Xbox on PC: What’s New in 2025? Game Pass, UI, and Features

Summary:

July 2025 adds 16+ new titles to Xbox Game Pass, including Day 1 games and big AAA launches like Gears of War: Reloaded.
The Xbox PC app now lets you combine multiple game libraries and has better full-screen modes, especially useful for handheld devices.
Game Pass Ultimate still offers the best mix of value and access at $20/month, including EA Play, online play, and cross-platform gaming.

2025 has been a busy year for Xbox players using PC. From expanded Game Pass content to a more polished Xbox app, and even added tools for handheld users—Microsoft clearly wants people to see Xbox PC as more than just a console side project. If you’re already playing on PC or thinking of trying it out, here’s what’s been happening lately.

Game Pass in July 2025: What’s Coming?

This July, Xbox Game Pass keeps building on its reputation as one of the top deals in gaming right now. There’s at least 16 new games arriving, with new titles coming out weekly. Some are Day 1 launches, while others are older fan favorites finally joining the lineup.

It’s not just small stuff either. There’s everything from sci-fi shooters to new sports titles. If you’ve been putting off signing up, July is actually a good time to hop in. August doesn’t look as stacked—except for Gears of War: Reloaded, which will likely carry that month.

As always though, some games will be leaving too. A handful of them are rotating out end of June, so it’s best to finish or grab anything before it’s gone. That part hasn’t changed.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: Still the Best Value

If you’re not sure if the Ultimate tier is worth it, well, Microsoft is still pushing hard on that being the go-to version. And honestly, it’s still one of the strongest all-in-one gaming subs out there. For $20 a month, you’re getting:

Hundreds of games on both console and PC
Day 1 releases (including Microsoft exclusives)
Cloud gaming on phones, tablets, smart TVs
EA Play access
Online multiplayer

For anyone who’s jumping between devices, it just kinda makes sense. A full-price game nowadays costs more than the sub, and that’s just for one title. This one gives you constant options. Even CNET gave it an Editors’ Choice this year, which says something.

A Smarter Xbox App for PC

Now on the software side—Microsoft’s slowly reshaping the Xbox PC app into a more central game hub. The big thing here is library aggregation.

What that means is, instead of bouncing between launchers like Steam, Epic, and Xbox, the app now tries to bring all your games together in one view. It doesn’t fully work with every platform just yet, but Battle.net games are now being supported, and more are on the roadmap.

This new version is still in preview for Xbox Insiders (only for Windows 11), but it’s expected to fully release later this year. Especially for folks using handheld gaming PCs like the ROG Ally or the upcoming ROG Ally X, this’ll help a lot.

Xbox App and Game Bar: Better for Handhelds

Handhelds are also getting more attention. Microsoft introduced a new full-screen Xbox mode on Windows—basically it gives you a cleaner, less distracting UI that looks more like a console. No random popups, and you can still back out to the desktop if you need to.

The Game Bar’s been updated too. On Xbox PC handhelds, pressing the Xbox button now brings up a more controller-friendly overlay. You can adjust:

Wi-Fi / Bluetooth
Performance settings
ROG Command Center (for ASUS devices)
Xbox’s new Gaming Copilot
A switcher to jump between apps or games

All this helps the handheld experience feel smoother and less like a stripped-down laptop. Especially useful if you don’t like using the touchscreen or touchpad every time.

Conclusion

2025’s shaping up as a strong year for Xbox PC. Microsoft’s working to simplify how we access games, make features more usable on handhelds, and continue packing Game Pass with a mix of new and classic titles.

It’s still not perfect—some things like full launcher support are still in progress—but it’s way more refined than it used to be. Whether you’re gaming casually or you’ve got a gaming handheld in your bag, it’s honestly a good time to give Xbox PC another shot.

And with July’s Game Pass additions just starting to roll in, the timing ain’t bad either.

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