What you need to know
Microsoft is redesigning the Xbox PC app to load large libraries and store pages faster, simplify game information, and improve controller navigation in fullscreen Game Mode. The changes could benefit Windows handhelds and make the app more appealing for Xbox Game Pass users.
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Microsoft seems dedicated to improving the Xbox app on PC with every iteration. Back in September last year, they rolled out an update that lets you browse games from Steam, Epic Games, GOG, and other launchers from one interface.
Now, the app is getting a design overhaul. Windows Central got an early look at the redesigned app (codenamed Garrison), and it reportedly loads libraries with over 1,000 games much faster, a major step forward for devices like the Xbox ROG Ally. Store pages also reportedly load faster, and there’s now a single page for store listings and game information.
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This makes navigation quicker, and the Game Mode fullscreen experience is more polished, making it easier to navigate with a controller. This is also the same mode that you’d see on Windows handhelds in the future. This new Xbox mode also works well as a default homescreen app if you have your PC hooked up to your TV.
- Read more: Xbox app for PC now lets you browse, install, and play games from your Steam library
Beyond those major changes, it’s also easier to tell the difference between games you can install right away and those that require streaming with Xbox Cloud Gaming. Windows Central says this new version of the app might be live for Xbox Insider on PC in the coming weeks.
What changes to controller navigation does Xbox Game Mode bring to the Xbox ROG Ally?
Xbox Game Mode’s fullscreen interface is more polished, making the Xbox PC app easier to navigate with a controller on the Xbox ROG Ally. Store listings and game information now share one page, which also makes navigation quicker.
Will the redesigned Xbox PC app still show games from Steam, Epic Games, and GOG?
The Xbox PC app already lets you browse games from Steam, Epic Games, GOG, and other launchers in one interface. The redesign report does not explicitly confirm whether that feature will remain, so it is not yet certain.
How can you set Xbox Game Mode as the home screen on a TV-connected PC?
You can use the Xbox PC app’s fullscreen Game Mode as the default home screen for a TV-connected PC. The story says it works well in that role, but it does not give steps for setting it as the default.
How does the redesigned Xbox PC app distinguish installable games from Xbox Cloud Gaming titles?
The redesigned Xbox PC app makes it easier to tell which games you can install right away and which require streaming through Xbox Cloud Gaming. The story does not specify what labels or visual cues it uses to show the difference.
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Overall, this update might not excite hardcore PC players who buy games directly from Steam, GOG, or other storefronts, but the redesign is good enough that you might actually want to try Xbox Game Pass. The improved performance is a big win for Windows handhelds, too, since Windows still has some catching up to do with Linux in gaming performance and battery efficiency.
