Why it matters: When Obsidian’s upcoming RPG, Avowed, launches on February 18, players who access the game through Game Pass or purchase a digital copy outside of Steam will be able to play it on Xbox Series consoles, Microsoft’s Xbox app for PC, or Blizzard’s Battle.net launcher. Whether future Microsoft-published games will support Battle.net cross-buy remains unclear, but this move suggests a potential expansion of Blizzard’s platform within Microsoft’s ecosystem.
Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription has garnered praise for offering relatively low-cost access to a consistent stream of new and popular titles. However, PC subscribers have long expressed frustration with the Xbox app used for installing games through Game Pass. Blizzard’s games still rely on the company’s well-regarded Battle.net launcher, and Obsidian’s Avowed is the first non-Blizzard title that allows subscribers and buyers to choose between the Xbox app and Battle.net, possibly indicating a shift in policy.
Following Microsoft’s historic $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Blizzard’s library was added to Game Pass, but its games remained tied to Battle.net instead of being transitioned to the Xbox app. While most Game Pass titles run through Microsoft’s storefront, playing Diablo, Diablo 4, Overwatch 2, and StarCraft on PC Game Pass requires installing Battle.net.
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Although PC users often bemoan the need for additional launchers, Blizzard fans likely prefer Battle.net to the Xbox app. The latter has faced years of criticism due to bugs and a relatively light feature set. Although Battle.net mostly only hosts Blizzard titles, fans consider it more reliable by comparison.
Non-Blizzard games like Call of Duty and Crash Bandicoot have been available through Battle.net for years, but Avowed’s inclusion suggests that Microsoft may be willing to bring more of its first-party catalog to the platform. Moreover, Avowed is the first title to allow non-subscribers to seamlessly switch between playing on Xbox consoles, the Xbox app, or Battle.net.
To enable cross-buy, users must link their Battle.net and Microsoft accounts by logging into Battle.net, clicking on their username in the top-right corner, navigating to Account Settings > Connections, and selecting Xbox Network to log into their Microsoft account.
In addition to providing an alternative to the Xbox app, this integration also creates a potential pathway for Game Pass subscribers to play Avowed on the Steam Deck. Hopefully, Microsoft extends Battle.net cross-buy to other in-house titles like the upcoming Doom: The Dark Ages and South of Midnight, or recent releases like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
Avowed is an open-world action RPG set in the Pillars of Eternity universe, heavily focusing on nonlinear quests. The game launches on Xbox consoles, Game Pass, Battle.net, and Steam on February 18. Players who purchase the premium edition will gain early access starting February 13. The game requires 75GB of storage space, and Obsidian recommends an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT for smooth gameplay.
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