Windows 11 had a rough 2025 and it was Microsoft’s fault. The tech giant’s quality control has weakened, AI functionality was overshadowed and basic design was neglected. But hey, Microsoft listens to feedback, so it’s okay, right?
Since then, Microsoft has committed to restoring fan-favorite features and delayed other features in the name of quality assurance. The company also rebranded the Xbox Full Screen Experience as “Xbox Mode,” indicating its commitment to making Windows 11 a valuable home for gaming, even for console gamers.
Xbox Mode is more than a rebrand, it’s part of a real effort to improve Windows 11 for gaming. Improvements to DirectStorage are underway, and Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD) will be generally available to developers.
So did Microsoft Xbox games are easier to develop.
When the next generation Xbox is actually a PC, the operating system running on that PC is extremely important.
Every week Windows WrapHere’s a closer look at a trending topic in the Windows world. I argued last week Microsoft left the door open For Apple to claim the budget PC crown.
The MacBook Neo is still trending, but I’ve decided to focus on Xbox and Windows this week – plus Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden talk more about the MacBook Neo this week. Windows Central Podcastso there’s a lot of Mac vs. PC talk.
Weekly Windows Pack: Big News
Windows 11 means more than just gaming. Microsoft isn’t just interested in fixing Windows 11 issues to make Project Helix better.
But gaming is one of the few areas where Windows can really stand out. The MacBook Neo is eating up the budget computing category, with smartphones and foldables covering increasing daily tasks and Linux distros are of interest among casual usersgaming stands out as one area where Windows 11 sets itself apart.
Windows wins for Project Helix are wins for gaming on the OS as a whole. Our managing editor Jez Corden shared that Xbox is a “huge part” of the effort to fix Windows 11.
Last week, my colleague Zac Bowden reported that Microsoft is creating a task force to fix Windows 11 after letting its quality slip in the name of pushing AI. I’m well aware that Xbox is a big part of that effort.
Jez Corden, Managing Editor, Windows Center
Xbox Mode, and the Xbox Full Screen Experience before it, show promise for a Windows 11-powered console, but the operating system still has a ways to go. Corden defended it “Microsoft needs to prove that it can avoid Windows’ biggest problems. while making the next Xbox.
“They’re an upgrade from their highly polished versions for Xbox users Xbox Series X|S, I’m worried that if Microsoft isn’t careful, the Xbox-powered Windows experience will feel like an epic move,” Corden said. Of course, he’s right.
Console games should be robust and reliable. Project Helix, or any console for that matter, would be dead on arrival if it faced OS updates that broke the experience. One of the main advantages of a console game is that it does not require tuning, technical knowledge or tedious updates to fix problems.
To deliver this “powerful” experience, Microsoft needs to strengthen Windows 11 as a stable and reliable operating system. It’s a tall order given the 2025 catastrophe, but it’s not impossible.
Microsoft has promised to make changes in Windows 11 this year and preliminary results are positive.
If Project Helix was built to run something other than Windows 11, would Microsoft have gone to all this effort to upgrade Windows 11? Maybe. But given that Xbox was part of the push to fix Windows 11, I think the sorry state of Windows 11 forced Microsoft’s hand.
Shopping with Sean
While the next-gen Xbox is still in the distant future, it’s still worth upgrading your current console. A pair of great accessories are on sale right now: the G7 SE Wired Controller for Xbox and the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Racing System.
You can also expand your game by picking up gaming hardware.
The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally gives us a glimpse of what the future of Xbox holds. Admittedly, he is less powerful than his brother Xbox Ally Xmeans it won’t accept some updates like Automatic Super Resolution.
But the ROG Ally runs the Xbox Full Screen Experience and will soon get Xbox Mode. It also has nice grips, a big battery and a 7-inch display that supports 120Hz and VRR. At the right price, the Xbox Ally is a decent gaming console for the gamer on the go.
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