What you need to know
- Microsoft has introduced a new feature for the Xbox app on Windows called “Home.” As the name suggests, it’s a Home screen for the software.
- The menu shows featured game releases and Game Pass additions, and events, along with headings for top game deals currently available and a curated list of games suggested to you based on what you’ve played previously.
- In the gaming handheld-friendly Compact Mode, Home also displays games you’ve recently played so you can quickly start playing them again when you’re ready to.
- The new Home menu is only available to Xbox Insiders for now, though signing up for the Xbox Insider Program and its PC Gaming Preview is very easy and free. An explanation and relevant links can be found in the text below.
- The Xbox app has been criticized for years for poor performance, clunky menu navigation, and other issues, but this update represents Microsoft’s latest efforts to make it software that PC players will like using.
As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I can’t help but feel a sense of relief and excitement at Microsoft’s latest update to their Xbox app for Windows. For years, I’ve navigated through its clunky menus, grappled with its sluggish performance, and lamented the lack of a Home screen – something that seems like an obvious feature for such an application.
Ever since its debut a few years back, Microsoft’s Xbox app for Windows has earned a somewhat contentious standing. While it does a decent job of showcasing Xbox and Xbox Game Pass games accessible on PC, users often voice concerns about sluggish functionality, glitches that hinder game installation, and the need to sift through numerous menus to find desired content. Over time, Microsoft has been making efforts to resolve these issues with updates and enhancements, and now they’ve introduced a fresh feature for the app: a “Home experience.
The layout of the main screen in the Xbox app mirrors the dashboard found on Microsoft’s game consoles, which seems like a feature that should have been included from the start. It highlights fresh game releases, new additions to Game Pass, and special events, as well as sections for the best deals on games and a list of suggested titles based on your gaming history. Additionally, it presents tiles of recently played games in the compact mode, making it easy to resume those games with Microsoft’s term “Quick Resume” or “Jump back in.
In her recent post on Xbox Wire, Project Manager Lead Tila Nguyen shared that they’ve taken your suggestions into account and have been experimenting with various designs over the last few months. The aim is to develop a single Home interface that will pull together the finest and most current content from both the Game Pass and Microsoft Store, making it simpler for you to discover your favorites without needing to switch between tabs.
The Home menu is exclusive to Xbox Insiders for testing purposes at the moment. However, joining this program is free and straightforward – just download the Xbox Insider Hub app from the Microsoft Store on Windows. Starting today, it will be made available to all Xbox Insiders, so if you sign up for the PC Gaming Preview within the Xbox Insider Hub, you can immediately start using Home, regardless of whether you’re a new member of the Xbox Insider community.
Microsoft hasn’t specified an exact release date for the new Home experience on PCs for general public yet, but typically, full implementation of new features occurs a few months after their initial testing phase. Since the menu is now accessible to all Xbox Insiders right away, I wouldn’t be taken aback if it gets launched earlier than expected.
During the testing phase, the company has designed a brief questionnaire for users to complete after exploring the Home screen and its features. They’re also inviting enthusiasts to discuss any issues they encounter with the menu on the official Xbox Insiders subreddit. Additionally, they are asking users to report any problems they find directly through the Xbox Support communication channels.
It’s exciting to notice the addition of a dedicated Home tab on the Xbox app, although I haven’t had the chance to try it out personally yet because the update rollout for Insiders is ongoing in phases. This upgrade represents a significant move in Microsoft’s strategy to turn the Xbox app into software that PC and PC Game Pass users will enjoy using. I eagerly anticipate that it lives up to its potential as shown in the preview images.
Previously, we’ve highlighted some issues with the Xbox app, but in the past year or so, it has noticeably improved, thanks to substantial updates that have refined its design, addressed pesky bugs, boosted its speed, and stopped it from excessively consuming system resources. The arrival of this Home experience is indeed late, but it’s another significant enhancement I’m glad to witness making its way into the system.
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2024-10-28 23:09