Microsoft is adding a new game performance indicator to its Xbox app on Windows today that will let you know if a title plays well on your PC before you go ahead and download it. While system requirements have always been listed, this simple label makes it far easier to get a good idea of whether a game is suitable for your PC at a glance.
The Xbox app compares a game’s performance on PCs with similar specs to your own and generates a prediction as to how well the game will run. “If your PC isn’t up to the task of running a graphically demanding game, you’ll be able to view the game’s system requirements to get more details on what you need to run the game,” explains Tila Nguyen, senior product manager lead on Xbox experiences at Microsoft.
Not every game will have a performance indicator immediately, though. “As we continue to learn about the performance of a game on similar PCs, you may not see a performance check for every game (especially recently added games) until we have enough information to share a recommendation,” says Nguyen. Despite that, Microsoft’s rating system — or Game Performance Fit Indicator, as Microsoft calls it — still looks like an easy alternative to using third-party tools and websites like Can You Run It to determine whether your PC is capable of running games.
Alongside the performance indicator, there are some improvements to navigation inside the Xbox app and the search tool. All the navigation is on the sidebar now, and game installs are listed and trackable in a new queue in the bottom left of the app. Search now has improved accuracy for finding games, including ones from EA Play and Ubisoft Connect.
Microsoft has been testing these new additions over the past six months. If you’re interested in testing future updates, all you need to do is download the Xbox Insider app and opt in to the Windows gaming preview.
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