One month, three ecosystems, one philosophy: fluidity. Behind the Xbox October update lies a well-honed strategy. Microsoft no longer just adjusts its interface or fixes bugs. The company now intends to improve each link in the chain, from download to game launch, whatever the medium.
Whether you’re playing on an aging Xbox One, a brand-new Series
Xbox consoles: smarter gaming hubs connected to Game Pass
On Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, it’s how you interact with your games that evolves. Microsoft has integrated new dynamic modules into the hubs, these pages which centralize information on each installed title.
Among the most visible additions: a news feed directly powered by the publishers’ official Clubs, which allows you to follow announcements, updates and community events around your favorite games in real time. No more checking Twitter or Reddit to stay in the loop.
Another new feature: Game Pass benefits are now displayed more clearly. If a title includes bonuses reserved for subscribers, such as skins, in-game currencies or downloadable content, this information will immediately appear in the interface. Enough to make your subscription more profitable, especially if you juggle between several games.
Xbox app on PC: no more choppy download speeds
PC gamers have always had an ambivalent relationship with the Xbox app. Functional, but sometimes unstable or slow, it struggled to convince over time. Microsoft seems to have taken stock of this.
The latest update includes in-depth optimizations which, according to the firm, now allow “the application to fully exploit the PC’s Internet connection”. A change which aims to limit bottlenecks, particularly among users of optical fiber or broadband connections.
But beyond raw speed, Microsoft insists on its method: “the company explains that it wants to align these improvements with player feedback”. In other words, future updates of the application will be increasingly responsive to community feedback, in a logic of co-construction.
ROG Ally: games that launch ten times faster thanks to a new function
If you got your hands on a ROG Ally or its X version, the surprise comes from the technology Advanced Shader Deliveryabbreviated ASD. Deployed in the latest Xbox update, this technical feature acts before the game is launched: shaders are now preloaded during download.
The benefit is immediate. On certain games, Microsoft announces a spectacular gain, with loadings “up to ten times faster” than before. An ambitious figure, but which well reflects the first feedback from users on specialized forums.
And that’s not all. In addition to speed, this technology would optimize autonomy: “this optimization limits energy consumption during the first gaming session”. A strategic advance on a device where every minute of battery counts.
The list of compatible games is already provided: GTA V Enhanced, Final Fantasy XVI, Lies of P, Forza Horizon 5Call of Duty: Black Ops 6or even Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 benefit from this optimization. Microsoft promises to regularly add new titles.