Back in June 2019, Microsoft renamed the Windows 10 Xbox app, which first launched in 2014, as the Xbox Console Companion, with the app's logo changed to look like an Xbox One console instead of the normal Xbox logo. Around the same time, Microsoft launched the new Xbox app for Windows 10. The app, which also now supports Windows 11, will very soon be the only official Microsoft Windows app for its Xbox consoles.
In a recently updated post on the Xbox support site (via Game Rant), Microsoft announced:
On July 28, 2023, we announced that the Xbox Console Companion app on Windows would be deprecated on August 28, 2023. If you were impacted by this and are looking for ways to continue to engage with Xbox games, services, and communities on your Windows device, the Xbox app for Windows will keep you connected to all things Xbox and gaming on your Windows device.
With the upcoming retirement of the Xbox Console Companion app, Windows 10 and 11 users are being directed to use the Xbox app. It allows PC owners to download and play PC games, remote play Xbox console games on their local network on their PC, access Xbox Cloud Gaming if they are subscribed to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and more.
A recent update in May added features like the ability to view your Xbox friends list and chat window while also continuing to game on your PC.
There's also the built-in Xbox Game Bar for Windows. It allows PC gamers to capture a screenshot or video clip while they game, get info on their PC's overall performance, and more.
It will be interesting to see if Microsoft plans any major updates to the Xbox app, now that it will soon be the only official Xbox app for the Windows platform.
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