What You need to Know About Xbox Play Anywhere

Whenever you buy a game, it is usually locked to the one platform you purchased on; for instance, if you bought the game for PC, then you can only play it on a PC. If you bought it on a console, then you can play it on a gaming console only.

But if you're an Xbox One owner or a PC gamer, you may have seen that some games in the Xbox Store have a little badge that reads "Xbox Play Anywhere"

Read on to familiarize yourself what Xbox Play Anywhere means.

What is Xbox Play Anywhere?

As the name indicates, Xbox Play Anywhere lets you play select games on any Windows gaming machine that you have. When you download a digital copy of these games for either PC or Xbox One, you also get the game on the other platform for no extra cost. Your game data, downloadable content (DLC) and achievements will all show up on both systems.

This is restricted to digital games, though, so do not purchase a disc-based copy of your favorite game for Xbox One and expect a PC copy -- because it doesn't work that way. You can buy Play Anywhere games from your Xbox One; the Xbox app on Windows 10, Android or iOS; the Windows Store; Xbox.com; Microsoft.com; or via digital game codes that are sold online or in retail stores and are redeemed online.

What are those games that are included in the Xbox Play Anywhere Program?

Currently, Xbox has announced 12 current and upcoming games that are starting the program. They are:

• Forza Horizon 3
• ReCore
• Gears of War 4
• Sea of Thieves
• Halo Wars 2
• Scalebound
• Killer Instinct: Season 3
• State of Decay 2
• Ark: Survival Evolved
• Cuphead
• We Happy Few
• Crackdown 3

How to prepare

In order to enjoy the Xbox Play Anywhere program, you need to make sure that your gaming PC is upgraded to the Windows Anniversary Update. You can refer to this guide on how to do it.

Also, you need the latest update to your Xbox One. If you have your console set to update automatically, then most likely you're good to go. Otherwise, go to Settings > All Settings, and then head to System > Console info & updates > Update console.

You will still need to download the game on both devices.

Data transfer is done automatically

Your game saves, DLC, and other data are all saved on Xbox Live, so there's no other additional steps you need to perform regarding data transfer. As long as you're signed in with the same Microsoft account on both the Xbox One and your PC, you can transfer data seamlessly.

Keep in mind though that you can only use one platform at a time. That means you can't play the game on your Xbox One while someone else is playing it on a gaming laptop.