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The Xbox app on Windows is getting a big makeover with a big update that includes hundreds of PC games that weren't available before. This update This is part of a broader effort by Microsoft to make the Xbox app the perfect place to find PC games, whether they're part of PC Game Pass or not.
According to Chris Charla, general manager of content selection and programming at Xbox:
Earlier this summer, we began working with partners to bring all PC games with Xbox features into the Xbox app. This allowed nearly 400 titles that previously could not be discovered or purchased in the Xbox app to now be available. These games include titles from Japanese studios like Kemco and Kairosoft, as well as games like Double 11's The Invincible.
Xbox Play Anywhere games, Japanese games and more
One of the coolest features of this update is that over 100 of these new titles are also Xbox Play Anywhere, meaning if you buy the Xbox console version, you can also play the Xbox PC version. This is made possible by Xbox's universal ownership, as well as universal cloud saves on Xbox and cross-play between the console and PC versions of Xbox (and other platforms, at the developer's discretion).
The question that arises is what exactly “bringing all PC games with Xbox features into the Xbox app” means. Microsoft has tried to attract game developers to its Windows-based store in recent years, even reducing your commission from 30 percent to just 12 percent. However, many PC games offer crossplay between the Xbox version and the PC version of the game, but are not currently part of the Microsoft Store or Xbox app.
Like him more or less, Steam is still the king in this sense, and it is possible that Microsoft is aware that it has not done everything possible to attract users. Of course, such a mediocre catalog was not a good sign.
This could be a symptom of an even larger strategy
Microsoft appears to be working now to bring even more of these games to the Xbox app. It will be interesting to see if the company takes the bold step of also including games from Steam, Epic Games Store or itch.io in the Xbox app soon. For now, Microsoft says it will have more to share about its plans for the Xbox app at the Game Developers Conference in March.
In addition to adding new games, Microsoft is also rolling out a new UI for the Xbox app on Windows. The home interface now includes featured content from PC Game Pass and the Microsoft Storeas well as collections of offers and discounts. A “back” section has also been added which allows you to quickly return to recent games, similar to what you can do on an Xbox console.
