Third Party Stores
The latest Third Party Stores coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
Microsoft's Windows-Rooted Xbox Console: Hybrid Gaming Future by 2027
Microsoft is engineering a revolutionary hybrid console that could fundamentally reshape the gaming landscape by 2027. This ambitious project, moving from speculative rumor to credible engineering...
How Microsoft’s Windows Update Orchestration Will Finally Make the Store Useful After a Decade of Failure
After more than a decade of misfires, Microsoft is quietly solving the biggest problems that made the Microsoft Store irrelevant — with a new Windows Update integration that can handle third-party...
Xbox App Update Unifies Steam, Epic, GOG Games on Windows 11
As of September 15, 2025, the Xbox app on Windows 11 no longer limits its library to Game Pass titles. A new update rolling out to all users adds an Aggregated Gaming Library that surfaces installed...
Mastering Edge Extensions: Permission Management and Security Best Practices for Windows Users and IT Admins
Adding an extension to Microsoft Edge takes just a few clicks—find it in the store, review the permissions prompt, and click 'Add extension.' But behind that simplicity lies a complex web of...
Xbox App 'My Apps' Preview Unifies PC Game Launchers on Windows 11
Xbox Insiders on Windows 11 now have early access to a new “My apps” tab in the Xbox app, a feature that aggregates third-party storefronts and utilities directly inside Microsoft’s gaming hub....
Windows 11 Xbox App Tests One-Click Install of Battle.net and GOG in Full-Screen Mode
A subtle but pivotal change is rolling out to Xbox Insiders on Windows 11: the Xbox PC app can now surface, download, and launch rival gaming storefronts right from its own interface. The new “My...
Microsoft Tests 'My Apps' in Xbox: One Place to Launch Battle.net, GOG, and Chrome on Handhelds
Microsoft has begun rolling out a new “My apps” tab to Xbox Insiders in the Windows 11 Xbox app, a feature that lets PC gamers browse, install, and launch third-party applications—including...
Microsoft’s Xbox PC App Gets ‘My Apps’ Hub to Unify Third-Party Stores and Utilities
Microsoft is giving Xbox Insiders a major new tool this week: a centralized hub within the Xbox PC app that can download and launch third-party storefronts, browsers, and utilities directly from the...
Microsoft's Unified PC Gaming Library in Xbox App: A Game-Changer for Windows Gamers
Microsoft is taking a significant step toward unifying the fragmented PC gaming landscape with its latest Xbox app update, currently in testing. The new aggregated gaming store system promises to...
Cloud Gaming and Game Pass Drive Microsoft's Multi-Device Gaming Vision
Microsoft's strategic maneuvers in the gaming industry have consistently aimed at bridging the gap between console and PC gaming. Recent developments suggest an even more ambitious vision—one that...
Microsoft's Vision for Xbox: Unifying PC, Console, and Cloud Gaming by 2027
Introduction Microsoft is poised to revolutionize the gaming landscape by 2027, aiming to create a seamless bridge between PC, console, and cloud gaming. This ambitious strategy reflects the...