Microsoft has released its new Arm-compatible Xbox App, claiming that it supports a huge 85% of the Game Pass catalogue. It looks as though local gaming on Arm is now a reality, all thanks to the optimisations brought to the Prism translation layer, developers’ adding support for third-party anti-cheats, and Qualcomm’s continued hardware improvements.
With the launch of an Xbox App on Windows 11 for Arm, more gamers get to use Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription, whether at home or on the move. Supported devices include those powered by Qualcomm’s original Snapdragon X series, the upcoming Snapdragon X2, and logically any future Arm-based SoCs. This development should help Arm devices deliver a similar experience to x86 laptops and desktops, and the company has indicated that it’s working on supporting even more titles in the future.
At the same time, Windows Performance Fit is available to offer guidance on which titles are better suited for your device, based on real-world benchmark data measured on similar hardware. That could be a handy feature, potentially saving you from wasting time downloading games that may not work.
To do so, Microsoft is using its Prism emulator, which allows native x86/x64 apps to run on Arm Windows devices. Thanks to the addition of AVX and AVX2 instruction support, Prism has expanded game compatibility to modern games that were previously unavailable. Furthermore, thanks to Epic Anti-Cheat’s Arm support, games like Gears of War: Reloaded and Fortnite are now playable on Arm devices too.
While many games remain exclusive to x86 platforms, some can be accessed via cloud gaming, offering an alternative to local play. Unsurprisingly, the experience will vary depending on your internet connection and your distance from Microsoft’s cloud servers, but this method can be a good stopgap until more games become compatible.
Speaking of local play, while Microsoft didn’t share any performance figures or translation overhead estimations, we can expect decent frame rates on upcoming devices powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite SoC. Specifically, Qualcomm advertises speeds above 60fps at 1080p medium graphics in plenty of games, including Forza Horizon 5, Hitman 3, Fortnite, and War Thunder.
“Windows and Xbox continue to collaborate across the gaming community, OEMs, silicon innovators and game studios to expand catalog compatibility and deliver a consistently great Windows gaming experience – whether you’re on a powerful desktop, a purpose‑built handheld, or an Arm‑based Windows 11 laptop,” says Microsoft. “Our focus remains on improving compatibility, enhancing performance and delivering experiences that make it easy to jump in and play.”
