Windows 11 might have leaked a tad early, but today Microsoft has officially unveiled its new PC operating system, replacing the current Windows 10.
The OS’s biggest draw is in the slight tweaks to UI and how it should work on various kinds of PCs, including tablets, the reveal event did allocate a significant amount of airtime talking about PC gaming and Xbox.
Heck, they even sneaked in an “it just works!” line in the presentation, a cheeky reference and reminder that Xbox owns Bethesda now.
Windows 11 will come pre-install with the Xbox app, which is essentially your launcher for games coming through the Microsoft Store. Currently, you have to opt-in.
Having this built-in on the new OS means it should be even easier to get people to sign up for Xbox Game Pass for PC (assuming your region supports it).
The Xbox Game Pass for PC subscription service offers access to all Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda games (except two specific games) when it launches day one, includes the base edition of EA Play and a bunch of third-party games from AAA hits (go play the Yakuza series) to indies (like Among Us).
There are also two behind-the-scenes techs that are tied to Windows 11 that benefits gaming. One is Auto HDR, a feature that uses the DirectX API to automatically apply HDR (more range in lighting/luminance- the dark goes darker and bright can be brighter). This requires no extra work from players and developers.
Hence, “it just works!”
The other behind-the-scenes gaming feature is an implementation of Direct Storage API. This is used on the Xbox Series X|S consoles to get loading times to be faster. PCs have already been using SSDs, but the new next-gen consoles not only just have SSDs built-in, they have special software to boost that throughput speed. With Windows 11, PCs can also benefit from the same tech seen on Xbox consoles.
Additionally, the Microsoft Store will also get a much-needed redo. It is described to be “rebuilt from the ground up, and designed for speed”.
The Microsoft Store as it is is clunky to use, and downloading/installing updates to games (from Game Pass or otherwise) can be hit-or-miss, not something you want for a games store. Hopefully, the new redesign addresses much of the issues with usability.
Also, Android apps are coming to the Microsoft Store. We didn’t see Android games being demonstrated, but that could see a simpler way to play mobile games on PC, without needing an emulator.
Microsoft recently expressed that they are “all in” in gaming, hence why we see such a prominent display for gaming during the full Windows 11 presentation.
Windows 11 will be a free upgrade for Windows 10 PCs that meets the spec requirements (which you can check here). It will be available to download sometime in early 2022. New PCs with Windows 11 pre-installed will also be available.