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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Microsoft is updating the Xbox app on Windows today with hundreds of PC games that weren’t previously available and a new home experience. It’s part of a broader effort to make the Xbox app the place to find PC games, regardless of whether they’re part of PC Game Pass or not.

“Earlier this summer, we began working with partners to bring all PC games with Xbox features into the Xbox app,” explains Chris Charla, general manager of content curation and programs at Xbox. “We’re super excited to see what Xbox games come to Windows PC from game creators in the future and to welcome nearly 400 titles that previously weren’t discoverable or purchasable in the Xbox app.”

The 400 new games include titles from Japanese studios like Kemco and Kairosoft, alongside games like The Invincible by Double 11. More than 100 of these new titles are also Xbox Play Anywhere, so if you buy the Xbox console version then you can play the Xbox PC version too. “Universal Xbox ownership, as well as universal cloud saves on Xbox, and cross-play between Xbox versions on console and PC (and other platforms, at the developer’s discretion) are awesome features players love,” says Charla.

What’s not immediately clear from Microsoft’s blog post is exactly what “bring all PC games with Xbox features into the Xbox app,” means. Microsoft has been trying to tempt game developers over to its Windows-based store in recent years, even lowing its cut from 30 percent to just 12 percent to try and shake up PC gaming.

Despite these efforts, there are plenty of PC games that have cross-play between the Xbox and PC version of the game but aren’t part of the Microsoft Store currently or the Xbox app. Microsoft now appears to be working to bring even more of these games into the Xbox app, and it will be interesting to see whether the company makes the bold move of listing Steam, Epic Games Store, or itch.io games in the Xbox app soon, too. Microsoft says it will have more to share about its Xbox app plans at the game developers conference in March.

Microsoft is also rolling out a new home UI for the Xbox app on Windows today. The home UI now includes featured content from PC Game Pass and the Microsoft Store, alongside collections of deals and discounts. Microsoft has also added a “jump back in” section that lets you quickly get back into recent games just like you can on an Xbox console.

Microsoft wants to make the Xbox app the home of PC gaming

An interesting move from Microsoft.

www.theverge.com

 

[Optimus Lime]

 

[LectureMaster]

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

 

[Skifi28]

 

[Schmendrick]

Anybody who's had the "pleasure" to interact with the software abomination that is their Xbox pc app knows that that's not gonna happen. They're so far behind steam in every metric that this is gonna stay in " lofty ambition" territory indefinitely.

 

[Crayon]

 

[mansoor1980]

i pray for their success

 

[MiguelItUp]

Oh come on, you're not beating Steam. Many have tried and failed, and just because you're Microsoft doesn't mean you have a greater chance.

 

[Big Baller]

 

[808mate]

They're completely deluded.

Throwing money at everything doesn't make you popular.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Anybody who's had the "pleasure" to interact with the software abomination that is their Xbox pc app knows that that's not gonna happen. They're so far behind steam in every metric that this is gonna stay in " lofty ambition" territory indefinitely.

Forget Steam. The Xbox app is worse than:

- UPlay
- EGS
- Origin
- Twitch/ Amazon Launcher
- GOG Connect

And every other superfluous launcher available. It’s a giant piece of shit and actively steered me away from gamepass. Getting updates is a huge chore through Windows and some games would refuse to install at all.

 

[SNG32]

They need to give this up. This is similar to them trying to get more Japanese players in their ecosystem.

 

[HogIsland]

This is the competition that's welcome on PC. Not leveraging exclusives to impose garbage platforms like Epic Games Store. I don't have any confidence that MS can deliver a better experience than Valve, but it's good to see them trying. If they start taking away from Steam, that all goes out the window.

 

[Skifi28]

Now that I think about it again, all they have to do is announce that steam is an Xbox (app) and they practically won.

