Microsoft is testing an updated Xbox PC app that, according to its Xbox Wire announcement of November 5, launches up to 60% faster than the current one. The build is available to Xbox Insiders from that day, so most players on the stable app will not see it yet.
Launch is up to 60% faster, Home, Store and Game Pass pages up to 50% and in-app windows up to 65%
Microsoft puts the launch gain at up to 60%, page loads for Home, Store and Game Pass at up to 50%, and the time to open in-app windows at up to 65%. A footnote describes all three as results from Microsoft’s own testing that vary with device, connection and system configuration. The announcement gives no launch times in seconds, no before and after baseline and no test hardware, so the percentages cannot be turned into a wait a player would notice on a specific PC.
The rest of the update is about finding things. The Library gets simpler navigation, updated filters and new ways to organize games, friends and social features move into the main navigation, and search now covers installed games, add-ons and people from one place. Game cards, Home, Settings and animations are refreshed as well.
The cloud gaming web app gets a Library tab and a desktop mode over the next few weeks
The refreshed Xbox cloud gaming experience on the web, previewed earlier this year with Insiders, reaches more players automatically over the next few weeks, and anyone who wants it sooner can open play.xbox.com. It adds a Library tab that gathers every cloud-playable game, whether owned or included with Game Pass, with sorting and filters for recently played, genre and input options. A desktop mode uses the space on PCs and larger displays, and the theme options now include dark and light modes plus five new high-contrast choices.
Microsoft says it is also starting to bring the same look and navigation to the Xbox cloud gaming apps on supported TVs and VR headsets, without a date for either.