Microsoft's plans for Xbox gaming on PC continue unabated, and now Xbox Insiders on the Windows 11 PC Gaming Preview can test Microsoft's new aggregated store system.
In a blog post today, Microsoft revealed that Xbox Insiders will gain access to a new version of the Xbox PC app for Windows 11 this week. The app will now aggregate "leading PC store fronts" from other gaming companies, although the blog post stops short of saying exactly which will be available.
My cynicism tells me that the lack of mention for the leading PC storefront, Steam, indicates that it won't be there for now, but it won't be long until we can find out for ourselves.
You can find out for free on your gaming PC quite easily. Using the Xbox Insider app on Windows 11, sign up for the PC Gaming Preview to join the test.
Microsoft says that the Xbox PC app will begin automatically detecting games you've installed from other PC gaming stores and then aggregate them into the library section on your Xbox PC app. The screenshots only show Battle.net integration so far, but Microsoft says "more" PC stores will be integrated in the future.
And yes, if you don't fancy this functionality, you can turn it off in the library section of the settings panel.
When it is enabled, it will automatically populate your library with games from those alternative storefronts, and also show them in your most recently played list down the sidebar. It makes it a little easier to jump back and forth between different launchers, but if you still need to actually load into the launcher anyway, it doesn't do a huge amount to change the experience. What it does do is make it a little easier to navigate through different PC store apps and games using a controller, which will be ideal for the Xbox Ally launch later this year.
Microsoft is allocating a lot of resources to improving the Xbox experience on PC across the board. The Xbox Ally will launch with the PC store aggregation feature, and will also have new Windows features to make navigating the OS with a controller more palatable. Will it all be ready for the holiday season, though? Time will tell.
