A new update rolling out to Xbox Insiders today is bringing big improvements to the Xbox app on PC.
The changes all have to do with quality-of-life, mainly load times. Xbox says that the app now launches 60 percent faster, with CEO Asha Sharma posting a video of the old app and the new one side by side. Operations in the app itself are about 50 percent faster, too.
This “refreshed” feel in the app and also Xbox’s cloud gaming apps aims to improve the experience for those who play Xbox games on PC. Obviously, there are a number of people who use the Xbox PC app. Not myself, of course, and not anybody I know or talk to, but it’s nice to see that this sort of thing is being worked on behind the scenes.
“We’ve heard where the experience could be better,” Xbox said. “There’s more to do, and your feedback will continue to shape what comes next.
I don’t see this update bringing me into the Xbox on PC ecosystem vs. what I already game on, but if Steam-Xbox integration is a thing in the future (like rumors have suggested in the past), then this could end up being a big stepping stone somewhere down the line.
Here’s everything that Xbox says is in the new “faster, simpler Xbox experience” that’s coming to PC for insiders and, eventually, all users:
- A faster, more responsive app: The app now launches up to 60 percent faster. Pages like Home, Store, and Game Pass load up to 50 percent faster, and in-app windows open up to 65 percent faster.
- An easier-to-use Library: Simpler navigation, updated filters, and new ways to organize your games make it easier to browse your collection and find what you want to play.
- Friends are easier to reach: Friends and social features are now part of the main navigation, making it easier to see what friends are playing, start a chat, or join a party.
- Better search: Search across more of Xbox from one place, with results across games, including installed titles and add-ons, and people, so it’s easier to find what you’re looking for.
- A cleaner look and feel: Refreshed game cards, Home, Settings, and animations make the app easier to scan and navigate.
Do you use the Xbox PC app? Let us know in the comments.
