Microsoft has announced plenty of news today regarding exciting developments at Xbox. These include game demos officially coming to Xbox Game Pass members, bringing the Xbox app to Samsung’s 2022 Smart TVs, expanding Xbox Cloud Gaming to more countries, Microsoft Edge and Windows 11 getting new features for gaming support and Xbox Design Lab receiving more options.
Ahead of Summer Game Fest and the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, Xbox announced plenty of updates coming to various aspects of its ecosystem. The most exciting addition is curated game demos arriving for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, which will roll out within the next year.
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Xbox Introduces Project Moorcroft
Microsoft announced some details about Project Moorcroft, a program that will allow Xbox Game Pass subscribers to play curated demos of upcoming games. The focus will mainly be on getting exposure for independent developers, though this will likely extend to some AAA games as well. Participating developers will be able to see how its demos perform and be compensated for it.
Additionally, Xbox also announced that Game Pass Ultimate members will be able to play, from the cloud, select games they already own or have already purchased outside the Xbox Game Pass library. This means you won’t necessarily need an active subscription to continue playing certain games downloaded from the Game Pass library. Xbox plans to roll this out later this year.
Xbox App Coming to Samsung 2022 Smart TVs
Microsoft is partnering with Samsung to bring the Xbox app to its 2022 range of Smart TVs. Players will then be able to play hundreds of cloud-enabled games without needing a console. Xbox promises that the experience will be seamless, no different to using any other streaming app on your TV.
The feature will be available on 30 June. You will simply need to open the Xbox app from the Samsung Gaming Hub or Media Hub, log into your existing Microsoft account and connect your favourite Bluetooth controller. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will immediately be given access to the full library of cloud-enabled games.
Xbox Cloud Gaming Expansion
Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) will be expanding to new regions, specifically Argentina and New Zealand. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers in these countries will be able to play hundreds of games from the cloud on Windows PCs, Apple or Android phones and tablets, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S consoles and eventually, Samsung Smart TVs as well.
Microsoft added that users in Argentina and New Zealand won’t need a membership to play Fortnite, which is always good news.
Microsoft Edge and Windows 11 Gaming Updates
Microsoft Edge and Windows 11 will get new gaming updates. For Windows 11, Xbox is optimising windowed games for the Windows Insider program. Latency improvements, Auto HDR and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) are all being tested. Additionally, an HDR calibration app will enable users to improve colour accuracy and the consistency of their HDR display. A Game Pass widget will also be added for quick access to the Game Pass library.
Another feature being tested for the Windows Insider program is the Controller bar, which features a list of the most popular games and shortcuts to game launchers (including the Xbox app). Without really needing a mouse and keyboard, the Controller bar will allow users to jump into Xbox Cloud Gaming or their recently played games seamlessly.
Microsoft Edge is also getting some great gaming features and updates. Specifically, there will now be a personalised gaming home page “featuring news, game guides, live streams, game highlights, tournaments, upcoming and newly released games and the Xbox Cloud Gaming library.”
If you’re using the Microsoft Edge browser on Windows to play cloud-enabled games, Built-in Clarity Boost will make gameplay from the cloud appear sharper and clearer. Microsoft Edge will also get a new Games menu, giving quick access to popular free games like Microsoft Solitaire, Atari Asteroids, Microsoft Jewel and more.
Finally, Efficiency mode will improve gaming performance on Windows 10 and 11 to keep games running fast and smooth by “automatically reducing browser resource usage” whenever players launch a PC game.
Xbox Design Lab
Microsoft announced that Xbox Design Lab will receive some new options and features, expanding the range of customisation options and colours.
This includes new pastel colours – Soft Pink, Soft Orange, Soft Green and Soft Purple, as well as new Camo Top cases with matching side caps – Mineral Camo, Arctic Camo, Forest Camo, Sandglow Camo and Blaze Camo.
Xbox Design Lab is also launching in 11 new countries: Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Greece, Hungary, Norway, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland and Taiwan later this summer.
Tune in to the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase on 12 June at 7 PM SAST to learn about new games coming to Xbox and PC in the future.
