So, Microsoft is up to something kinda cool and, honestly, a bit of a mess—but in a good way. They’re fiddling around with the Xbox app on PC to shove all those scattered games from whatever third-party place you got ’em from into one big list. Like, instead of having your games all over the place, they’re just there, easy peasy. And Xbox Insiders are the guinea pigs this week. Lucky bunch, right?
Anyway, it starts with the ROG Xbox Ally stuff later this year—never tried those, but they sound neat. Imagine, all your games in one spot. But wait, there’s a catch! Only if those games play nice with the supported stores. So far, only Battle.net, EA, and Riot Games (Game Pass thingy) are in. Kinda a no-brainer since those two are already bundled in, thanks to, you guessed it, Xbox magic.
Right now, they’re saying more are on the way. Maybe Steam, Epic, or GoG? Who knows? Honestly, Steam would be the jackpot. I mean, who doesn’t have a Steam backlog the size of a small country?
Okay, if Microsoft actually pulls off this Power Rangers team-up of game stores, PC players might get a sneak peek into the console world. You’d think GoG Galaxy has got this covered already, but somehow, the Xbox app would be—what’s the word—seamless? Plus, Windows 11 fans are practically living in it already.
So this is Microsoft pushing hard for Xbox-the-service vibe, not just the chunky console part. Remember when Game Pass showed up? Now look at this, they’re even cooking up Xbox-like handhelds. Can’t say we didn’t see this coming, you know? There’s been more Xbox stuff slipping into Windows 10 and 11—like little Easter eggs everywhere.
Didn’t say exactly when everyone else gets to join the party, but with this starting on the ROG Ally around the holidays, maybe the rest of us get in by next year? Or 2026? Your guess is as good as mine.
Oh, and if you’re into this kinda stuff, follow Tom’s Hardware on Google News—because why not stay in the loop?