An update to Windows 10 has introduced the Xbox Game Bar, a quick access overlay that lets Windows users access music, capture tools, and Xbox Live friends while playing almost any game.
The new offering is similar to features that PC game clients like Valve and Origin have offered for years, though the Windows 10 spin isn’t tied to any specific storefront. Instead, it gives PC-minded players an easily accessible way to use features of a few Microsoft-owned tools on the fly.
The Xbox Game Bar also has the added bonus of getting Xbox Live features into the hands of more players, something Microsoft has been doing more and more as it opens up its service to mobile game developers and offers support for some games on Nintendo’s Switch.
Xbox’s page detailing the Game Bar’s offerings specifically calls out that the overlay supports both voice and text chat across Xbox One, PC and mobile apps.