Microsoft’s Xbox mode for Windows 11 launches in April with controller-friendly interface

Microsoft Xbox

• Xbox Mode brings controller-friendly gaming to all Windows 11 PCs
• Project Helix will run both PC and console games with AMD tech
• Advanced Shader Delivery aims to reduce game stuttering issues

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Microsoft is expanding its Xbox-style gaming interface for Windows 11, announcing that the feature — now called Xbox Mode — will roll out to PCs starting in April.

The company revealed the update during the Game Developers Conference, positioning Xbox Mode as a controller-friendly interface designed for gaming on Windows devices.

The feature originally debuted on the Asus ROG Ally Xbox edition handheld and later made its way to other Windows 11 gaming portables. With the upcoming update, Microsoft plans to expand it to all Windows 11 systems, including laptops and desktop PCs.

Xbox Mode provides a full-screen interface optimised for controllers, allowing players to browse their game library, launch titles, access Game Bar tools and switch between apps more easily.

The experience is broadly similar to the long-running Big Picture Mode offered by Valve on its Steam platform.

Microsoft says Xbox Mode will initially be available in select markets, though it has not yet provided a full rollout schedule.

When the feature first appeared for Windows 11 Insider testers last year, Microsoft said the interface included an improved task switcher that allows players to quickly jump between games and other apps.

New Xbox hardware plans

Microsoft also shared early details about a new gaming system codenamed Project Helix. The company said it plans to begin shipping developer kits for Project Helix next year. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma confirmed last week that the upcoming platform will be capable of running both PC and console games.

According to Xbox vice president Jason Ronald, the system will be built on next-generation AMD technology, similar to the hardware expected to power future consoles such as the PlayStation 6.

Alongside the interface update, Microsoft also announced several tools aimed at improving gaming performance and development workflows.

One of these is Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD), a feature that allows developers to pre-compile shaders before a game runs on a player’s system.

Shader compilation is often responsible for the stuttering that can occur when launching new games. By pre-processing those shaders, ASD aims to reduce or eliminate those performance hiccups.

Microsoft is also updating its DirectStorage technology, which speeds up game loading on NVMe SSDs. The update adds support for Zstandard compression, along with a new developer tool called the Game Asset Conditional Library designed to improve compression efficiency and simplify asset management.

Finally, Microsoft said it plans to offer developers an early look at how next-generation machine learning features will be integrated into its DirectX gaming platform.