Windows 11 is already criticized for the increasing number of ads showing up in different corners of the OS but it’s about to get even more soon. Microsoft is adding Xbox Game Pass’s first exclusive ads on Windows 11, under the “Settings” section.
There has been ongoing speculation about more advertisements in Windows 11, and now it seems we’ve seen the emergence of a new ad showcasing Microsoft’s Game Pass. This announcement was made on the latest Windows 11 dev channel version 26120.470 (KB5037864).
Here is what Microsoft says about the new change:
We are introducing a new Game Pass recommendation card on the Settings homepage. The Game Pass recommendation card on Settings Homepage will be shown to you if you actively play games on your PC. As a reminder – the Settings homepage will be shown only on the Home and Pro editions of Windows 11 and if you’re signed into Windows with your Microsoft account.
As Microsoft says, these promotional Xbox Game Pass ads will only appear on the Home and Pro versions of Windows 11 and only if you actively play games on your PC. This means that most gamers around the world on Windows 11 will start seeing these ads soon.
Although the growth of Game Pass on Xbox has largely plateaued, Microsoft has indicated that its PC counterpart is still expanding. This move to advertise Game Pass within Windows could be a strategy to increase its visibility among everyday Windows users who may not be avid gamers. But hopefully, there will also be an option to disable Game Pass ads once they become a thing.
