Technology changes the way we live. That is an indisputable fact. Don’t believe me? Outside of your power going out, when was the last time you needed to have ice delivered to your house just to keep your food from spoiling too quickly? When is the last time you sent or received a Western Union telegram? You probably know someone who stopped using landline phones because their cellular service was adequate enough and you probably don’t rent movies from a video store too often anymore. Thirty years ago if you wanted an upcoming video game you had to call every store from Kmart to Target to Sears or visit those places every week until the game was out. Your family may even have been avid mall shoppers at one time.
All of these behaviors were once common but have now disappeared entirely or are at least far less common than they used to be. That is because technology has made these behaviors obsolete. It may take a few years but services such as Xbox Play Anywhere and PlayStation Now will make the concept of exclusivity just as irrelevant.
Childish console wars on YouTube aside, Xbox Play Anywhere is necessary because it empowers the gamer. The ability to play your games on either the console or the PC is a powerful choice. Those who mock this option are effectively arguing that we should not have the power to play our games wherever we want. They are arguing against the gamer having options.
This is why Play Anywhere needs to expand. Give us the ability to play our games on phones or tablets via streaming. The worst that can happen is that we choose not to use those choices. Those who want to play their games only on their Xbox console will still have that option and loses nothing.
I want you to try something. Boot up Netflix or your preferred movie streaming service. Watch one of those movies on your TV. Now pause that movie and go to a different TV or pick up your phone and boot up Netflix again. You have the ability to watch that movie at the spot you left off. This works for movies and TV shows, Kindle books and our music. Our media has been moving with us for years now. Why shouldn’t our games do the same?
The childish console warriors who mock the ability to have options will change their minds when Sony finally offers a similar and viable option. They did when Sony began charging for online multiplayer and they will do so again.
After all, being locked into playing our games on just a single platform does not make any sense in this modern world. Technology enables freedom.
