Microsoft is adding a new game performance indicator to its Xbox app on Windows today that lets you know if a title is playing well on your PC before you download it. While system requirements are always listed, this simple label makes it much easier to get a good idea at a glance whether a game is right for your PC.
The Xbox app compares a game’s performance on PCs with similar specs to yours and generates a prediction about how well the game will run. “If your PC isn’t capable of running a graphically demanding game, you can check out the game’s system requirements to get more details about what you need to run the game,” explains Tila Nguyensenior product manager lead on Xbox experiences at Microsoft.
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However, not every game has a performance indicator right away. “As we continue to learn about a game’s performance on comparable PCs, you may not see a performance check for every game (especially recently added games) until we have enough information to share a recommendation,” says Nguyen. Despite this, Microsoft’s rating system — or Game Performance Fit Indicator, as Microsoft calls it — still seems like a simple alternative to using third-party tools and websites like Can you run it? to determine if your PC is capable of running games.
In addition to the performance indicator, there are some improvements to Xbox app navigation and search. All navigation is now in the sidebar and game installs are listed and can be tracked in a new queue at the bottom left of the app. Search now has improved accuracy for finding games, including those from EA Play and Ubisoft Connect.
Microsoft has been testing these new additions for the past six months. To test future updates, all you need to do is open the Xbox Insider App and sign up for the Windows gaming preview.