Windows 10 Creators Update lets you dominate your friends in custom tournaments

By Brad Bourque Published May 7, 2021

Microsoft spent Wednesday morning detailing all the new apps, web integration, and fun bells and whistles of the Windows 10 Creators Update. A solid chunk of Windows 10 users are PC gamers, and they have a very specific set of needs and use cases. They weren’t forgotten today, as the team based in Redmond, Washington, announced a series of new features specifically for the game-minded among us.

Streaming with services like Twitch and YouTube Gaming has become more popular than ever, with Minecraft in particular grabbing a significant chunk of that market. As such, the Creators Update will roll game streaming to the Beam streaming service. It’s built right into the Xbox app, allowing gamers to fire up a stream — and notify their friends and clan-mates — with the push of a button.

windows 10 creators gaming forza horizon 3 in game screenshot — 2. Gears of War battle royale (Image from Gears of War 4)

windows 10 creators gaming gears of war 4 in game screenshot — 2. Gears of War battle royale (Image from Gears of War 4)

But just watching your friends play doesn’t always scratch the itch, so the Xbox app will also support custom tournaments for you and your friends to compete against each other. The Xbox app will handle all of the administrative tasks, and keep track of statistics, wins and losses, and determine the winner at the end. If you really want to test your mettle, you can even open up your tournaments to the entire Xbox community. Just pick a game, set a time, and off you go.

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Finally, audiophiles will be pleased to know that Microsoft is bringing Bitstream pass-through to the Xbox One via a software update. It includes support for Dolby Atmos, so all your movies and high-quality audio won’t suffer as a result of using your Xbox One as a media center.

This handful of new features bolsters an increasingly impressive showing for the Xbox app on Windows 10. Play Anywhere games are bringing some favorite titles to the PC side, and it’s clear that support is only going to grow over time.

Former Staff Writer

Brad Bourque is a native Portlander, devout nerd, and craft beer enthusiast. He studied creative writing at Willamette…

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