Microsoft adds widgets to the Xbox Game Bar for Windows and invites creators to the ecosystem

It may also be a strange thing for many users who access their games through Steam or Epic Store. But Microsoft also already has its gaming ecosystem through the Xbox Game Bar. This is the dashboard that integrates the Xbox One account, such as the user's profile, friends list, achievements and of course, the PC games from Microsoft accessible on the computer. through this application you have access to the Xbox Game Pass for Windows, thus bringing together the entire catalog of the company by subscription, which include games like Ori and the Will of Wisps, Bleeding Edge and soon Minecraft Dungeons and Gears Tactics.

Microsoft has been working on this ecosystem and has introduced some interesting changes, which include the possibility of adding custom Xbox Game Bar widgets to Windows. Producers and publishers now have beta access to the system SDK so they can create their apps. Microsoft has even opened a widget store in this context, so that users can search for and install them directly.

The popular XSplit application provided tools for players to make their streams without resorting to external apps to communicate with the audience or access broadcast data. Razer also joined the ecosystem and launched two widgets: the Cortex System Booster that allows players to close services and processes running in the background to improve game performance. And Razer Gold, an application that works as a virtual wallet for your own cryptocurrency.

As mentioned in its blog, Intel will also launch its own widget, even during spring, with technical information from the PC, as well as different energy profiles. Microsoft is now looking to convince other overlay solutions to integrate the Xbox Game Bar for Windows, such as NVidia and Discord, to migrate their systems to the Windows gaming ecosystem.

Microsoft makes the SDK available on its website for developers of apps and widgets.