The plan to make Windows and Xbox a go-anywhere platform for gaming kicked off a bit with the announcement of Microsoft's new aggregated gaming library.
Starting this week, Xbox Insiders will be able to see Steam, Battle.net and Xbox games in the Xbox PC app on Windows, which makes it a single launcher for your installed PC games. The first look can be accessed on Windows 11 PCs and handheld devices.
To try it out, you do have to be enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview, which is pretty easy to access. You need to download the Xbox Insider Hub on your Xbox or Windows PC and join the program here.
For those not involved in the Insiders program, the aggregated library will roll out to the Xbox app "this holiday." It will also be available on the ROG Xbox Ally and the ROG Xbox Ally X.
"When a player installs a game from a supported PC storefront, it will automatically appear in “My library” within the Xbox PC app, as well as the “Most recent” list of titles in the sidebar—making it easier than ever to jump back into your games," Microsoft's announcement reads.
According to Microsoft, as long as the game is installed from "supported PC stores," it will be listed in the library. There's also an extension area that lets you see the various storefronts.
From there, you can hide storefronts in the Library & Extensions section of the Xbox app settings.
The Xbox post does not say exactly which storefronts will be supported beyond "leading" ones, which likely means Steam, Epic, and maybe GOG.
It's all part of the future of Xbox gaming, where Microsoft appears to want to be the home of PC gaming while competing with Valve and its SteamOS.
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