Microsoft has began testing one other handheld-friendly addition to its Xbox app, permitting PC avid gamers to shortly set up and launch third-party apps like browsers, gaming utilities, and even rival storefronts. A brand new “My apps” function is being examined within the Xbox app for Home windows 11, and it appears like one other technique to keep away from having to launch the principle Microsoft Retailer or hunt for downloads on-line in the event you’re on a gaming PC.
“My apps is a brand new tab inside the Xbox PC app’s library that permits gamers to find, view, and obtain third-party purposes and mostly used storefronts,” explains Devin Dhaliwal, a product supervisor for Xbox experiences. “By consolidating gaming apps in a single location, this function helps the brand new aggregated gaming library, making it extra simple to seek out, obtain, and launch video games from a number of areas.”
Microsoft has already been including Steam, Battle.internet, Ubisoft Join, and different PC video games into to a unified library inside its Xbox app, however this my apps view might be helpful on a handheld PC the place you need to keep away from utilizing the Home windows desktop interface as a lot as doable. “My apps permits gamers on an ROG Xbox Ally or different Home windows 11 handhelds to extra simply navigate between purposes from the Xbox full display expertise,” says Dhaliwal.
I’ve briefly examined the My apps view at this time and it lists Battle.internet, Chrome, and GOG Galaxy. I’ve Chrome and Battle.internet put in, so it merely launches these apps, however with GOG Galaxy it tries to obtain and set up the app all inside the Xbox UI. I say attempt as a result of it failed to put in throughout my testing, however it is a beta so there are certain to be bugs.