Microsoft: Gaming experience on Windows 11 will 'reach a new level' in 2026

As 2025 draws to a close, Microsoft has summarized a series of improvements that have made gaming on traditional PCs and handheld devices like the ROG Xbox Ally smoother, more fluid, and more impressive. According to the company, the gaming experience on Windows 11 this year has been faster, more optimized, and much more visually appealing.

 

One of the factors that helped Microsoft achieve this was its collaboration with ASUS and AMD to create a new generation of innovative handheld gaming devices. Simultaneously, Windows 11 was upgraded in many aspects: from system performance and graphics processing capabilities to new supporting technologies such as Advanced Shader Delivery and Bluetooth LE Audio. Windows on Arm users also gained the ability to play games locally from the Xbox PC application and native anti-cheat support.

 

Looking ahead to 2026, Microsoft says it will continue to build on the foundation created in 2025, expanding the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) to more devices, including traditional PCs and 2-in-1 laptops. ASD will also be rolled out to more games on ROG Xbox Ally devices.

The Auto Super Resolution (Auto SR) AI image enhancement technology, previously exclusive to Copilot+ devices with Snapdragon X chips, will be released widely as a public preview for the ROG Xbox Ally X device running AMD's Ryzen AI NPU. Microsoft also promises significant performance improvements in the near future and emphasizes:

"We are committed to making Windows the best gaming platform, continuously refining the system behaviors most important to gamers: background task management, power optimization and processing, graphics enhancement, and driver updates."

Microsoft encourages gamers who want to experience new technologies early to join the Windows and Xbox Insider programs. The company also plans to share more information about upcoming features at GDC in March 2026.