they hope!

Well...that's what you get when you try to go against Steam's domination. I guess they get the taste of their own medicine like how they dominated the PC scene with Windows.

[rainslacker]

I agree, but at the same time, it doesn't do much to promote their own store. Their goal is to have a market place to compete with Steam, but if people have no real reason to leave their Steam accounts, then why would they? Given that many PC users already have an adversion to MS in general, and their storefronts more specifically, particularly since GFWL went defunct and now with the restrictions on the Windows Store, I can't see how they can really ever promote their ecosystem beyond the basic login and Live account required aspect that is already present in Win10. Maybe forcing a XBL connection like EA does with Origin, but that just bolsters their numbers without actually adding anything to their ecosystem.

It'll help the software sales, which is good for the accountants and the developers or games, but does nothing to drive people to user their actual services.

What's more interesting in all this is they removed the DX12 requirement for the game. That is even more counter to their current and huge push to try and drive Win10 adoption, as it gives people no reason to upgrade, unless the DX11 version is just so bad that they think people will be compelled to upgrade to get a better experience...in which case, this would be a kind of trojan horse scenario, but not sure how it runs when brought from Steam.

@badz

Their problem isn't trying to compete, it's that they aren't offering a service which people want to use. I'm all for MS trying to compete, and hopefully make the PC marketplaces better all around, but resticting games like they were isn't going to do it in a big way. Their offerings just aren't big enough to drive that kind of adoption like it is for EA and them restricting their games to Origin. EA has more desired games among the PC crowd, and they haven't spent years shunning the PC community only to come back begging when they had no other choice. People have their own problems with EA, and even EA using Origin as a storefront, but EA has always supported PC, whereas MS has only manipulated their DX improvements to try and force the PC gamer segment to upgrade.

Their sudden support of PC comes across as shallow, and I think a lot of PC gamers see that. MS can go on and on about Play Anywhere, and have the Xbox fan boys tout the virtues of the features and services that MS provides that MS provides them with readily enough, and I'll concede that Spencer is of the belief that PC gaming plays a big future in the role of XBox and wants to have a more positive presence there, but for the time being, they just don't have the mind share, and the games they're offering up just aren't compelling enough to really drive mass migration to their services, and without those users moving over to the Windows Store, they have less influence to get other publishers to use their store, and ultimately, UWP and all the benefits that would bring MS for the long term.

[RAM0N]

If this sells a million in one day gears and halo could also release on steam

[Mystogan]

Not gonna happen. Only reason this happened is probably because Remedy wanted it. I don't think anyone sane would not download a Halo or gears game because its not on steam.

[Errorist76]

I surely won't and most PC gamers think the same.

[rainslacker]

You seem to be of the belief that PC gamers are all chomping at the bit to play Gears or Halo. I know back in the day, there were a lot of people clamoring for both on PC, but after a decade of MS giving them the middle finger, do you think they're all just sitting around waiting with baited breath?

No, they've either moved on to other games or stopped playing games by now, and the people who play primarily on PC, probably aren't all that fussed over what was once traditionally only available on consoles. I mean, how many games have the primary PC gamers missed in these series to make them hyped or excited for these games? If I were just coming into an Xbox console, would I care about them? Would you?

Your argument would make sense if you were talking about an Xbox fan, but we're talking about PC gamers, and they don't think the same way. They have their own preferences, and I doubt the majority of them prefer games they haven't had access to for 10 years time. MS will get some PC sales off them, but sanity has nothing to do with whether or not a PC gamer would download Halo or Gears.

It's like saying Xbox fans would suddenly go clamoring for GT or Uncharted should it become available on Xbox. It'll have some sales, but most aren't going to care that much.

[Eonjay]

No. It wont but its not about that. Its about money. And nothing else. The will make more money on Steam.

[XanderZane]

The older Xbox One games won't go to Steam or PC and any new games will definitely be Win 10 first for awhile. Then MS will decided if they want to bring it to Steam or not.

[Errorist76]

They will...but QB will never release a million.

[DigitalRaptor]

Don't count on it fella.

The walled garden they have put up with the Windows 10 store and future of encrypted apps will remain for as long as they can see it working for them and them alone. They will only put a game of theirs on Steam when it flops on any of their platforms. It's part of the reason their Xbox One games are coming to PC in the first place, but bringing them over, they don't want to open them up to the very acceptable standards of the PC gaming community.

[TheColbertinator]

Then most of their games will come to Steam if they plan to hold to Win10.

[DeeBeers]

I don't get this. Blizzard does the same thing with their games. I love battle.net because it allows me to download my Blizzard games whenever I move to a new machine. UWP allows you to play them across the entire windows ecosystem in be same way. Sounds pretty damn good to me!

[XXanderXX]

MS needs to end all support for prior OS and they shouldn't be Providing games for that egotistical turd site .
God how I miss Bill Gates , MS has lost its Set .

[Mystogan]

I do miss them taking risks.

[Blu3_Berry]

I think it is mainly due to low sales. I don't have windows 10 and I don't plan to for at least another 4 years. Windows 7 is running perfectly for me so no reason to upgrade. I hear my friends have too many issues with 10. I do really hope that scalebound and recore will come to steam, I will be very happy especially with recore. That game looks good.

[FallenAngel1984]

Microsoft needs to learn PC gamers love the freedom that their platform provides, and trying to restrict them in any way is not the path to success.

[XXanderXX]

But yet PC gamers want to restrict them MS from selling their games on their own store and how they go about selling them . Sounds like it has to be PC gamers way or no way .

@Errorist Where's the contradiction , nothing but honest truth in my comment about recent on goings involving the MS store and how everyone cries fouls cause it not on some no good for nothing store .

