XCOM EU on Windows 8?

[Pete]

Just saw something interesting when looking at the game engine details on Wikipedia:

 

Epic has announced that Unreal Engine 3 runs on both Windows 8 and Windows RT

 

So that's interesting, as technically there's nothing stopping this game running on Windows tablets - either the full version or the tablet-specific version (bar some additional programming of course, but they wouldn't ignore Windows 8 compatibility with it being launched in October as well).

 

I love the idea of being able to take this game with me when I inevitably buy a Windows 8 tablet

 

And why am I going on about Windows 8 so much? It's a mere £25 to upgrade, so I'll be happy to test out whether that means the original games still play as well as they do on Windows 7 if anyone's curious.

 

Can't wait to get a tablet to be honest as I'll finally have portable X-COM - even if it can only run the originals - wherever I go

 

EDIT: No, I'm not sponsored by Microsoft. I'm just getting excited by the possibilities just around the corner.

 

EDIT 2: In fact, looking at that Wikipedia page again it might even be possible to port the game to Android or iOS for other various tablets, though I'm not sure what would be involved in doing that. Certainly both platforms have proven that games with good graphics are no longer restricted to PCs or condoles.

[Thorondor]

Bah, you're just looking for an excuse to actually poke the aliens.

 

In fact I can already foresee it - on the mobile version, shaking the device just to rattle the alien in the alien containment facility...

 

Fun, sure, but mostly just gimmicky.

 

::

 

In my book at least, Pete, nothing can really top the experience of playing the new XCOM on a comfortably large, full HD, high quality widescreen monitor on a PC.

[Pete]

But... but XCOM in your pocket!

 

Assuming you have large pockets for both purchasing the device and storing it in

[ShadowBlade]

You'd likely do just fine with the originals, but the thing is your tablet's battery would likely run out in ten minutes playing the full-scale version of XCOM:EU. And you can't have a tablet-friendly, more power-efficient version without reducing complexity and processing needs on several levels.

[Pete]

I suspect this would cope with the new one (i5 version with 4GB RAM): https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-08/30/samsung-ativ

 

The battery life is always going to be the problem, yes, but the point is you can play it in bed (plugged in)/on a plane/during your lunch hour etc without needing to lug a laptop around.