Microsoft has a new name for Windows gaming, PCs are now Xbox PCs

As part of its recent Gears of War: Reloaded announcement, Microsoft is now referring to gaming on a Windows PC as gaming on an Xbox PC.

Microsoft has a new name for Windows gaming, PCs are now Xbox PCs
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TL;DR: Microsoft announced Gears of War: Reloaded will launch on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, PlayStation 5, and Steam in summer 2025. The new "Xbox PC" label unifies Windows 11 PC gaming via the Xbox App and Game Pass, reflecting Microsoft's evolving multi-platform strategy.

Earlier today, Microsoft announced that Gears of War: Reloaded, a remaster of the first game in the series, is coming to consoles and PCs, including the PlayStation 5. Naturally, the media (including one of our stories) has focused on Microsoft bringing one of its biggest 'exclusives' to PlayStation consoles and how Gears of War paves the way for Halo to cross over into the land of Sony hardware.

Gears of War: Reloaded is coming to 'Xbox PC', Microsoft's new label for gaming on a Windows PC.
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Gears of War: Reloaded is coming to 'Xbox PC', Microsoft's new label for gaming on a Windows PC.

However, one part of the announcement is interesting and indicative of Microsoft's new direction for its Xbox gaming business. Per the headline over at Xbox Wire, "Gears of War: Reloaded Comes to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, PlayStation 5 and Steam in Summer 2025." Microsoft now refers to a Windows 11 PC, the Xbox App, and PC Game Pass as the 'Xbox PC' platform.

This could be chalked up to marketing, which ties into the company's recent everything in an Xbox campaign. Still, it does signal that this is how Microsoft will refer to its various Xbox gaming platforms going forward. Xbox Series X|S for consoles, Xbox Cloud Gaming for streaming on multiple devices, and Xbox PC for playing games via the Xbox App or PC Game Pass on a Windows PC, laptop, or gaming handheld.

Adding Steam and PlayStation 5 also signals that Microsoft sees these as separate platforms and ecosystems for playing Xbox games.

Again, the Xbox PC label could be chalked up to marketing. Still, with Microsoft planning to launch a dedicated Xbox PC gaming handheld and rumors that it's working with ASUS to release a handheld with an updated version of Windows that will boot straight into an Xbox interface, 'Xbox PC' makes sense. Plus, it's straightforward and catchy. As seen in the Gear of War announcement, you can now wishlist the game for "Xbox Series X|S and Xbox PC, Steam, and PlayStation 5."