[Errorist76]

You contradict yourself...and are fishing for arguments.

[rainslacker]

Not wanting to buy the games off the Windows Store is not the same as wanting to restrict MS from selling their games on it.

People may want those games to go elsewhere so they can have the choice to buy it at their preferred store. If they get that chance, then great, if not, then they just don't buy the game. Who's restricting MS from keeping it on their store? At most, MS just gets criticized for the service itself, but no active restrictions are placed on it.

On the other hand, you have games and services that are restricted to the Windows Store...and those restrictions are a big reason why people don't want to buy off the Windows Store.

[XtraTrstrL]

I'm still holding onto hope that Gears:UE and GOW4 will move to Steam. It might take for GOW4 to do bad on Windows Store first, before they decide to possibly move it to Steam. Though, I do feel they should move UE to Steam now, while some people are still interested and looking to possibly get warmed up for GOW4, since it's completely dead on the Windows Store.

It'd make so much more sense to release GOW4 at launch on Steam though, before any hype and interest starts to die down. If it releases on the Windows Store and suffers because of the exclusivity and UWP issues, people may see the bad reviews and stay away by the time it does come to Steam, if ever.

[XXanderXX]

That thing they don't need to move anything to steam , they need to better the W10 store but you cant do that if you are offering your games & sharing profits with another store .They need to better their store and skip profit sharing especially with that egotistical POS from Steam .

@XtraTrstrl if they are going to get the store right they cant give people the ability to buy the games elsewhere , all that does is continue the trend of people just wanting everything to go to that store hence killing the ability to attract consumers & sell from their store.

[XtraTrstrL]

LOL, you couldn't be any more wrong. If the Windows Store had any footing, sure, that'd make sense. They came out the gates in a horrible state though, and were already in need to prove themselves after the disgusting GFWL. Instead, the Windows Store is just looked at as GFWL 2.0. M$ uses the Windows Store to force feed consumers Win10/UWP. It's the exact type of walled garden, crap ass store people rejected in the past and want nothing to do with on PC.

Any game that relies on online multiplayer like Gears will die immediately, as seen with UE, which by the way wasn't promoted or advertised at all. Many people, including myself, didn't find out UE even existed on PC until recently while looking up GOW4 news. M$ may fix up the Windows Store at some point, but they are gonna lose money and destroy franchises on the PC end by forcing these games to an early Win10/Windows Store/UWP grave.

They're skipping profits actually by trying to go exclusive on a wasteland storefront that no one is willing to go to, for good reason. They'd actually make more money, despite the 30% to Valve, because they'd sell waaaaay more copies on Steam. They could build up a positive relationship with the consumers, while fixing the Windows Store/UWP issues if they so choose. Then, sometime in the future, they can try to go exclusive there again. Going exclusive on their store now is just robbing folks, killing their franchises on PC, and making a worse name for the Windows Store.

[ginsunuva]

Game releases on MS Store only: Monopoly!
Game releases on Steam only: Nothing wrong.

[XtraTrstrL]

Atleast on Steam, you can download your games at a decent speed without installation issues, you have a large enough community buying multiplayer games for the playerpool to stay alive, there are awesome sales nonstop, overlays like Nvidia Shadowplay work without issue, there's actually a return policy, and you don't have the insane blockages and restrictions of UWP and Win10 exclusivity.

[m2stech]

Yep Win7 and steam or gtfo is what I say. I wont buy it on release day but surely later on.

[rainslacker]

I think MS may be hoping that DX12 gets more adoption and that devs move away from DX11 as their base, which will all but force adoption of Win10 since MS sees fit to lock it behind OS upgrades. Even if released on Steam, a DX12 game would require Win10.

This could be a long game for MS to force the OS adoption, which in turn can help promote it's store adoption, as if they can get a better reputation as a game publisher by using Steam now, they can get more people interested in their games. MS, if anything, is pretty long term in their thinking on everything they do, and the immediate results which may seem the most likely outcome, are just a stepping stone to their bigger plans.

If anything, I see this move as a way for MS to repair it's reputation among PC gamers, who for the most part, will be the primary customers for their Windows Store. I feel MS published games will still be Win10 store first, and given enough time, and respect afforded to them for the quality of their games(which are typically pretty good), that kind of first access could drive people to use their storefront instead of waiting for an eventual Steam release.

Walls break down, but it takes time. Question is, will MS promote enough good will among the PC gamers to actually make them less skeptical of MS as a whole, because right now, MS biggest problems have more to do with the way they've serviced PC gamers for the past ten years, and basically ignored them, all while pandering to them when they needed to push a new OS upgrade by restricting DX to newer versions, which in turn, only held back the adoption of newer DX versions in general, because most people never saw a reason to upgrade.

[Errorist76]

I said it months ago already...as people refuse to use the Windows store they will initially offer all games on Steam, you'll see. They would be stupid not to. I mean they are...often enough...but the want the m o n e y.

[malol]

i called this 987 days ago

http://n4g.com/news/1408714...

[butchertroll]

Nobody wants to buy games on your Win 10 Store ONLY, MS!

[kingdom18]

Don't know why people are disagreeing with you, the proof is in the pudding. Thier games are not selling on the Win 10 Store, RotTR didn't sell great on there while it sold nearly a million on Steam ( http://tinyurl.com/Kotaku-9...
here's a dev saying 98% of the copies sold were on Steam).

[--bienio--]

"..days are getting brighter for PC fans of Microsoft’s games. After a generation of games mostly exclusive to an Xbox console, we are finally seeing Microsoft properties return to Windows.."

[MCTJim]

Once again, I dont care where I buy, be it Steam, Origin or the MS store. I go where I can get the best deal. I bought QB at the MS store because I got 2 copies for the price of one.