For years, gaming on Windows on Arm has been a compromised experience, plagued by emulation hurdles, missing CPU instruction support, and anti-cheat systems that refused to cooperate. That situation is now changing. Microsoft has confirmed that the Xbox app is officially available on all ARM-based Windows 11 PCs, marking a significant step forward for gaming on the platform.
The announcement means that users running Windows 11 on ARM hardware—such as laptops powered by Snapdragon processors—can now install and use the Xbox PC app natively. This brings access to game libraries, downloads, and PC catalog browsing without relying solely on cloud streaming or unofficial workarounds.
Game Pass Compatibility Expands on ARM
Microsoft says more than 85 percent of the Xbox Game Pass PC catalog is now compatible with Windows 11 on ARM devices. For titles that still cannot be run locally, the company positions Xbox Cloud Gaming as a fallback option while native and emulated support continues to improve.
This marks a shift from earlier ARM experiences, where local gaming options were limited and many users were effectively pushed toward streaming-only solutions.
Prism Translation Adds Critical CPU Support
At the core of the improvement is Prism, Microsoft’s x86/x64-to-ARM64 translation layer. Prism functions as a real-time instruction translator, allowing traditional PC software to run on ARM hardware even when it has not been recompiled natively.
The latest update introduces support for AVX and AVX2 instruction sets—extensions widely used by modern game engines and performance-heavy applications. Previously, the absence of these extensions prevented many games from launching at all. Their inclusion significantly broadens the range of playable titles on ARM-based PCs.
Anti-Cheat Support Removes a Major Barrier
Another long-standing obstacle for ARM gaming has been anti-cheat software. Microsoft confirmed that support for Epic Anti-Cheat is now available on Windows 11 ARM, unlocking compatibility for a range of popular multiplayer games that were previously blocked outright.
Anti-cheat systems have historically been strict about platform consistency, often treating ARM devices as unsupported or untrusted. This change removes one of the final structural barriers preventing ARM PCs from being taken seriously as gaming machines.
Smarter Performance Expectations
Microsoft is also leaning on Windows Performance Fit, a system designed to help determine whether a game should run well on a given device based on its hardware profile. The goal is to reduce frustration by setting clearer expectations, rather than letting users download incompatible titles and blame poor performance on the ARM platform itself.
A Turning Point for Windows on ARM Gaming
With the Xbox app now fully supported, improved translation via Prism, AVX and AVX2 compatibility, and functional anti-cheat systems, Windows on ARM gaming is closer than ever to parity with traditional x86 PCs. While not every title is supported yet, Microsoft’s latest move signals that ARM is no longer an afterthought in the Windows gaming ecosystem—but a platform the company now intends to take seriously.
