Redmond: Microsoft is getting ready to bring a new full‑screen Xbox Mode to all Windows 11 PCs starting April 2026. The feature was announced at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) and is designed to make your PC feel more like an Xbox console.
Xbox Mode first appeared on handheld gaming devices like the ASUS ROG Ally, but will now come to desktops, laptops, tablets, and handheld Windows devices. It gives Windows a controller‑friendly interface that is easy to use, letting you browse your game library, launch games, open the Game Bar, and switch between apps without using a keyboard or mouse.
You can even set your PC to boot directly into Xbox Mode, so it works more like a console when you want to focus on gaming. You can switch back to the standard desktop at any time. Microsoft says the goal is to offer a distraction‑free gaming experience while keeping the flexibility of Windows.
Microsoft is also improving gaming performance. Features like Advanced Shader Delivery, which reduces stutters and speeds up load times by pre‑compiling shaders, are becoming more widely available. Support for DirectStorage with Zstandard compression will also help games load big assets faster on NVMe SSDs.
Xbox Mode will launch first in select markets, including the USA, and is part of Microsoft’s broader plan to bring Xbox and PC gaming closer together, especially as the company works on its next‑gen console, Project Helix.
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