In summary:
- Microsoft has rebranded its ‘Xbox Fullscreen Experience’ to ‘Xbox mode’ for Windows, offering a streamlined console-style interface for all devices.
- PCWorld reports this change reflects Microsoft’s effort to integrate Xbox and PC gaming experiences more seamlessly.
- Originally designed for handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally, Xbox mode is now rolling out to all Windows PCs through a staged deployment.
Microsoft isn’t great when it comes to branding. And the Xbox is ground zero for that — the original Xbox console has become iconic, but its names have become progressively worse with the Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Microsoft kept up the tradition with its Steam-style, gaming-focused UI for Windows, originally christened Xbox Fullscreen Experience. Now it’s just Xbox Mode.
Oh, sorry, it’s “Xbox mode,” with a lowercase m. Because even when Microsoft makes an improvement it can’t help but mess it up.
Xbox mode is a streamlined interface, first developed for handhelds like the Asus ROG Xbox Ally (see what I mean about clunky branding), but now expanded to all Windows devices. The full rollout was announced to be finalized sometime in April, with an “Xbox mode” button in the upper-right corner.
Or at least, it should for some people, either rolling out today to Xbox Insider program members (which I’m using) or in a few weeks for regular users. I’m not seeing it in the Xbox app on my desktop PC or my laptop. Whatever capricious god controls staged software rollouts, they are not favoring me today. But I did get an ad for an Xbox MasterCard. I could try more direct ways of enabling it, but I don’t want to mess up anything.
Anyway, I wanted to highlight this because 1) a console-style gaming interface for Windows was a good and necessary idea, especially for handhelds, 2) Xbox Fullscreen Experience was a bad name for it, and 3) Xbox Mode mode is a much better name. As Microsoft attempts to bring the Xbox platform and PC gaming closer and closer, we can expect a lot of complementeary moves.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 15-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he's the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop "battlestation" in his off hours. Michael's previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he's covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he's always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.