The Microsoft Store on Windows 11 is poised to roll out a new feature enabling users to play games instantly without the need for downloading and installing. This development seeks to enhance user experience and potentially increase the app store’s appeal.
Instant Access to Gaming Entertainment
While the Microsoft Store has a vast selection of games available for purchase or free download, it has lacked the option to preview games. This gap is set to close with the introduction of “Instant Games.” These are brief, casual games that require minimal effort to enjoy and are accessible directly from the ‘Collection’ section within the Microsoft Store’s Gaming tab. Although there are no specific titles listed as Instant Games yet, they will soon be identifiable by an orange lightning logo.
The feature’s deployment seems to be in progress, as indicated by the varying availability of a dedicated icon for Instant Games in different versions of the Microsoft Store app.
For detailed information about instant-gaming, check out our video.
Playing Games Instantly
Microsoft has collaborated with several game developers to bring 69 games to this instant format, with plans to expand the offering. If the concept extends to providing Instant Game demos for more substantial titles, it could significantly assist users in making purchasing decisions.
To access Instant Games, users should update their Microsoft Store app to the latest version, navigate to Gaming, scroll down to Collections, and select a game to play immediately or download.
Initial experiences with Instant Games indicate a smooth operation with minimal resource usage. However, the games feature ads and are not optimized for full-screen gameplay, appearing in portrait mode with basic graphics. Despite being comparable to numerous mobile offerings, it remains to be seen if Instant Games will garner significant user engagement and contribute positively to Microsoft’s reputation.
While Instant Games present a novel facet to the Microsoft Store, fulfilling other user requests, such as reducing prompts for Edge browser installation, might more effectively cultivate user goodwill.
