Overview
- Hands-on previews published Friday of an internal build codenamed Garrison report major responsiveness gains, with much faster loading of large game libraries and store pages compared with the current Xbox PC app.
- The redesign merges store listings and game pages into a single view so users see game details and purchase/install options without switching pages.
- The app now marks which titles are installable locally and which are cloud-only through Xbox Cloud Gaming, removing a longstanding source of user confusion.
- The interface supports both mouse-and-keyboard and controller layouts, can act as the Windows 11 Game Mode home screen, and offers smoother fullscreen navigation aimed at handheld PCs.
- Reporters emphasize this is an early, performance-first build focused on usability rather than new features and say Microsoft is likely to roll the update to Xbox Insiders for testing before any wider release in 2026.