Something unusual is happening with Microsoft’s Xbox app on Windows. Over the past few days, users have noticed that the Xbox PC app now displays Xbox console games within their library. Interestingly, while titles like the original Alan Wake for Xbox 360 aren’t available for download, they still appear if you own them as part of your “My PC Games” list in the app.
This isn’t likely just a simple bug. Instead, it seems to be part of Microsoft’s broader strategy to seamlessly unify its Xbox and Windows stores. Back in March, I uncovered hints of this plan when I discovered notes indicating Microsoft was collaborating with Asus on a Project Kennan handheld device. At the time, I explained that Microsoft aims to create a universal game library encompassing both Xbox and PC titles.
A key part of this vision involves integrating games from other platforms like Steam and the Epic Games Store into the Xbox PC app. Earlier this year, Microsoft accidentally leaked mockup images showing Steam games within the Xbox app library. Sources familiar with the company’s plans revealed that an upcoming Xbox app update is likely to display all your installed games across various services, making game management more streamlined.
Over the past year, Microsoft has also been positioning the Xbox app as the central hub for PC gaming. The rebranding to simply “Xbox PC” first appeared in announcements for Gears of War: Reloaded, and new trailers—like for MIO: Memories In Orbit—feature the Xbox PC branding prominently. This shift hints that Microsoft is preparing to showcase a broader range of games through this unified platform.
With these updates and the development of a new handheld device, it seems we’re nearing a moment where Microsoft will clearly define how additional games will be listed in the Xbox PC app. A major question remains: will Xbox console games become playable on PC? If not through direct porting, Microsoft might rely on its cloud infrastructure to enable remote play, bringing the dream of playing classic Xbox titles on PC closer to reality—perhaps even with some emulation breakthroughs on the horizon.
