As Microsoft gears up to launch its ROG Xbox Ally handhelds in collaboration with Asus later this year, it means we get to see some updates for its existing apps that can benefit plenty of gamers now. One example is the updated Xbox app, available on Windows 11 PCs and handhelds for Insider users, which can now show games from your Steam library alongside any Xbox games you own.
As Microsoft describes in a blog post published on June 23, clicking on a game from Valve's storefront within the Xbox app will now launch it straight away. "When a player installs a game from a supported PC storefront, it will automatically appear in 'My library' within the Xbox PC app," explains Manisha Oza, product manager of the Xbox platform. "As well as the 'Most recent' list of titles in the sidebar - making it easier than ever to jump back into your games."
The post also reveals that games purchased on the Battle.net storefront, home to Call of Duty: Warzone, World of Warcraft, and more, will be coming to the app soon after.
This update to the Xbox app is currently available on the Insiders channel, which lets any Windows user sign up for the program so they can try out features currently in testing. Once you're registered, you can access Steam's integration with the Xbox app and see how it fares on your PC or one of the best handheld consoles running Windows 11. As for a full rollout of the update, Microsoft reveals in the blog post that it will be made available "this holiday on the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X."
For years now, managing different storefronts on Windows has unfortunately been the reality that many PC gamers have had to face. With different developers maintaining their own stores, we as users have had to keep up with this, making sure we have the right stores installed as well as the correct account information. But Microsoft's latest effort with its Xbox app will be a welcome one, if not an overdue one.
The Xbox app has worked fine in the past on PC, letting users download and play games from Microsoft's Game Pass subscription service. Indeed, during the pandemic, it was one of my most-used apps in order to play many multiplayer sessions of Sea of Thieves and Golf with Your Friends, one of the best golf games. But with the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds coming later this year, it makes sense to see other storefronts like Steam and Battle.net come to the app in order to bring your aggregated game library to one place.
In the meantime, if you're looking for something to tide you over until the Xbox Ally handhelds arrive, check out our guides to the best gaming phones and the best gaming tablets. Or, if you're looking for something new to play, see our guides to the best Nintendo Switch games and the best Steam Deck games.