Signifying further intent to expand the Xbox brand beyond the confines of the console, Microsoft has unveiled its first range of 'Xbox' games due to launch with Windows 8.
The games in question will be playable from a pre-installed Xbox Games app on all Windows 8 devices including tablets bringing the likes of Angry Birds Space, Fruit Ninja and Cut the Rope to the platform dressed in Microsoft's colours.
Xbox everywhere
On a practical level, all 40 Xbox games for Windows 8 will come with Xbox achievements, while developers will also be able to make use of other Xbox features including leaderboards and multiplayer modes.
The full list of games is available from the Xbox website, and includes Windows 8 exclusives, as well as a healthy selection of well-known ports.
Minesweeper, Mahjong and Solitaire will all be launched under the Xbox banner, while console and Xbox Live Arcade titles such as BlazBlue Calamity Trigger and Toy Soldiers Cold War are also in the launch line up.
Thirst for freemium
It's worth noting that, when the first Xbox games launch alongside Windows 8 on 26 October, they won't be carrying the price tags you'd typically find attached to an Xbox game.
Gunstringer: Dead Man Running, for instance, has been confirmed as a free-to-play title with in-app purchases.
In terms of positioning, however, the announcement is the continuation of a trend that has already resulted in the Xbox name appearing prominently on Windows Phone Marketplace.
'Xbox Windows Phone' games have recently begun appearing on the platform's app store, while the Games for Windows Live will be renamed Xbox Live on Windows as part of the Windows 8 upgrade.
[source: Microsoft]
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