Xbox app now lets Windows Insiders launch games from Steam, Epic, and more

Something to look forward to: Xbox Insiders can now test a new feature that enables launching games from different storefronts directly in the Xbox PC app. The functionality first leaked in March and is slated to roll out alongside the ROG Ally X handhelds later this year, allowing users to start games with a controller and bypass the traditional Windows desktop entirely.

Juggling games across Steam, the Epic Games Store, GOG, the Xbox app, and other clients has long frustrated users. Some launchers, like GOG Galaxy, have tried to solve the problem by syncing accounts across services. However, the only workaround with anything close to broad acceptance is manually adding shortcuts to Steam.

With the new Xbox app feature, newly installed games from supported launchers will automatically appear under “My Library” and “Most Recent.” Users can disable this by going to Settings > Library & Extensions and selecting “Hide” for specific storefronts.

Microsoft promises to simplify the process by automatically adding shortcuts to the Xbox app when users install games through supported launchers. The company confirmed Battle.net will be among the first to use the feature, with Steam and the Epic Games Store likely to follow. It’s still unclear if or when support will come to other platforms like GOG, the EA app, Ubisoft Connect, or Itch.

Streamlining the process of launching PC games from multiple clients is key to Microsoft’s next-generation handheld and console ambitions, aiming to make Steam, Epic, and other storefronts easily accessible on console-like devices. The first step arrives later this year with the release of the ROG Xbox Ally handheld gaming PCs, which seek to fix the user interface issues that have made Windows 11 handhelds feel clunkier than Valve’s Linux-powered Steam Deck.

Microsoft’s answer to SteamOS – the Xbox full-screen experience – replaces the Windows desktop with a controller-focused menu that accesses games across multiple storefronts. The feature will eventually come to other handheld gaming PCs and will likely reach the next-generation Xbox console, which rumors suggest will run a Windows-based environment.

Those interested can join the Xbox Insider program by installing the Xbox Insider Hub on Xbox or PC. Microsoft also provides support and gathers feedback through the Xbox Insider subreddit. Exact launch dates and pricing for the ROG Xbox Ally devices remain unclear.

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