Gameloft and Microsoft announce first mobile games to feature Xbox Live functionality

We've known that Microsoft's Xbox Live ecosystem has been available for iOS, Android and Nintendo Switch platforms for a while, but we're only just starting to see the impact of March's announcement.

Mobile publishing giant Gameloft have broken the silence on what will be the first mobile integration of Microsoft's services. They will debut, via pushed-updates, in the following three games: Asphalt 8: Airborne, Asphalt 9: Legends, Dragon Mania Legends.

• We reviewed Asphalt 9: Legends when it released last year, giving it a Gold Rating

The update will allow players to log into their Xbox Live accounts to then unlock achievements, view their friends list, use the Xbox leaderboards system and more.

Details of the 'more' is quite light on the ground at the moment, however having the friends list feature added will hopefully help with matchmaking. Also, I've got to admit that I'm quite a fan of the Xbox Live interface and, assuming that they manage to downscale it while implementing it, think that it can be used as a great way to track achievements across platforms.

As somebody who has been rattling around in the sales and writing side of the industry for a very long time it's been interesting to watch Microsoft change from their dual-platform ambitions of conquering the PC and Home Console spaces. A few years on and they've stopped pressing Xbox on the Windows experience and instead shifted into a company who is instead looking to expand their Xbox division through services and IP control. Look at Minecraft, a Microsoft property which is one of the most cross-platform games in the world; Look at Xbox Live, a platform which now transcends Microsoft hardware.

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While we don't know the true extent of the implementation of Xbox Live into Gameloft's three titles, nor if it counts for both iOS and Android versions, it's a big step for both the service and the platform. Will others follow the publisher, will smaller developers start working with the software development kit? Time will tell.