Xbox May update adds a slew of new features, including Retro Classics
A bumper new Xbox and Xbox PC update is here
🙌 Microsoft has announced a host of new updates for Xbox and PC as part of its May update
🕹️ This includes the release of a new collection of retro Activision games called Retro Classics
🆕 In addition, there are some new menus for Xbox Game Pass and the addition of Microsoft Edge inside
☁️ Xbox players can now also play supported games through GeForce Now in the PC app, while gift cards can have a custom amount set
Microsoft has announced some widespread upgrades and improvements across Xbox and PC with a new May update.
Arguably, the most exciting of these is the addition of Retro Classics for Game Pass members that encompasses a collection of over 50 classic Activision games, including Commando, Grand Prix and Pitfall.
It’s come from a collaboration between Xbox and Antstream Arcade, and Microsoft says is a “step in our commitment to game preservation and backwards compatibility, allowing players to experience many timeless games on modern devices.”
Retro Classics is available to play across consoles, PC, and on supported devices with Xbox Cloud Streaming, and Microsoft has stated that the library will expand to over 100 titles over time.
Xbox PC updates
The Xbox Game Bar for PC has also received some new refinements with quick settings and inbox widgets across both the Compact and Desktop modes. With it, you'll have access to a range of useful settings for audio levels, screen brightness, a virtual keyboard and for managing connected devices in a smaller, less intrusive menu.
Microsoft has added a new Edge Game Assist feature too, adding an in-game browser that is “specifically for players”. It provides a proper web browser with instant access to Edge in the same way as its desktop counterpart, giving a quick way of accessing sites such as Discord and Spotify, as well as tips, walkthroughs and guides for the game that's being played.
Microsoft has integrated an additional option for cloud streaming with GeForce Now, which is accessible in the Xbox app, to provide more versatility. It'll show up in a menu in supported titles, so there is more choice available.
On the Xbox Rewards front, you can now have custom amounts for Xbox gift cards, rather than the set amounts that have been available for years.
More games have also been added to the new ‘Stream your own game’ feature that was first announced in the April Xbox update, with the likes of Ride 5 and Arma Reforger now added, and titles such as Monopoly and Watchdogs Legion coming soon.
Finally, Microsoft has added a range of games to the 'Xbox Play Anywhere' scheme where you can purchase a game once, and then play it across different platforms like PC, with your progress synced across them all. Notable titles added here include Lunar Droid and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.