 

[CLW]

 

[The Cockatrice]

Good luck but thats impossible. Steam is no longer just an app. It's a community. These dumb-ass corporations like Epic/EA/Ubisoft and MS are clueless af and are trying to compete with not just a store app, but basically a social platform.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

Good luck

 

[Draugoth]

The app is good but it's nowhere near as good as GOG or Steam

 

[Pedro Motta]

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

The xbox app works fine for me, I press download it downloads, I press play it plays, it has all my achievements and offers play anywhere

 

[Ebrietas]

This was always the endgame.This is the purpose of their aggressive acquisitions. Once they own most of the content they will be able to delist all of it off of Steam. Other option would be to just buy Valve.

Embrace. Extend. Extinguish.

MS is currently still in the embrace and extend part of their PC strategy where they convince everyone they are the good guys.

 

[MayauMiao]

They failed since Games for Windows Live. They will continue to fail.

 

[Spiral1407]

I want what they're smoking!

 

[LordCBH]

Yeah they ain’t replacing steam.

 

[Danknugz]

the xbox app may literally be the worst designed app i have ever used, other than the xbox one dashboard if you could consider that an app. ms rewards app was also an abomination. probably designed by high school interns or something

 

[Punished Miku]

Can't wait. Hopefully we can get the majority of console purchases integrated. That is the end result of the forward compatibility efforts, if they pull it off.

 

[Dacvak]

Make it work first. It took three fucking installs before Indiana Jones would launch without crashing.

 

[MikeM]

Until you have a legit big picture mode that emulates Xbox consoles- nah fam. Smelling your own farts is bad.

 

[Magic Carpet]

The app works is the best thing I can say about it. It gets you into the games, It updates games, sometimes, usually I have to also use the store app to update the games, but it does update if you prod it a little.

 

[AzekZero]

Microsoft's PC gaming storefront has come a long way. Anyone remember the Games for Windows platform? Hell its been so long I don't remember why it was so bad.

That being said, Xbox app is still among the worst DRM options right now. Only reason its taken seriously is because its damn good value if its got games you want to play.

 

[Fabieter]

It's important to have dreams.

 

[Roman Empire]

I have a better idea. How about give that title to Steam instead?

 

[rm082e]

Jesus. I hoped they had a better plan than this...

 

[GrayDock]

 

[Danknugz]

The xbox app works fine for me, I press download it downloads, I press play it plays, it has all my achievements and offers play anywhere

have you ever tried to update it though?

 

[March Climber]

They need to give this up.

Xbox office rally cry:

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

have you ever tried to update it though?

It updates itself, so yes.

 

[Danknugz]

This is the competition that's welcome on PC. Not leveraging exclusives to impose garbage platforms like Epic Games Store. I don't have any confidence that MS can deliver a better experience than Valve, but it's good to see them trying. If they start taking away from Steam, that all goes out the window.

good point, epic games store and ubisoft app are cancer

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

heh, over Gabe's fat body!

 

[SEGAvangelist]

Going up against Steam is even harder than PlayStation. That said, if a bunch of games I've already purchased on the Xbox are playable, that makes the transition to PC much easier. I wouldn't overlook that.

 

[The Cockatrice]

The xbox app works fine for me, I press download it downloads, I press play it plays, it has all my achievements and offers play anywhere

Sometimes I click show ignored content to see what my "favorite" gaf members say and yep, they're still the worst people.

 

[Fabieter]

Well if PlayStation is a Xbox does that mean that steam is a Xbox app?

 

[RoboFu]

And grass is green. What kind of dumb article is this?

Breaking news:
Epic wants EGS to be home of gaming!

 

[Danknugz]

It updates itself, so yes.

you must have incredible luck then, everyone i've talked to about it (granted it's only been one or two people) said they always have issues updating it, never works, has to retry 20 times over multiple OS restarts, etc

 

[manlisten]

It's good to want things.

 

[BennyBlanco]

The only thing that will build good will with me is if they port those old Xbox games that are BC on console, like Ninja Gaiden Black and Lost Odyssey. And also make the app function more smoothly.

 

[Setsuna Mudou]

 

[T-Cake]

It updates itself, so yes.

Lucky boy. An update normally consists of having to redownload the entire game again.