Xbox continues its campaign to win back gamers. Obviously, it has made a lot of big moves, but it’s also making a lot of smaller decisions designed to pick up easy PR wins. This time, it’s the Xbox PC app which is getting the benefit, with a new update rollout for Xbox Insiders which promises to make it much faster.
Starting today, members of the Insiders program can try out the improvements. Xbox is claiming the app can now boot up to 60% faster. Some pages will also launch up to 50% faster, and in-app windows can open up to 65% quicker. That’s a lot of percentages. And Xbox does note that performance will vary based on your hardware, internet connection and about a million other factors.
The app is also getting a visual overhaul. Xbox describes a new library with simpler navigation, updated filters and “new ways to organize your games make it easier to browse your collection and find what you want to play”.
Friends and social features are being put on the main navigation, too, and search is being improved. There are also refreshed game cards, Home, settings and animations.
Meanwhile, the revamped cloud gaming web experience is also getting released to more people over the coming weeks. It features a new library design that “brings together the games you can play through cloud, whether you own them or access them through XBOX Game Pass.” It also makes better use of larger screens, has light and dark modes and some new high-contrast options, too.
The new look and navigation will also be rolled out on Xbox cloud gaming apps, supported TVs and VR headsets.
All if this equals another fairly easy PR win for Xbox. So far this year the brand has brought a bunch of classic games to PC for the first time -Blinx: The Time Sweeper, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge and Fuzion Frenzy – with more promised down the line. And it created the new Mythic Achievement to rival PlayStation’s Platinum trophy.
Of course, none of these little wins takes the sting out of the mass layoffs or the studio closures.
