When every person and their dog is still defaulting to Steam for all their PC gaming needs, what chance does a little guy like Microsoft have to capture an ounce of that audience? Xbox imagines that a little extra spice plus a long-awaited speed update to the Xbox app will make you consider plugging in to the alternative game browser and store.

Simply put, the new version is faster than before. Jason Beaumont, Xbox’s VP of experiences, writes that the new build of the Xbox app loads up 60% faster. You can see that example in a video posted by Xbox CEO Asha Sharma on X. Individual pages, like the Home tab, Game Pass, and the Xbox Store should load up 50% faster than before. The app could often feel sluggish, especially if you were beholden to it like you are on modern handheld PCs such as the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20 and MSI Claw 8 EX AI+.

We’re making XBOX on Windows faster and more responsive. Starting today, we’re rolling out updates that make our app up to 60% faster. A meaningful improvement, with plenty more to do. pic.twitter.com/h5kzHSpR8H

Perhaps the most significant incoming change is the new look of the app. ” Users will finally have a choice between a dark and light mode. That, along with a revised library with added filters and game organization options, should make it an easier app to use. This is a controller-first kind of user interface, and while Steam can often feel cluttered, it packs a lot more information into a smaller footprint.

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