Microsoft to Make New ‘Xbox Mode’ Available on All Windows 11 PCs Next Month

The new Xbox Full Screen Experience that made its debut on the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds last year will become available on all Windows 11 PCs starting in April, Microsoft announced at GDC today. The new interface, which is already available for testing for Windows Insiders on the Dev and Beta Channels, has also been renamed “Xbox Mode.”

“Xbox mode delivers a controller-optimized experience to your Windows 11 device, letting players browse their library, launch games, use Game Bar and switch between apps. Designed to keep players immersed, the experience features a clean, distraction-free interface, while still giving them the flexibility to seamlessly switch back to the Windows desktop at any time,” Microsoft said today.

Xbox mode will be rolling out to Windows 11 users in select markets starting in April, and Microsoft has optimized the experience for PC form factors. That includes desktops, laptops, tablets, and Windows-based handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go or MSI Claw. The feature disables some background tasks to maximize gaming performance, and it also provides access to PC games installed from other stores like Steam.

Microsoft had other developer-focused news at GDC today, including the expansion of Advanced Shader Delivery on the ROG Xbox Ally to all game developers. This feature aims to eliminate long load times during a game’s first launch, and it should also help to improve performance and reduce stuttering. Advanced shared delivery only supported dozens of PC games when it launched on the ROG Xbox Ally back in October, but Microsoft hopes to get more developers on board soon.

The company also announced today that its DirectX gaming API is getting big machine learning enhancements. Developers will get access to new tools to “bring neural techniques into their graphics pipelines,” and they will also be able to “bring their own models directly into gameplay for a new paradigm of immersive experiences.”

Lastly, Microsoft had some exciting next-gen Xbox news today: Game developers will get their hands on alpha versions of Project Helix hardware in 2027, and the next-gen console will support four generations of Xbox games in addition to PC games.