Ubisoft is giving Xbox owners free PC copies of 13 major games

Ubisoft and Xbox have launched a new cross-platform initiative that gives digital Xbox owners free PC copies of 13 major games. The offer applies to players who own digital Xbox console versions of eligible titles, granting them immediate access to the PC counterparts through the Ubisoft Connect client.

According to Ubisoft, the lineup includes recent releases like Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and The Crew Motorfest, alongside older catalog staples like Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege and Riders Republic. The publisher also added premium editions and add-on content for these games to the Xbox PC app.

A one-way ticket to PC

The program operates as a strict console-to-PC benefit. Buying a digital copy on Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One automatically unlocks the PC version. Buying the PC version does not grant you the Xbox console version. It is a one-way street designed to expand PC library access for existing console players without charging a secondary license fee.

I am curious to see if other major third-party publishers adopt similar models. Microsoft has pushed cross-buy functionality since launching the Xbox Play Anywhere program in 2016, but third-party adoption outside of indie developers has always been spotty. Ubisoft is bypassing the Windows Store ecosystem entirely for the actual game delivery, routing the free PC copies directly through its own Ubisoft Connect launcher.

The initial list of 13 games covers most of Ubisoft's recent output. It includes Assassin's Creed Mirage, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Far Cry 6, Immortals Fenyx Rising, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Riders Republic, Skull and Bones, The Crew 2, The Crew Motorfest, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, and Watch Dogs Legion.

Rolling out through August 4

New digital purchases on Xbox trigger the dual-entitlement immediately. For existing owners who bought these games prior to today's announcement, Ubisoft is deploying a progressive rollout phase. All eligible existing owners will receive their PC licenses by August 4.

The cross-platform access extends to most purchased DLC. Owned add-ons, expansions, and season passes transfer over to the PC copy. Consumable items and in-game currencies remain locked to the original Xbox platform, which is standard practice for cross-progression systems due to storefront revenue policies.

Many of the included games are massive open-world titles that benefit from higher-end PC hardware. The Crew Motorfest shifted the racing franchise to a dense festival format in Hawaii in 2023, and Riders Republic combined multiple US national parks into a massive extreme sports playground in 2021. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, built on the Snowdrop engine, is notoriously demanding on hardware. Giving console players a free path to try these games on PC hardware is a welcome move.

Pick up The Crew Motorfest Ultimate Edition on Humble Bundle.

Pick up RIDERS REPUBLIC SKATE EDITION on Humble Bundle.

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