“Developers will be able to bake cross-platform Xbox Live achievements, social systems, and multiplayer, into games built for mobile devices and Nintendo Switch, as part of its division-wide effort to grow Xbox Live’s userbase.”

Xbox Live is one of the largest, most engaged gaming communities on the planet with decades of experience providing managed game services to developers that save you time and unlock all of the social and engagement features that players love.

Now Xbox Live is about to get MUCH bigger. Xbox Live is expanding from 400M gaming devices and a reach to over 68M active players to over 2B devices with the release of our new cross-platform XDK.

Get a first look at the SDK to enable game developers to connect players between iOS, Android, and Switch in addition to Xbox and any game in the Microsoft Store on Windows PCs."

-

Obviously, there is already Xbox Live tied in with Minecraft on Switch, but this is pretty big

Source
https://schedule.gdconf.com/session/xbox-live-growing-engaging-your-gaming-community-across-ios-android-switch-xbox-and-pc-presented-by-microsoft/865429
https://nintendoeverything.com/microsoft-interested-in-expanding-xbox-live-cross-platform-gaming-on-switch/

Whoa!

Didn't Microsoft already do this with Minecraft? I wouldn't be surprised if Xbox game pass is on Nintendo Switch via streaming soon.

MS and Nintendo don't need to co-produce a console to achieve both of their aims.

MS would much rather give a slice to Nintendo than Sony/Apple/Google.

All MS/Nintendo have to do now is license Switch to dock to the Nextbox.

This is a good point.  I keep wondering how this helps their console, but really they are looking to help the PC platform.  All of this cross platform stuff makes the PC more attractive as a universal platform compared to a mobile device.  It will be interesting to see if they start doing cross play on games that don't translate to mobile very well.

So will we get achievements in Nintendo games now? Or how does this impact us?

How would that even work without hurting Nintendo in the long run?

Considering how shite Nintendo's online service is, I'd love to see Microsoft step in and do it right.....but it won't happen.

The Switch may be my favorite current console but I'd wager 10 years from now Nintendo's online service is still a decade behind everyone else.

Unless MS suddenly ports Halo, Gears, and Forza to Switch, I don't see this doing anything. Games can have crossplay without having XBL on Switch. So what exactly would the point be? How does putting XBL on Switch help MS?

This is why Microsoft is looking amazing right now. They have stepped away from pushing Xbox, and have started pushing Games. This new idea of developing more games, and allowing people to play on any platform they choose is what will push Microsoft over Sony and Nintendo. People don't like being locked down to a single device, or a single level of experience. No one wants to be left out of the party, and no one that can afford it wants to be limited to a one size fits all box.

Microsoft is on point with bringing XBL services to other platforms. With Cloud Saves, Achievements, and Friends Lists across every device you own, Microsoft will have the best value of anyone in the industry bar non.

I really hope Nintendo is open to this, or has plans to expand their hardware portfolio. Either fight, or join. Same goes for Sony. I like competition, but to have competition companies have to fight. I don't want to see Sony and Nintendo roll over and die like they did with Portables.

Anyhow, I look forward to GDC. This will be an interesting topic. I am sure a lot more is to come as well.