Xbox console games are suddenly showing up inside the Xbox PC app

Something unusual is going connected with Microsoft’s Xbox app connected Windows. Over the past fewer days, the Xbox PC app has started showing Xbox console games wrong the library. While you can’t instal games similar the archetypal Alan Wake for Xbox 360, it shows up if you ain it arsenic portion of the “My PC Games” database wrong the Xbox PC app.

I don’t judge this is simply a elemental bug, but much the effect of Microsoft’s plans to much intimately harvester its Xbox and Windows stores. I wrote astir this effort successful March, when I revealed successful Notepad that Microsoft is moving with Asus connected a Project Kennan handheld. “It’s portion of a larger effort from Microsoft to unify Windows and Xbox towards a cosmopolitan room of Xbox and PC games,” I wrote astatine the time.

This effort besides involves enabling Steam and Epic Games Store games to beryllium disposable successful the Xbox PC app library. Microsoft accidentally revealed mockup images showing Steam games successful the Xbox PC room earlier this year, and astatine the clip sources acquainted with the company’s plans told maine Microsoft was moving connected an Xbox app update that volition amusement each crippled you person installed connected your PC.

Microsoft has besides been moving on making the Xbox app the location of PC gaming implicit the past year, and it has precocious started referring to its Xbox PC app arsenic simply “Xbox PC.” This caller branding archetypal showed up successful Microsoft’s announcement of Gears of War: Reloaded, and a caller gameplay trailer for MIO: Memories In Orbit besides shows disconnected the Xbox PC branding and logo that we’re going to spot whenever Microsoft wants to fto PC players cognize the crippled is disposable connected its Microsoft Store.

Microsoft is besides combining ‘the champion of Xbox and Windows together’ for handhelds, successful changes that we should spot aboriginal this year. Microsoft is successful desperate request of a effect to SteamOS, peculiarly arsenic PC makers similar Lenovo are starting to enactment SteamOS connected their ain handheld gaming PCs.

All of these Xbox PC changes and the handheld enactment means we’re astir apt adjacent to seeing precisely however Microsoft lists further games successful the Xbox PC app. The large question volition beryllium whether Xbox console games volition really beryllium playable connected PC, and Microsoft whitethorn request to leverage its unreality infrastructure for that unless it has an emulation breakthrough acceptable to yet marque the imagination of playing aged Xbox games connected PC a reality.