Quantum Break , the newest IP from Microsoft set to launch simultaneously on Xbox One and Windows 10 next month, looks to be supporting some features the PC gaming crowd longs for in its platform’s games. In a post on Xbox Wire , Remedy’s Communications Director Thomas Puha confirmed the news, detailing some of the advantageous that launching on both platforms gives to Quantum Break .
In the post on Xbox Wire, Puha mentions that Quantum Break benefitsfrom having a singular profile, giving players the options to play the game where they see fit and not losing their save files. Cross save gives you the ability to play the same instance of Quantum Breakbetween the two platforms, meaning you won’t be required to have two separate versions of the game if you choose to play your Xbox One or PC.
However, what interests PC gamers most is the idea of maxing out the powerful hardware they have access to, something Puha says Remedy is embracing.
“The core gameplay experience is the same, but for those who’ve invested in a high-end PC, we offer things like 4K resolution, mouse and keyboard support, and running the game at 60 frames per second. You can also tweak some of the visual effects, such as the lighting and shadow quality – things that PC gamers expect.”
It’s crucial to point out that many of the features that PC gamers expect are ultimately locked out due to the fact that Quantum Break will only be available on the Windows 10 store. This includes the ability to disable VSync, an exclusive fullscreen mode or the ability to play in windowed borderless, locking game files (basically no modding), no custom overlays for streaming or video capturing and monitoring software, and so on. With those features – which the Windows 10 Store’s competitors openly embrace and include, it’ll be interesting to see how Quantum Break appeals to a PC gamer looking to get the most out of their rig.
It’s especially intriguing, or disconcerting, given how broken the Gears of War Ultimate Edition launch has been for Microsoft. It, along with Quantum Break are only available in the Windows 10 store, and many users – particularly AMD Radeon GPU users – are having massive issues with the game. Gears of War Ultimate doesn’t support downsampled resolutions, so it’ll be something to check for with Quantum Break as well.
What’s missing is the inclusion of an unlimited framerate, or framerates above 60 FPS. This could simply be due to the Windows 10 Store’s Vsync restriction, or the fact that the game’s simulations are tied to framerate (which many games do). I’ve reached out to Microsoft for clarification on the “things that PC gamers expect” and will update this story when it becomes available.
Quantum Break gameplay has been cropping up all over the internet today after the embargo on the Xbox Spring Showcase was lifted this morning. PC Gamer had a chance to go hands on, playing Quantum Break on a PC at the event. The game ran at 30 frames-per-second, though Remedy was quick to mention that it should hit 60 before launch.
Quantum Break hits PC and Xbox One on April 5. The offer from Microsoft still stands for PC gamers who also own a console: pre-ordering the Xbox One version before launch ensures you a copy on Windows 10 as well. PC gamers do have some faith in Remedy, thanks to its pedigree as a PC developer in the past, so the hope is that Quantum Break releases next month with no hiccups. However, its restriction to the Windows 10 Store may cause more issues than solve, given its inherent limitations.
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[Images via Microsoft/Remedy]