Microsoft needs to make the Xbox app the house of PC gaming

Microsoft is updating the Xbox app on Windows as we speak with a whole bunch of PC video games that weren’t beforehand obtainable and a brand new dwelling expertise. It’s a part of a broader effort to make the Xbox app the place to search out PC video games, no matter whether or not they’re a part of PC Game Pass or not.

“Earlier this summer season, we started working with companions to deliver all PC video games with Xbox options into the Xbox app,” explains Chris Charla, normal supervisor of content material curation and applications at Xbox. “We’re tremendous excited to see what Xbox video games come to Windows PC from recreation creators sooner or later and to welcome practically 400 titles that beforehand weren’t discoverable or purchasable within the Xbox app.”

The 400 new video games embody titles from Japanese studios like Kemco and Kairosoft, alongside video games like The Invincible by Double 11. More than 100 of those new titles are additionally Xbox Play Anywhere, so in case you purchase the Xbox console model then you may play the Xbox PC model too. “Universal Xbox possession, in addition to common cloud saves on Xbox, and cross-play between Xbox variations on console and PC (and different platforms, on the developer’s discretion) are superior options gamers love,” says Charla.

What’s not instantly clear from Microsoft’s weblog submit is strictly what “deliver all PC video games with Xbox options into the Xbox app,” means. Microsoft has been attempting to tempt recreation builders over to its Windows-based retailer lately, even lowing its minimize from 30 % to simply 12 % to attempt to shake up PC gaming.

Despite these efforts, there are many PC video games which have cross-play between the Xbox and PC model of the sport however aren’t a part of the Microsoft Store at the moment or the Xbox app. Microsoft now seems to be working to deliver much more of those video games into the Xbox app, and will probably be attention-grabbing to see whether or not the corporate makes the daring transfer of itemizing Steam, Epic Games Store, or itch.io video games within the Xbox app quickly, too. Microsoft says it should have extra to share about its Xbox app plans on the recreation builders convention in March.

Microsoft can also be rolling out a brand new dwelling UI for the Xbox app on Windows as we speak. The dwelling UI now contains featured content material from PC Game Pass and the Microsoft Store, alongside collections of offers and reductions. Microsoft has additionally added a “bounce again in” part that permits you to rapidly get again into current video games identical to you may on an Xbox console.