Microsoft is poised to transform the Xbox PC app into a comprehensive gaming hub, catering to players regardless of where they purchase their games. In an exciting development, the company has revealed that Xbox Insiders participating in the PC Gaming Preview will gain early access to a newly aggregated gaming library within the Xbox PC app, designed for Windows 11 PCs and handheld devices. This innovative feature is set to debut on the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X during the upcoming holiday season.
Streamlining the Gaming Experience
In a landscape where gamers often find their libraries scattered across various platforms such as Steam, Xbox, and Epic Games, this update aims to consolidate everything into a single, user-friendly interface. With the new functionality, titles from Game Pass and Battle.net will be accessible from the Xbox app, streamlining the gaming experience significantly. While the announcement did not specify other launchers or libraries, it hinted at the possibility of additional storefronts being integrated in the future.
“When a player installs a game from a supported PC storefront, it will automatically appear in ‘My library’ within the Xbox PC app, as well as the ‘Most recent’ list of titles in the sidebar—making it easier than ever to jump back into your games,” explained Manisha Oza, product manager for Xbox. Oza further emphasized, “And this is just the beginning. We’ll continue rolling out support for additional PC storefronts over time.”
Users will have the flexibility to curate their combined libraries, allowing them to hide or exclude specific storefronts while including others. Currently, this rollout is exclusive to the Xbox Insider Program, which is free to join for those eager to explore the new PC Gaming Preview.
Microsoft’s recent initiatives reflect its ambition to enhance its gaming services, aligning them with other significant players in the industry. The company is rumored to be working towards unifying its console, PC, and handheld platforms. With the introduction of the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, the drive for a seamless player experience is evident, as it aims to enable gamers to launch all compatible titles from a single environment. Further inquiries have been made to Microsoft for clarification on which libraries will be included in this all-in-one launcher model.
