Don’t Buy CoD: IW from the Windows Store If You Want Cross-Platform Multiplayer

[Exterminator]

Activision has recently confirmed that neither Call of Duty: Infinite Warfarenor Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered for Windows 10 available in the Windows Store support Play Anywhere, which means they do not have cross-platform multiplayer support.

In other words, if you plan on buying any of the two games from the Windows Store, you won’t be allowed to play them with your friends on Steam, and it turns out that it’s not Microsoft to blame here.

First and foremost, the essentials. Activision clearly states in a post on its support page that the two games are not Play Anywhere titles and do not feature cross-play between console and PC, while also losing cross-platform multiplayer compatibility between Windows Store UWP and other PC versions.

“Can I play Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered for Windows 10 on Windows Store with my friends that are playing on another PC platform? No, you can only play these titles with other users of Windows 10 on Windows Store,” the FAQ page reads.

Microsoft: Blame Activision
Additionally, it’s worth knowing that a Microsoft account is needed to play the game (and to get it from the Store, obviously), but on the other hand, Xbox Live Gold isn’t required to play online. Users are also getting offline access to the campaign.

And while at first glance it’s all Microsoft’s fault for this, Redmond says that it was Activision the one that decided to remove cross-platform multiplayer from the version published in the Windows Store.

“We support cross-play between devices and platforms for partners who want to enable it,” the company clearly stated, explaining that Activision made this controversial decision.

The Store listings of the two games do not state anything about the lack of cross-platform multiplayer and they actually note that online co-op is supported for 2 to 4 players and online multiplayer for a maximum of 18 players.