Microsoft wants to fuse Xbox One and Windows 10 into one super gaming platform capable of playing games anywhere. With the release of Windows 10's Anniversary update, the Windows and Xbox app stores will be combined into one, creating a single unified store across devices. What it essentially implies that you won't need an Xbox One to play Microsoft's next generation of games.

PROS

Titles like the space-age shooter Halo have become some of the most sought-after games in the industry. Some people buy an Xbox One just so they can play certain games. Making them available on PC might bolster computer sales among consumers and that's a win for Microsoft whose software powers those computers. It's an interesting time to be an Xbox owner and a PC player; Microsoft doesn't look like it's backing down from its platform-agnostic promise any time soon. When you buy a game made by Microsoft or one of its close partners, you will be able to play it on either device.

In addition, Microsoft is making it easier for anyone to start developing apps and games. Reports have emerged that soon it'll allow all Xbox One owners to turn their console into a development kit, and then switch back and forth between gaming and developing modes.

This very concept of merging Xbox One and Windows 10 will also serve as a key catalyst to persuade the tech industry to support its Windows 10 Operating System during a crucial time as the company has gone through underwhelming PC sales and still has a detrimental issue to work out. Bringing in some of the industry's most distinguished games to Windows is bound to make a difference. 

CONS

The company thrives to make itself as significant to gamers as it was in the age of the Xbox 360, however at the expenditure of reducing the prominence of hardware in favor of software by bridging the gap between Xbox One and Windows 10. While this may sound simple on the surface, one problem is that Microsoft has to make sure gamers who prefer one platform over the other, or play both at the same time, feel like they aren't receiving the short end of the stick.

In spite of the Project Scorpio announcement, another problem is Xbox would end up resembling something closer to PC, with slower and faster consoles providing various ranges of performance. In theory, there's no need to buy a console if new games work on old hardware, be it the genuine Xbox One or PC. Developers who couldn't previously find satisfaction to utilize the graphical fidelity of their games for the console will now gain extra privilege due to prowess of the latest GPUs in PCs and the upgraded console. This, in turn, is sure to alienate gamers as many nit-pick mercilessly the three most important aspects of gaming – resolution, detail & frame rate. People would get enraged with the superior graphics in PC over time as developers fine tune the graphics of the games in order to ensure optimal playability in the consoles and PCs alike.

Lastly, next time a Microsoft game has caught your divine attention, you don't require Xbox to try it out. Microsoft has spent the better part of the last three years rebuilding its brand as a gamer-centric, consumer-friendly company willing to do whatever it takes to win back its lost loyalty. Now the console's future is tied to a bold vision that enables players to play games wherever they please, whether it is on a couch in the living room or with a mouse and keyboard.

Tamim Bin Zakir aka Shwag_Lord(PSN ID) is an enraged individual who seldom thinks of being generous to others. Feel free to devour his tranquility at niloy.tbz@gmail.com