In a blog post recap, Microsoft expresses commitment to making Windows 11 better for gaming.
Microsoft highlights their efforts on making this happen in 2025 which included the release of the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X handheld PCs, Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD),Windows 11 improvements to make the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X have “console-like performance” and even working to bring more games playable on Arm-based Windows devices.
But there is more to come. “We’re building experiences designed to empower players to play what they want, with whom they want, wherever they want—and we’re excited to deliver even more in the year ahead,” the post by Ian LeGrow, Corporate Vice President, Windows + Devices, reads.
ASD will continue to be added to more games for the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X. It’s a nifty issues—having to wait for shaders to compile in a game like Forza Horizon 5 can take minutes and it just kills the mood to game when you all booted up only to still be stuck on a long loading screen. It’s a shame ASD only works on games on the Microsoft Store (i.e. via the Xbox app), but at least that’s one reason to buy games there compared to competing storefronts like Steam or Epic.
Windows 11 will be getting its own AI upscaling, built into the OS. Auto Super Resolution (ASR) will work on DirectX games and require no developer work. It will be coming to Copilot+ PCs that use the Snapdragon X (Arm) processors, as well as to the ROG Xbox Ally X (which runs on an AMD Ryzen AI chip which can do AI workloads like this). Finally, one actual good use of AI and the Copilot+ PC labelling for gamers.
The most interesting of upcoming features is Xbox Full Screen Experience (Xbox FSE). Previously built for handhelds, in particular those two ROG Xbox Allys, support for Xbox FSE will not just be for handhelds, but also all Windows 11 PCs. It’s currently available to test out by Windows and Xbox Insiders. While we have our share of complaints with the current version of Xbox FSE, having it still being worked on and expanded to be something for all gamers with a Windows 11 device is a positive step forward. The utility of having less bloat interrupting your gaming experience, all navigable with a controller, is something all Windows users should have.
And to that end, the blog post caps off with a general promise that “we will continue refining system behaviors that matter most to gaming.”
Microsoft is talking the right things, but let’s see if they can walk. Windows 11 is still the de-facto platform of PC gaming, but with Valve making moves to expand SteamOS with the upcoming releases of the new Steam Machine and Steam Frame VR headset, there’s now competition in the space. As such, we finally see the PC platform getting more streamlined so we can game on it better, which is a net win for gamers.
Source: Windows