If you regularly use (and update) the Xbox Console Companion App on your Windows 10 PC, you might have noticed that it's displaying a new message. It's now prompting you to download "the new Xbox app," which is said to be replacing the Xbox Console Companion.
"Discover and download new games with Xbox Game Pass, see what your friends are playing, and chat with them across PC, mobile, and Xbox console.
The new Xbox app is replacing the Xbox Console Companion. Download it today."
The "new Xbox app" has previously been used primarily for Xbox Game Pass for PC purposes, but it looks like it'll be taking over altogether. It also reportedly received a new update based on React Native framework a few days ago (which was previously available in test form), resulting in a smaller and speedier app and user interface.
We're still not sure whether some of the Console Companion App's unique features, such as console streaming, will make their way over to the new Xbox app. However, Microsoft reportedly started testing its Project xCloud game streaming service for Windows 10 internally back in March (thanks Windows Central), so we're guessing it'll be made available to the public in the relatively near future.
What are your thoughts on the Xbox Console Companion app being replaced? Let us know below.
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Comments 7
It was kind of nice having an all-in-one app, but the streaming performance of the Xbox Companion App isn't what it used to be for some reason - at least not for me.
I have my Xbox One X hardwired and it has serious lag issues on Very High streaming settings when using my Surface Book 2 (wireless) - where the Remote Play App for PS4 works without issue using the highest 1080p/60fps settings.
The sad thing is, it never used to be this way - it used to be silky smooth.
Is this the app that always seems to be in beta to play Gamepass games on PC? We don't have an Xbox so we only use Gamepass on PC and while it's great the app always seems to be a little off in one way or another. Will have to check this out.
@rjejr Yeah, the replacement for the Console Companion is the Xbox (Beta) app. Interestingly, the latest update changes its name to just "Xbox", although it's still referenced as a beta on the Microsoft Store and in the app.
I've been using the console companion app a lot in the past few weeks. My wife has used our TV for Animal Crossing since it launched.
@FraserG Thanks. For the record we did have an Xbox 1 and traded it in for a Switch so we set up all of our Xbox accounts on there but continued to play games on PC w/ Gamepass b/c we could. So we did get use of the Companion app seeing all of our Xbox info on P. But once we traded it in the Xbox beta for playing games seemed to be all we needed. I probably made things more complicated for my kids and I by doing it that way though. But it works.
I don't own an Xbone - so I actually managed to miss the existence of this app entirely.
As far as I can tell, the major net result of this new Xbox (Beta) app seems to be to restrict most everything to gamepass only games as well as remove the one useful function. Game streaming to your PC. I used to use this all the time to play games on Xbox while my family watched TV via the passthrough. There seems to be no way to do this on the new app, the old app just directs you to the new app, and nobody at Microsoft seems to know anything about it.
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