How the Xbox app works as a gaming hub on Windows
Take the perspective of a new PC gamer. They've previously played mostly on consoles, which typically make games easy to access but can offer fewer options for how they're purchased, personalized, and played. This gamer has recently started playing more on their Windows PC, and they're enjoying the broad range of experiences available there.
Yet they miss some things about playing on consoles. Chief among them is having one cohesive experience to access games and gaming features. The Xbox app can serve as that single entry point for gaming on Windows.
Unifying game libraries
Many gamers proudly display their collections. They might shelve their games alphabetically, by release date, genre, or even the color of the box art. They probably don't organize their games based on which store they were purchased from, yet that's closer to the experience many PC gamers might be accustomed to.
The Xbox app integrates with Windows to display games installed on your PC, regardless of how you launch them. That includes games acquired with subscription services, such as PC Game Pass.
The result: You use a single app to play more of your PC games. Rather than browsing multiple launchers, you can open one app and scroll through a single screen to decide what to play next.
Expanding the game experience
The PC gamer in our scenario also misses having easy access to features that help personalize and share their gaming experience in one convenient place. On their console, they can use a built-in menu to make system-wide changes, quickly see what their friends are playing, and share their favorite gaming moments.
The Xbox app integrates with gaming-focused features in Windows help create similarly cohesive gaming experiences on PC:
- Your Xbox friends list shows all your friends and people you follow, whether they're playing on PC, Xbox, or handheld
- The Windows Game Bar allows you to quickly access relevant system settings and social experiences, which you can share in the Xbox app or anywhere else on your Windows PC
- Windows Game Mode automatically detects when you're playing to improve system performance and reduce distractions
The result: You access the most relevant parts of your gaming experience—all from a single application and connected interface. This creates an environment that's easier to use and optimize while still enjoying a wide range of play experiences.
Next, we'll explore how to use the Xbox app to cohesively access games on your Windows PC.