Following the announcement of its new Xbox PC gaming handheld, Microsoft has now confirmed that it’s testing a new aggregated game library in the Xbox PC app for Windows 11 PCs and handheld devices. Officially confirmed via the Xbox Wire, the move is designed to improve access to game libraries – not just on traditional PCs, but more importantly on Windows-based gaming handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go and ROG Ally. This is a welcomed move that’s expected to significantly improve the gaming experience on Microsoft’s upcoming handheld, and you can learn more about the aggregated game library below.
Microsoft is testing aggregated game library ahead of the Xbox handheld release
The aggregated game library is live for Xbox Insiders, who will now be able to see their Steam and Battle.net games within the Xbox app. This move – if/when implemented well – will essentially make the Xbox app a single launcher for most installed PC games. A consolidated game library will be especially beneficial for Windows-based PC gaming handhelds, many of which currently struggle to offer a smooth, user-friendly experience. This kind of unified interface is one of the key reasons the Steam Deck has become so popular, and it looks like Microsoft is taking a page out of Valve’s playbook with this move.
According to Microsoft, the games installed from supported PC storefronts like Steam and Battle.net will automatically appear in the ‘My Library’ section of the Xbox app.
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.
It remains to be seen how well this works in the case of PC gaming handhelds, but we’ll have more on this soon once more people and enthusiasts get their hands on this experience.
You can try out the new aggregated library in the Xbox app on Windows now as well by downloading the Xbox Insider Hub on PC and joining the PC gaming preview. We expect Microsoft to roll out the final version of this experience alongside the launch of its gaming handhelds later this year, followed by a wider release for other Windows-based handhelds.
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