- The Home windows 11 gaming consumer interface is about to change into extra console-like, taking inspiration from Xbox and simplifying controls
- New design seems to be to change into a extra substantial rival to SteamOS and optimize usability
- There might be a give attention to enhancing controllers and handheld-specific options for seamless gaming
It seems to be like Microsoft has lastly acknowledged that handheld gaming PCs might be higher, primarily in terms of working Home windows 11 on them, and it needs to enhance this expertise.
Proper now, Home windows 11 merely isn’t nice on these gadgets; it feels clunky and complex, in all probability as a result of Home windows 11 is basically designed for desktops and bigger gadgets normally, not compact handhelds with out keyboards. That is all of the extra obvious when in comparison with the sleek interfaces of Xbox consoles or Valve’s SteamOS, which had been particularly designed for his or her respective gadgets.
Now, Microsoft needs to deliver the Xbox expertise to Home windows PCs, combining the 2 methods and elevating the hand held gaming Home windows expertise. This was hinted at throughout a roundtable dialogue on the latest AMD and Lenovo “The Way forward for Gaming Handhelds” occasion by Microsoft VP of “Subsequent Technology” (presumably the Subsequent Technology of Home windows handheld gaming PCs) Jason Ronald, which was held through the CES 2025 occasion in Las Vegas.
Microsoft’s objective seems to be to take the user-friendly, console-like options of Xbox like fast entry to video games and easy navigation, and combine them into Home windows for handhelds. This might make it simpler to make use of Home windows gaming handheld gadgets extra intuitively, permitting you to select up your system and play with out twiddling with sophisticated settings or coping with desktop-style menus.
Microsoft’s VP of “Subsequent Technology,” Jason Ronald, hinted that they’re actively engaged on this and that we’ll see some huge enhancements this yr. It’s not about constructing a brand-new Xbox working system for PCs however slightly enhancing Home windows 11 itself to really feel extra like an Xbox once you’re gaming. The large concept? To make handheld Home windows gaming as straightforward and pleasing as taking part in on an Xbox, whereas nonetheless permitting you to faucet into the pliability of Home windows in the event you want it.
When talking to The Verge, Ronald elaborated on this by explaining that this can transcend the present state of issues the place there are compact modes for Xbox apps in Home windows 11, changing into a simplified expertise just like what you’d use on a video games console. This consists of tackling points like making Home windows 11 work higher with gaming controllers and designing Home windows 11 to make higher use of handheld gaming {hardware}.
Might a game-changing replace tackle SteamOS?
This information could be very welcome, as I do know many individuals are very vocal about the truth that Home windows 11 is the weakest half many gaming handheld PCs, together with the Lenovo Legion Go, Asus ROG Ally X, and MSI Claw 8. The PC gaming handhelds that run Home windows 11 will usually use a proxy consumer interface to handle and run your video games, however this will make for a slower and less-than-ideal expertise total. Moreover, Home windows 11 has SteamOS (a Linux-based working system) to deal with, as we’re starting to see gadgets are available a model working SteamOS in addition to Home windows 11, just like the Lenovo Legion S.
SteamOS is an working system particularly designed to run video games, has an easy-to-use devoted consumer interface, and not one of the baggage and bloat of Home windows 11.
The roundtable dialog didn’t make clear if this can imply a particular model of Home windows for gaming handhelds or if Home windows 11 could have additions made to it that make gaming on handheld PCs higher. Ronald says his staff is engaged on ‘elementary interplay fashions’ that work no matter what working system is utilized by a tool, and be certain that customers get a strong gaming expertise regardless.
It feels like Ronald and his staff maybe have extra in retailer, nonetheless, than simply layering software program on high of Home windows 11 for gaming handhelds. We’ll should see how this new system seems to be, performs, and feels, but it surely sounds fairly promising, particularly as handheld gaming PC gadgets look like a booming market.
