Xbox app on Windows updated to be faster and 'easier to find your next favorite game'

Xbox Insiders have been granted a new version of the Xbox app to trial, and it's an update that revamps the Home or landing experience. According to the Xbox Wire post detailing the update, PC gamers can expect a faster app experience that is easier to navigate and find the latest content.

2

According to Tila Nguyen, Product Manager Lead, Xbox Experiences, this update is based on player and user feedback and arrives after "testing different designs internally over the last several months." The goal is to unify Game Pass and the Microsoft Store into a single interface without switching between tabs.

The Xbox app Home experience has four key components: featured content, deals and discounts, curated collections and recommendations, and a 'Jump Back In' section that will get you into the game as quickly as possible.

Here's the official summary.

Featured content. At-a-glance view for you to stay up to date on exciting game releases, new events, content available with Game Pass, sales, and more!

Deals and discounts. No more navigating through the app to find the latest deals and discounts. The new Home will now have collections with the best deals and discounts to make sure you can see available savings at a glance.

Curated collections and recommendations. Find games that are perfect for you with collections curated and personalized for you. Spend less time searching and more time playing games.

Jump back in (available with Compact Mode).This feature allows players in Compact Mode to click on any game card shown, allowing them to go directly to its game hub, where you can jump right back into game play. Today, we are excited to add this feature as part of the new Home experience for all Xbox Insiders.

It's a welcome update, which is necessary due to the popularity of PC Game Pass, which just added Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 to its library. What we'd love to see from here is full controller navigation and Ui optimization for gaming handhelds, one that will add options to adjust or view system settings like networking, audio, and anything else that might be relevant to PC gaming.

To become a part of the Xbox Insider Program on PC, you'll need to download and install the Xbox Insider Hub app from the Microsoft Store.

• Read more: Xbox exclusives are still important for Microsoft and are used to determine 'growth in gaming'
• Read more: Xbox has 20 video game franchises that have earned $1 billion
• Read more: Microsoft CEO responds to rumors Xbox paused game ports for PlayStation and Switch
• Read more: Xbox Game Pass cloud-only subscription tier may be in the works