Microsoft improving and updating its Xbox app

Microsoft is set to change and update its Xbox app to offer an improved experience. In a blog post, Microsoft confirmed that the company will allow Xbox app developers to use the Chromium-powered version of Edge to improve their apps. The Xbox app will now support Microsoft Edge’s WebView2 platform. This will enable Xbox media app developers to embed the latest web technologies inside Xbox apps.  

According to claims by Microsoft, developers have been previewing this support for months, and it has been a highly requested feature. Streaming app Starz is set to be one of the first platforms to utilise WebView2. Other developers are expected to use this in their media apps and lightweight games on Xbox in the coming months. 

The Chromium version of Edge has been available for Xbox users for a long time. However, developers were stuck using the older version of Edge. Instead of using Microsoft’s older EdgeHTML browser engine, the latest Edge WebView2 control uses the Chromium-based Edge rendering engine. 

This WebView2 control will allow developers to embed web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript into Xbox apps. This change will likely help developers to add more HTML5 games on Xbox in the coming days. Microsoft has also used the WebView2 control to create a MakeCode app that has games embedded in it.