Nothing is set in stone at this point when it comes to Windows 12, but you may have already heard a rumor or two about Microsoft's next big OS as we inch closer to its potential release in 2024. There are plenty of ways Microsoft can improve and build upon the merits of the current OS to make Windows 12 better, and I hope the company is putting a conscious effort into making it better for gamers too. I say that because Windows 11 didn't exactly have the best reputation among gamers, especially at the beginning. In fact, many users still swear by Windows 10 in 2023.
I, for one, am really excited about jumping into Windows 12, and I can't wait to see what Microsoft has in store for us. My Windows 12 wishlist is relatively slim, and the only thing I want Microsoft to improve with the new OS is the Xbox app for PC. I can't stress how limited the Xbox app on PC really is, and I am constantly reminded how desperately it needs an update every time I access my Game Pass library. Yes, I am glad to be able to enjoy an all-you-can-eat game buffet for a nominal price every month, but there's no excuse to make us use a laughably limited app in exchange for that. I am happy to see the occasional updates that have started flowing in with features like "Compact Mode," but here's what Microsoft should really do to improve not just the Xbox app, but just the gaming experience in general with Windows 12.
4 Turn the Xbox app on PC into a universal game launcher
Allow us to add games from other launchers
The current version of the Xbox app on PC only allows you to launch the games you've downloaded from the Microsoft Store. It's true that Microsoft isn't the only one to have a publisher-exclusive launcher for Windows, and it's getting increasingly fragmented with others like the Epic Games launcher, EA Play, etc., but I believe Microsoft has more power here with complete control of the operating system to change things around. A unified launcher for games in Windows 12 will simplify gaming for both PC gamers as well as those with a handheld console. I can't stress how annoying it is to jump between a handful of launchers just to find and play a game.
A unified game launcher, in case you're wondering, isn't entirely unheard of as many apps allow you to do that already. Steam, for instance, lets you add pretty much any program to its launcher, except for the ones downloaded from the Microsoft Store. So it's once again on Microsoft for restricting its games and limiting its launcher, when it should ideally be focusing on improving the experience of using its operating system. I hope this changes with Windows 12, so I can launch the Xbox app on my PC by simply pressing the Xbox button on the controller to jump into the app. In fact, it would be better if we got a fullscreen app, similar to Steam's Big Picture mode.
3 Big Picture mode, but for Xbox
Would be great for both desktop and handheld gamers
Microsoft can take the gaming experience in Windows 12 to the next level by adding a dedicated Xbox dashboard as well. Think of it as a dedicated "Xbox mode" that puts you in a fullscreen view of the Xbox dashboard, similar to the one you see on Microsoft's consoles. This could also act as a dedicated "gaming mode" in Windows 12, which, when launched or enabled, would automatically limit background activity, silence Windows notifications, add the ability to change the performance profiles, and more, for an immersive experience for desktop gamers.
Windows gaming handhelds could also use this dedicated gaming dashboard as the default launcher, similar to how the Steam Deck uses the Big Picture mode. A dedicated launcher is what Windows handhelds desperately need, in my opinion, and it could turn the tides in favor of the Xbox app. Not only will it simplify things for handheld gamers by putting all the games under a single roof, but it could also allow them to access the gaming mode features such as the performance profiles, things like media capture and recording with Game Bar, and more. There are various ways to rethink the gaming experience on Windows 12 on both PC and handheld gaming devices, but it all needs to start with a universal launcher and a dedicated Xbox dashboard.
2 Improve Game Bar integration
Needs some fundamental changes
The Game Bar is one of my least used applications on Windows, which I keep disabled for the most part. It's one of those programs that's got a lot of potential to grow and be more useful, in my opinion, but it's slowly becoming irrelevant as Microsoft refuses to update it in a meaningful way. The Game Bar, just like the Xbox app, is very limited when it comes to features. In fact, it's even missing the basics like the ability to stream gameplay to YouTube or create different user profiles, among other things.
Just the fact that it sits as a separate application on Windows instead of being a part of the main Xbox app as an overlay shows how disjointed the Xbox experience on Windows really is. There's no way to tweak the Game Bar, change its settings, or add widgets from within the Xbox app, and you instead have to launch the overlay to find all the settings to tweak. Not to mention, the overlay itself appears to be overly convoluted with too many elements that don't necessarily work as advertised.
The Game Bar could use some significant changes, but integrating it with the main Xbox app would be a good place to start. It could also benefit from a cleanup to reduce a lot of clutter, but that's a part of a bigger problem with the Game Bar interface, which needs to be addressed at a deeper level. I'll be happy to see the Game Bar working properly for now, as it fails to either show up when I press the shortcut, or it shows completely random icons that don't even work.
1 Let us bypass Windows and jump straight onto Xbox
A natural evolution of a unified launcher and "game mode"
Lastly, the ability to jump straight onto the Xbox dashboard from the Windows lockscreen would be great too. I often boot my PC just to play games on it, and I know I am not the only one who would want to bypass Windows and not have to land on the desktop just to navigate through all the launchers, a dozen pop-ups, and more, just to get into a game. Think of it as entering "safe mode" on Windows, except in this case, you directly enter "game mode" with an Xbox layout and all your games. It's the only natural evolution I can think of once we get a unified launcher and a dedicated "game mode," and what better time to add it than with the updated Xbox app for Windows 12?
I've been yearning for a dedicated game mode on Windows like this, and it's been on my wishlist for quite some time now. A dedicated Xbox dashboard would be perfect for folks who want separate spaces for "work" and "gaming" within a single PC. This game space could further be improved with some customization features that are currently missing from the Xbox app on PC. Even simple features like the ability to customize the look and feel of the Xbox app with more custom themes and dynamic backgrounds, or creating a custom library are currently missing from the Xbox app. The Xbox experience on both consoles and PC feels a little too disconnected at the moment, and a dedicated game space would be a good place to start fixing it.
Closing thoughts
There are plenty of other things Microsoft could do to improve the gaming on Windows 12, but there's good reason to prioritize fixing the Xbox app integration, considering how crucial it is to the overall experience of using Game Pass. Microsoft's needlessly restrictive nature of the Xbox app on Windows feels counter-intuitive to its approach of enabling gaming for more people with Game Pass. A lackluster application is only pushing users away, so I am hoping to see an improved version of the Xbox app with bigger changes to go with Windows 12.