The Xbox app will soon let you install PC games freely.
Microsoft will finally allow Windows users to install PC games with unlimited access to any folder they want from the Microsoft Store or Xbox Game Pass for PC. This move will allow PC gamers to access and freely modify folders of games, or Windows users to freely move games to any folder or drive of their choice.
Resources familiar with Microsoft's plans, to The Verge says the changes are part of an Xbox app update for Windows that is currently being tested internally. The Xbox app update will eventually address the huge pain point of installing games from Xbox Game Pass for PC, where gamers will face issues with the Microsoft Store, the restricted WindowsApps folder, or simply not being able to fully control where games are installed.
While Microsoft previously supported mods for certain games in the Microsoft Store, opening folder access to games will now allow players to support mods without having to enable it in games.
The Microsoft Store has traditionally restricted access to places where games are installed using Windows-based folder permissions, which makes it difficult to back up or freely move games. If you need to reinstall Windows and you install games on a secondary drive or uninstall a game installed from the Microsoft Store and it still uses disk space, it's a headache.
Other PC game launchers like Steam or Battle.net allow gamers to backup and restore games and verify them. Microsoft's new Xbox app update includes an option to verify and repair files, which will likely be used to support backing up games. There are also new options for browsing where files are installed, changing the drive where games are installed, and choosing custom folders for downloads.
We asked Microsoft about internal testing of this updated Xbox app, and surprisingly, the company approved of its more open approach to installing PC games from the Microsoft Store.
