Windows 10 Anniversary Update Will Let Any Xbox One Be A Dev Kit

Microsoft have used their Build 2016 conference to talk about quite a lot of new features and changes coming to Windows 10, regardless of the form factor, as part of a Windows 10 anniversary update this summer.

In terms of the Xbox One, the big news is that you’ll be able to turn any retail Xbox One into a dev kit via an app, something that was first talked about way back in 2013. Using Visual Studio, developers will then be able to beam software to the console for testing, and this neatly ties into the Universal Windows Platform and the Windows Store, which will bring non-gaming software to the console for the first time.

Cortana will also make her way to the Xbox One this summer, with more details on the update to come at E3. A preview release of Xbox Dev Mode functionality will be made available today, however.

Beyond the Xbox One, Microsoft are responding to some of the criticisms that the UWP has faced from gamers. Starting in May, changes are being rolled out to let UWP games support multiple GPUs, you’ll also be able to turn v-sync off and make use of the rival adaptive refresh rate technologies of Freesync and G-sync.

Though there are those with serious misgivings about the platform, Microsoft are making it easier than ever to build software for UWP, with a tool to convert Win32 apps to Centennial, a bridge to UWP and its exclusive APIs, including live tiles and notifications.

Putting it plainly, it makes it easier for existing apps to make use of Windows 10 features. Phil Schiller put both Age of Empires II HD and The Witcher III through the process and demoed them on stage.

It looks as if Windows 10 is making some decent strides on all fronts, as it gets closer to its first birthday.

Source: Microsoft, Anandtech, Ars Technica

7 Comments

  1. Could this mean some decent lightweight games for the likes of me with a little 8inch

    • Windows tablet?

      • I was beginning to wonder. Just as well I scrolled down enough :P

        It may do further down the line. One of the ideas behinds UWP and Windows 10 Mobile is that apps will become cross compatible. Might help the inherent lack of apps on the mobile side of the OS. It probably wouldn’t make it anything be on the level of Android or iOS though.

      • I hope it’ll help a lot. I really like my windows tablet but the quality of the non-Microsoft apps is appalling. The worst candidate is Kindle, it’s like Amazon asked a hungover student to just have a go at a port one miserable Thursday morning and declared it good enough! Ive deleted everything but Kindle, Excel, Word, Edge and Cover Comic Reader, luckily the rest of those word so beautifully and they’re all I need. Oh, and I have Lara Croft Go, utterly flawless, it just proves games can be done well as a UWP app :)

    • Unlikely, have you seen how barren the windows 10 app store is? Have you seen how basic UWP is? You might as well write games in JavaScript, you wouldn’t be far off the capabilities of UWP….

      • Dp you even use it? I’m guessing not.

      • Yep, been checking it monthly in hope of better YouTube, News, email, calendar apps and whatever games are fresh out. I wouldn’t say it’s barren though, more like utterly bloated with shit.

Comments are now closed for this post.