The Xbox app on PC is showing Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One console games, and uh, even Xbox 360 and Windows Phone games — Why?

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PC Game Pass is awesome, the app you have to use for it isn’t.

The Microsoft Xbox app on PC often falls short of expectations, especially for users within Microsoft’s gaming ecosystem, including Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Game Pass. While it’s beneficial to transfer console save files between PC and vice versa, the application required to access these features lags significantly behind competitors like Steam in terms of performance and user experience.

Microsoft’s enhancements to the Xbox app for PC have been incremental and somewhat sluggish, with many service updates leading to a pattern of progress followed by regression, which this recent update appears to represent as well.

As a heavy user of the Xbox PC application, I’ve authored numerous reviews and provided constructive criticism regarding its functionality. While improvements have been made, a significant source of dissatisfaction remains in the organization of the game library within the app.

The manner in which the Xbox app presents your games is quite confusing, and surprisingly, it’s become more problematic lately. However, there could be a valid explanation behind this change.

It was quite disheartening for me, as I have expressed my fondness for Xbox Play Anywhere numerous times, to discover that many of the new games appearing in my collection were actually unplayable.

Currently, the Xbox app on PC automatically displays numerous Xbox console games. Yet, the install button appears with an unresponsive “Content failed to load” message in grey and cannot be clicked. Furthermore, the app has been showing Windows Phone games as well, even though Windows Phone no longer exists (Rest In Peace).

As a gaming enthusiast, it’s frustrating that Angry Birds-like casual mobile games I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole are now appearing alongside Xbox 360 classics like Banjo-Kazooie and Xbox One titles I’d love to play on my Lenovo Legion Go, such as Darkest Dungeon. The catch? They all seem unplayable, and there’s no option to remove or hide them from my library.

Ignoring for now the point that the Xbox app’s game selection requires significant improvement, what could be causing this issue?

Evidence of the grand Xbox singularity?

As a tech enthusiast, I’m buzzing about how Microsoft seems to be merging the Xbox console and Windows gaming realms like never before in their upcoming hardware platform. While we’re still waiting for the big unveil, there are subtle clues that suggest an unprecedented integration of these two gaming universes.

A recently unveiled Xbox concept art hints at a potential future where Steam fully integrates with Xbox, aligning with previous statements from Xbox head Phil Spencer expressing interest in incorporating third-party storefronts on Xbox consoles. Additionally, Xbox is partnering with ASUS on a handheld device called Kennan, marking its entry into the handheld market before the release of an Xbox-designed portable console. This move aims to unify Xbox console and Windows PC development, with Xbox Play Anywhere as the standard practice.

If Microsoft is planning to combine its Xbox and PC gaming realms, it’s likely that you might find Xbox console games listed on their platform. But, it’s unlikely that Microsoft wants outdated mobile games like Angry Birds for Windows Store to reappear alongside the games users truly value.

In simpler terms, it seems that parts of this setup might be related to preparing for a unification of the Xbox console and Xbox PC gaming libraries down the line. However, at present, these elements appear to have been hastily combined, which can be quite noticeable if you frequently use the Xbox app on your personal computer.

Microsoft has a considerable amount of work ahead to bring the Xbox PC app on par with industry leaders like Steam. Issues such as cloud saves, library management, eliminating bothersome features like User Account Control pop-ups, “app permissions,” and other annoying elements greatly hinder the user experience. Additionally, finding old games and mobile applications within my library adds an unnecessary layer of frustration at this time.

Either way, I’ve reached out to Microsoft to comment.

Have you ever used the Xbox app on your computer? Are you subscribed to PC Game Pass? Could you share your experiences with us in the comment section below?

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2025-04-18 19:09