Unfortunately, it does not.

Im holding my breath hoping Xbox is smart enough to realize they need to merge their PC and Xbox game stores… But the technical overhead required to do such a thing probably means they wont, even though theyre the only company that could pull it off.

Not pursuing this will mean the death of Xbox hardware, mark my words.

Fair, with steam i think most people got into it years ago before “ownership” was even a concern, back before online games were so frequently shutdown soon after release. Its a good thing GOG and Sailing the 7 Seas are an option for preservation, not that it helps with online only games.

Now i still invest in steam because of its convenience. As soon as it becomes more cumbersome to use, i am done. Tbh if 3rd party app stores/secondary drm become more common on the store i will probably stop investing in steam. Its already a big issue that stops me from buying games…(Think denuvo)

Consoles are already to the point where its near impossible to own your game. Xbox overpriced their consoles so we dont buy them and just invest in gamepass. Not to mention their consoles dont work without online accnt. Playstation requires online activation for a disc drive to work with their new consoles. Nintendo doesnt even put 3rd party switch 2 games on the cartridge anymore.

I feel you, but steam is definitely the lesser of the evils here letting you use it on almost any hardware you want, even if you cant avoid the drm(for most games)

This is a problem that Steam Family Share exists to solve.

Yeah if you never got the red ring of death it was the best console.

Its DRM was more flexible than we have ever or will ever see on a console again.

• The licensing worked similar to xbox one but you could transfer all licenses at once instead of just when you downloaded a game.
• You could install any disc or digital game to internal or external drives and could transfer it between any pc/console. The discs then functioned as physical licenses to play disc-based games.

The avatar system was the gaming metaverse we all wanted and it got abandoned before it could reach its full potential.

• Avatar awards as skins you could show off in multiple games!? Amazing.
• indie devs could take advantage of the avatar system to enhance their games

The library was the peak that xbox ever had to offer. Uniqueness and passion still showed through in AAA games of this era, and 360 had the majority of quality AAA games. PS3 still managed, but nostalgia for the 360 days is what is still keeping the xbox brand alive today.

The online multiplayer in games of this era still celebrated and enabled community/random encounters with voice chat. This doesnt happen in modern games, nobody is in the game chat anymore. I am not a fan of paid multiplayer so i dont pay anymore, but back in the day, it was worth it for the shenanigans and connections we made.

I’m obsessed with the OG xbox and 360, oh how the mighty have fallen.

So this is where minecraft having 2 pc versions (java and bedrock) gets complex.

It is very easy to find a custom or cracked launcher for java minecraft, and play it without also having to purchase minecraft on PC. You just have to source the game files for the version(i.e. 1.21) you want and play it with a cracked launcher.

When it comes to multiplayer… Java edition can operate its own server on Lan or the internet, and you can also setup a dedicated server on another machine that will let you and your friends play. This will work with purchased or cracked versions of mc java, assuming the game and server game version numbers match.

The whole reason Mojang/Microsoft made Bedrock was to allow them control over the community, and to make money. This means they charge for skins, resource packs and servers(now known as Realms). As far as i know, you cannot hose a Realm for free or with a crack.

There are programs that can convert bedrock saves to java saves, and vice versa… But the last time i used one it didnt work well.

The best option is to start a Java server, and use mods that allow bedrock players to join. That can be a pain too if they are on console.

This is why there is alot of disdain for the Bedrock version of mc…

I buy the games that deserve it, when i can afford it.

Over 900 games on steam, not garbage either.

Piracy has its place, but voting with the wallet is important too.

Not a specific example, but it infuriates me more than anything when people say it doesn’t matter that hardware, software and media are becoming increasingly dependent on an internet connection to operate.

People lack the foresight to care that the things they are paying for right now, wont last like similar things do from 10-20+ years ago.

Your old dvds, vhs, cds, vinyls, game consoles, tvs telephones.

The current implementations of these mediums have taken ownership away from the consumer, and nobody cares.

I anticipate a massive loss of historically pertinent hardware and information that will result in the new norm of paying for limited access to anything and everything.

Maximum consumption and profit, minimal preservation and environmental efficiency.

Nobody cares, like we are all slowly boiling frogs.