Microsoft is now offering the same version of the Xbox PC app found on the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X gaming handheld for other devices. Titled the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE), the app is now available in the latest Windows Insider Preview Build, which means that a device must be running the current Microsoft OS. Owners of the MSI Claw will get direct access to the new feature today, with other OEMs launching it for their devices in the coming months.
“Designed with console-style navigation in mind, the Xbox PC app paired with the full screen experience delivers a clean, distraction-free interface for handheld gaming. You’ll get smooth task switching and optimized performance, with background processes minimized and non-essential tasks deferred—so gameplay stays responsive and uninterrupted.”
– Microsoft
The Windows Full Screen Experience is not exclusive to gaming handhelds and can be enabled using the same method to provide a similar experience when playing on an Xbox console.
Directions to enable (per Microsoft):
“On supported devices, go to Settings > Gaming > Full screen experience, then select Xbox as your home app. Once enabled, you can access FSE from Task View and Game Bar or configure your handheld to enter full screen experience on startup.”
The move to expand the Xbox gaming experience is but one part of Microsoft’s ongoing strategy with its gaming division. Xbox President Sarah Bond recently concluded meetings with partners in Asia to discuss plans for Xbox and its games, and offered insight into Microsoft’s collaboration with ASUS. Additionally, there’ve been updates on continued contracts with AMD for its custom APUs, which power both the Xbox Series X|S and Sony’s PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles. Meanwhile, some have doubted that Microsoft will continue to manufacture gaming consoles, but its President has consistently stated the company remains fully committed to new hardware development and launches.