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Inside Microsoft’s Plan to Bring Xbox and Battle.net Games Together on PC

Microsoft is bringing installed Xbox, Game Pass, Battle.net and other supported-store games into one Xbox PC app library, without merging stores or changing ownership.
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Microsoft’s plan is to make the Xbox PC app a shared library and launch point for games installed through Xbox, Game Pass, Battle.net and other supported PC storefronts. It brings those games into one view; it does not merge the stores, transfer purchases to Xbox, or remove the need for other launchers.

What the Xbox app’s aggregated library does

Xbox announced a preview of its aggregated gaming library on June 23, 2025, for members of its PC Gaming Preview. The feature brings installed games from Xbox, Game Pass, Battle.net and other supported PC storefronts into the Xbox app’s “My library” and “Most recent” views. Xbox described it as a way to find and launch a collection from one place on a Windows PC or handheld device. Xbox Wire’s June announcement named the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X as handhelds planned to offer the experience.

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On September 15, 2025, Xbox said the library was rolling out to everyone on Windows PCs and handhelds. Players can toggle storefront listings in the Xbox app under Settings > Library & Extensions, according to Xbox’s rollout announcement. That post also introduced a “My Apps” tab for finding, downloading and launching third-party apps and storefronts.

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What happens when a Battle.net game appears

The documented benefit is convenience: an installed game from a supported storefront can appear in the Xbox app’s library and recent list, giving the player a route to access or launch it. The Xbox app is acting as an additional place to organize and reach games, not as proof that the game has moved to Xbox’s store.

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What the integration does not change

Library aggregation is separate from ownership, licensing, account linking and subscription access. Xbox’s announcements describe installed games appearing in the app; they do not say that a Battle.net purchase becomes an Xbox purchase, that every Battle.net title is included in Game Pass, or that Battle.net is being shut down or replaced. A listing in the Xbox app is not, by itself, evidence that you own a game or have access to it through a subscription.

That distinction matters because Microsoft’s separate moves around games and subscriptions are not the same feature. On February 15, 2024, Xbox announced that Diablo IV would join Game Pass on March 28, 2024, and said it intended to bring more Activision and Blizzard games to Game Pass. That was a content and subscription announcement, predating the aggregated-library feature. It does not establish that all Battle.net games are part of Game Pass. Xbox’s announcement referred to 34 million XGP subscribers in February 2024; that historical figure should not be read as a current subscriber count.

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  • SHARE BUTTON: Seamlessly capture and share content such as screenshots, recordings, and more with the new Share button.
  • VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY — Connect via USB-C for plug-and-play on console and PC, or quickly pair and switch between supported devices with XBOX Wireless and Bluetooth support.
  • BUILT-IN AUDIO SUPPORT — Plug in compatible headsets using the 3.5mm audio jack for direct voice chat and immersive in-game sound.

Microsoft is also making more PC games visible in Xbox

The library project sits alongside another effort: expanding the selection of PC games discoverable or purchasable through the Xbox app. In a December 11, 2024 update, Microsoft said it had added nearly 400 titles that previously could not be discovered or purchased in the app. More than 100 of those additions supported Xbox Play Anywhere, which lets a qualifying Xbox console purchase include the Xbox PC version, and vice versa. Those figures describe that specific update, not the current size of the Xbox app catalog. Microsoft’s Game Dev Blog details the changes.

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These are complementary but distinct functions: some games may be surfaced for discovery or purchase through Xbox, while the aggregated library also lists installed games from other supported stores. A game’s presence in one view does not establish that it is sold through Xbox or covered by a subscription.

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  • SHARE BUTTON: Seamlessly capture and share content such as screenshots, recordings, and more with the new Share button.
  • VERSATILE CONNECTIVITY — Connect via USB-C for plug-and-play on console and PC, or quickly pair and switch between supported devices with XBOX Wireless and Bluetooth support.
  • BUILT-IN AUDIO SUPPORT — Plug in compatible headsets using the 3.5mm audio jack for direct voice chat and immersive in-game sound.

Does this work on Windows handhelds and Arm PCs?

You do not need a Windows handheld to use the Xbox PC app; Xbox’s rollout announcement covers Windows PCs as well as handhelds. The ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X are examples of devices intended to offer the library experience, not prerequisites for it.

There is a separate compatibility consideration for Windows on Arm. On January 21, 2026, Microsoft said the Xbox app was available on all Arm-based Windows 11 PCs and that more than 85% of the Game Pass catalog was compatible with those PCs at that time. The percentage is a dated snapshot for Game Pass titles on Arm-based Windows 11 PCs. It does not describe all Xbox app games, Battle.net games, or every device. Microsoft pointed to Xbox Cloud Gaming as an option for some titles not yet supported for local play. Microsoft’s Arm announcement has the details.

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Why Microsoft wants Xbox to be a PC gaming hub

Microsoft’s broader strategy is to make its gaming experiences available across devices and deepen engagement with services such as Xbox Game Pass. Its 2024 annual report described Windows as a way to grow PC market share and engagement with Xbox services. That context helps explain why a more useful Xbox app matters to the company; it is not evidence that any one app feature will produce a particular business result.

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For PC players, the practical test is straightforward: does the app recognize a game you already installed, and does opening it get you to the game without extra searching? How well that works can depend on the store, game and app behavior. Xbox’s rollout post does not enumerate every supported storefront or spell out launcher behavior for each title, so it should not be read as a guarantee that every PC game is included or launches identically.

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What to check before relying on the Xbox app

  • Look for the game in the library. Availability depends on whether its storefront is supported and the game is installed.
  • Keep ownership and subscription separate. Check the store or service through which you obtained the game for its purchase or membership terms.
  • Check the individual title on Arm. Microsoft’s January 2026 compatibility figure applies to the Game Pass catalog on Arm-based Windows 11 PCs, not to all games in the aggregated library.
  • Use the original storefront when needed. The Xbox announcements present third-party apps and storefronts as accessible through the Xbox app, not replaced by it.

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