While I am excited that Windows 10 is officially here, I am interested in what Windows 10 can do for gaming more than anything else. The Xbox app on Windows 10 unifies my gaming experience across my Xbox One and Windows 10 laptop. The Xbox app also has more social features, so it makes it easier to find Xbox Live friends to connect with that share my similar gaming interests.
There is a lot to love about the Xbox app and here are six great new features:
Xbox app can stream your Xbox One games on your Windows 10 device – With the official launch of Windows 10 today, you can stream any Xbox One game to your Windows 10 PC or tablet. Although at the moment, you need to be able to connect your Xbox One to your Windows 10 device, I find that the experience on my Windows 10 laptop is nearly flawless. There is minimal lag for me when I stream Xbox One games, but it all depends on your Windows 10 device hardware and internet connectivity. You can also stream a limited number (so far) of Xbox 360 games via Xbox One’s backwards compatibility.
You can view, edit, and share your Xbox One or Windows 10 game clips – Game DVR capability is built right into Windows 10 to help you share your game clips with your Xbox Live friends. I never really got into recording gaming clips unless my Xbox One did it for me automatically. Now that I have the Kinect, I find myself using voice commands to tell my Xbox One: “Xbox, record that,” to record my favorite clip from Titanfall. Now with the Xbox app on Windows 10, you can simply press the Windows + G to record your favorite gaming moments on your Windows 10 device. The Xbox app also allows you to edit and share your game clip to whomever or wherever you choose.
Better social integration with Windows 10 – All the Xbox Live social features that are available on Xbox One are available in the Xbox app on Windows 10. You can message and share game clips with your Xbox Live friends, post your game clips to Twitter, Facebook, or whatever social network that you choose on any Windows 10 device. You can also view other Xbox Live gamers’ profiles, add a friend, join a party, voice chat, message, edit your profile, change your Xbox Live Gamertag, and so much more.
Keeps you updated with the latest gaming action – The Xbox app helps keep you informed of your latest Xbox Live achievements in whatever game you or your Xbox Live friends are playing by visiting the Game Hub within the Xbox app. Even when you are away from your Xbox One, you can stay informed on everything Xbox through the Xbox app as long as you have a Windows 10 device nearby.
Stay connected with your Xbox Live friends – The Xbox app is designed to help you stay connected whether you’re on your Xbox One or Windows 10 device, so you always talk, play, or chat with your friends whenever you want.
Control your Xbox One from the Xbox app – For those not yet blessed with the Kinect, the Xbox app allows you to turn your Xbox One on and off from within the Xbox app. While that may not seem like much, sometimes using your Xbox One controller for certain tasks can be tedious. For example, using the Xbox One controller to type messages to your Xbox Live friends was one thing I hated to have to do before I got the Kinect. Now, with the Xbox app on Windows 10, you can type messages to your Xbox Live friends, pause your favorite Netflix movie, or however else you want to control your Xbox One (Your Windows 10 device must be on the same network as your Xbox One).
The Xbox app on Windows 10 has many features to choose from and a lot more headed our way, beginning at Gamescom next week, with an Xbox press briefing slated for 7am PDT on Tuesday August 4th.
