Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare on the Windows Store won't work with Steam multiplayer

It looks like Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is coming to the Windows Store. It's not searchable on the Store at the moment, but the page for Modern Warfare Remastered is discoverable, and it opens the same page in the Store app, where it's marked as not available for separate purchase with links to two versions of Infinite Warfare that include it, the 'Digital Legacy' and 'Digital Deluxe' editions.

Question: "Can I play Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered on Windows 10 on Windows Store with my friends that are playing on another PC platform?"

Answer: "No, you can only play these titles with other users of Windows 10 on Windows Store."

It's also not a "Play Anywhere" release, so buying it for the PC on the Windows Store will not get you access to the Xbox One version, and vice versa.

That's pretty straightforward, isn't it? If you're buying it for the multiplayer—and most people probably are—then buying it from the Windows Store puts a real crimp in the number of people you can play with. (You could argue that the Steam version suffers similarly for not being compatible with the Windows Store release, I suppose, but I'm willing to bet that the Steam playerbase will be a whole hell of lot bigger than Microsoft's.)

My guess is that the Windows Store version, which is Windows 10-only, is for various technical reasons not compatible with the Windows 7-supporting version that's on Steam. But it's a bizarre situation, regardless of the specific reasons behind it. If they can't be made to play together, then why bother bringing the game to the Windows Store platform at all? Ultimately, all it does is shine a bright light (again) on how it falls short.

I've reached out to Activision for more information, and will update if and when I receive a reply.

PRODUCTS

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.