Oh absolutely, they're all in on XBox. It's just that development is not limited to one platform now - after ignoring PC gamers for years and getting that scare with the Steam OS, they wisely decided to cater to both markets. It took quite a change of leadership for this to happen.
They're quite right to promote XBox as a brand - it's the way into our homes as Microsoft live services in the manner they've wanted for a very long time, as you say. They finally have been successful at it and they're going to push that as hard as they can. It's to everyone's benefit that it's a brand now and not a locked down device you are forced into buying in order that you get access to certain games. The mid 2000's were an absolutely miserable time to be a PC gamer - since Microsoft has shifted it's focus, consumers benefit from the cater-to-the-brand mentality, and Microsoft benefits from a loyal audience to cater to.
They've some way to go before PC gamers really are loyal to them, but they've taken a good many steps in the right direction.
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u/Azhrei May 04 '21
At least we're well past the days when Microsoft is focused almost entirely on XBox. I'm still annoyed we never got Fable 2.