Xbox One's Version of Early Access Is Coming to Windows 10 PC

Xbox Game Preview, Microsoft's Steam Early Access-like service for Xbox One that allows users to play unfinished games before release, is coming to Windows 10 PC. Microsoft's Chris Charla made the announcement today during an event at Gamescom in Germany.

One of the first PC games that will be available on Game Preview for Windows 10 PC is space shooter Everspace by Rockfish Games. "Many more" titles will be added to the program in the future. A release date for Everspace or any other Game Preview titles for Windows 10 was not announced.

"I'm super happy that we’re enabling PC gamers to preview and purchase work-in-progress digital titles, participate in the development process and help developers make Windows 10 games the best they can be," Charla said. "We'll have lots more games to talk about in Game Preview for Windows 10 soon."

Charla runs Microsoft's indie publishing label, ID@Xbox. This was announced three years ago at Gamescom, and Charla says in an Xbox Wire post that "it's been a rad three years."

Since the ID@Xbox program launched, more than 300 games have shipped through it--the first was Strike Suit Zero in April 2014. Charla says there are "way more" than 1,000 more ID@Xbox games in development right now for Xbox One and Windows 10. He also shared that there have been multiple million-sellers, while the platform altogether has raked in "hundreds of millions of dollars."

One of the million-sellers is dinosaur game Ark: Survival Evolved, which has sold more than 1.5 million copies on Xbox One through its Game Preview versions.

"I know I speak for the entire ID@Xbox team when I say getting to work with the independent developers in our program is a huge privilege," Charla said. "Being in contact with so many great creators on a daily basis is both energizing and hugely inspirational. We always know we have more to do, but we are super motivated to keep helping developers deliver great games!"