Windows 11 Gets Xbox Series X Auto HDR, Direct Storage API, and Game Pass

At the Windows 11 event, Sarah Bond, corporate vice president for gaming ecosystem at Microsoft revealed that its Windows 10 successor gets gaming features from Xbox Series X like auto HDR, Direct Storage API, and Xbox Game Pass. According to Bond, auto HDR will work in over a 1,000 games on Windows 11 at launch including Skyrim, Rocket League, and more.

Furthermore, Bond also stated that Direct Storage API, which debuted on Xbox Series X|S will also feature in Windows 11, resulting in faster load times. In addition to this, Xbox Game Pass is baked in as well for PC games as well. Xbox Game Pass is Microsoft’s subscription service for games that’s also present on Xbox consoles and Android devices via cloud streaming.

Leaks suggested that the Xbox app would be built right into Windows 11. It seems that Microsoft would allow for tighter integration with Game Pass and PC games from the Microsoft Store as well as the social aspects of the Xbox network. The Xbox Game Bar and Windows Game Mode are similar to what they are in Windows 10 too.

Windows 11 is a free upgrade according to the company. It will be interesting to see how it fares when its ready for public consumption. While Microsoft didn’t talk much about the gaming performance enhancements we can expect from Windows 11, those who were able to try out the leaked Windows 11 build noticed considerable improvements in performance when compared with Windows 10.

Some of the performance enhancements expected from Windows 11 include shorter boot times, and the UI making better use of PC hardware for a smoother UI experience. Laptops and tablets running Windows 11 should also expect slightly improved battery life.

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