The Xbox Store listing for Starfield has updated to indicate it has Xbox Play Anywhere.
As reported by Tech4Gamers, the listing had previously not had this feature, raising questions on if the game would have this functionality.
Xbox Play Anywhere automatically adds the game on your Xbox and Microsoft accounts. More importantly, it enables cross save between Xbox and PC. It must be noted that this feature can only be availed if you buy Starfield on digital, as it cannot be enabled for the games on physical disc. The Steam version of Starfield also cannot enable this feature.
It isn’t clear if there is a technical hurdle that would stop Xbox Play Anywhere from being enabled for Steam or on physical disc copies. But, it is more likely that Xbox Play Anywhere is just the branding for the system Microsoft has set up to enable cross saves across PC and Xbox, on their unified Microsoft/Xbox accounts.
So, Xbox Play Anywhere does have its limitations, but it’s still a very useful feature for Xbox users and one of the selling points for their services.
For example, you can start out playing the game on your Xbox Series S, and then leave home to play it on Windows. Whether you bring a gaming laptop, or one of the newer handheld Windows gaming devices, such as the ROG Ally, AYANEO 2, or GPD Win 4, you will be able to pick up where you left off via your Windows version of the game.
This feature won’t be available for Steam Deck owners, unless they go out of their way to install Windows on their Steam Decks. But, it’s more likely than not that Xbox owners now already have a gaming laptop, and could be availing of Xbox Play Anywhere this way.
Overall, this is just one of those extra things that will sweeten the deal for Bethesda fans when Starfield launches. Not everyone will be availing of this feature, and the majority of players will likely spend those hundred hours of gameplay on their Xbox consoles anyway.
That it was added late may have meant that there was some serious question if Bethesda would be able to enable the feature even at this point of development. In any case, it’s good that it was settled on the positive.
Starfield will be releasing on September 6, 2023, on Windows via Steam, and Xbox Series X|S. It will also be Day One on Game Pass.
