The Xbox App now supports manually added 3rd party games
Microsoft is now allowing PC games to add 3rd party games and apps to their Xbox App
Microsoft has given PC gamers the ability to add any 3rd-party games (or any .exe file) to the Xbox PC App. This is a feature that Valve’s Steam platform has offered for years, allowing PC gamers to centralise their gaming libraries in a single application.
In the future, Microsoft wants its Xbox App to become the core of all gaming PCs. With 3rd party game integration, the app can now support games from Steam, the Epic Games Store, GOG, and other storefronts. Even emulators or productivity applications can be added to the Xbox App. If it has an .exe file, it can be added to the Xbox Store.
Once gamers add games to their Xbox Library, they can change the app’s name, add command-line arguments, and change the artwork for the game. That’s a lot of tweakability. This is especially useful for fans of emulators or older PC games. RPCS3 recently added “Create Steam Shortcut” support to their emulator. I wonder if they will now make “Add to the Xbox App” functionality. Imagine that, PS3 games on the Xbox App!
How to add any .exe to the Xbox App
- Open the Xbox App on PC.
- Go to the “My Library” section.
- Look for the small “+” icon in the top right corner.
- Click the “+” icon.
- Choose from the suggested apps, or select the option to browse your files manually.
(Adding 3rd party games to the Xbox App, via Windows Central)
Can the Xbox App really challenge Steam?
Moving forward, Microsoft wants to tear down the barriers between PC gaming and Xbox. It wants the Xbox App to become a core part of the PC gaming experience, which means that Microsoft is challenging Valve’s Steam platform. If Xbox wants to succeed, functions like 3rd party game integration are necessary. After all, PC gaming is a diverse space, and 3rd party storefronts are too large to ignore.
Can Microsoft challenge Steam? That’s hard to know. While the Xbox brand isn’t as popular as it was, it carries a lot of momentum. That said, others have tried and failed to challenge Steam. Can Xbox succeed where others have failed?
You can join the discussion on Microsoft’s Xbox App gaining support for 3rd party games on the OC3D Forums.
