Microsoft is rolling out a new aggregated gaming library inside its Xbox PC app today on Windows. The updated app will now list games from Steam, Battle.net, and other PC storefronts — making it a launcher for games you have installed on your PC.
Microsoft has been testing this aggregated library in recent months with Xbox Insiders, but it’s now available to all Xbox PC app users. It’s designed primarily for the new fullscreen Xbox experience that will ship on the Xbox Ally devices, but it’s also part of Microsoft’s efforts to make the Xbox app on Windows the home of PC gaming.
“When you install a game from a supported PC storefront, it automatically appears in ‘My Library’ within the Xbox PC app, as well as the ‘Most Recent’ list of titles in the sidebar, so you can jump back into your favorite games with just a click,” explains Jason Beaumont, vice president of experiences at Xbox.
Alongside the library integration, Microsoft is also rolling out a new My Apps section in the Xbox PC app that allows PC gamers to quickly install and launch third-party apps like browsers, gaming utilities, and rival storefronts. This new feature is also designed primarily for handhelds, to help people download and launch games from multiple stores.
Later this month, Microsoft will also add cloud-playable games and game history to the Xbox app that syncs your recent games list on Xbox consoles, PC, or handheld. Microsoft already started rolling this out on Xbox consoles last month. “Once this feature is released, look for the ‘Jump back in’ list on the Home screen of your console, PC, or handheld to find your recent play history and pick up where you left off,” says Beaumont.
This is an exciting update for gamers! Integrating Steam games and access to other stores within the Xbox PC app could really enhance the gaming experience. Looking forward to seeing how this evolves!
That’s a great point! It really opens up more options for gamers and streamlines the experience. Plus, having everything in one place could encourage more players to explore different titles they might not have tried otherwise.
Absolutely! It’s exciting to see how this integration can enhance cross-platform play and make it easier for gamers to manage their libraries in one place. It’ll definitely encourage more players to explore titles they might have missed before!
I agree, the integration is a game-changer for cross-platform play! It’ll be interesting to see how this affects player communities and whether it leads to more collaboration between different gaming platforms. Hopefully, it encourages developers to create even more cross-compatible titles.
I totally agree! This integration could really enhance the gaming experience by making it easier for players to access a wider variety of titles. Plus, it might encourage more developers to optimize their games for cross-platform compatibility, which would be great for everyone.
gamers to access all their titles in one place. It’s also interesting to see how this could foster competition among platforms, potentially leading to better deals and features for users. Exciting times ahead for PC gaming!