Windows on ARM has been steadily gaining traction for a while now. Thanks to Microsoft’s push and the support of companies like Qualcomm and AMD, this version of Windows has gradually become a genuinely practical alternative—especially as more and more widely used programs gain proper ARM64 support.
One area that hasn’t kept pace, however, is gaming. Traditionally, many PC games simply wouldn’t run on Windows on ARM devices. Back in 2024, Qualcomm hinted that this would soon change, and as reported by The Verge, that promise is now much closer to becoming a reality.
Qualcomm Is Laying the Foundation for True Gaming Support on Windows on ARM
Qualcomm has been one of the biggest backers of Windows on ARM—and of the new Copilot+ PC movement—by releasing fast, AI-focused processors, such as the Snapdragon X Elite line. But even with that powerful hardware, gaming has remained a weak spot. Emulation wasn’t mature, drivers weren’t fully optimised, and many games just wouldn’t launch.
That’s now shifting. Microsoft has been refining ARM support throughout Windows, improving emulation via Prism and updating drivers. At the same time, Qualcomm is preparing its own major upgrade.
Snapdragon Control Panel: Qualcomm’s New Gaming Tool
Qualcomm is developing a new utility called the Snapdragon Control Panel, designed to automatically detect games on devices running Snapdragon X Elite chips and optimise them for performance. This works similarly to NVIDIA’s GeForce Experience or AMD’s Adrenaline software, adjusting:
- texture filtering
- anti-aliasing
- frame rate settings
- and other graphical parameters
to help games run optimally.
Through this control panel, players will also be able to install updated GPU drivers for the Adreno graphics units—drivers specifically tuned for newer titles. Qualcomm says it has already added fixes, optimisations, and compatibility improvements for over 100 games.
Improved Emulation and Broader Compatibility
The Snapdragon Control Panel isn’t the only improvement arriving. Qualcomm and Microsoft have been collaborating to strengthen the system as a whole.
Most notably, Windows’ Prism emulator will soon support x86 Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)—a crucial requirement for many demanding creative apps and games. New Snapdragon X2 Elite chips already support VX2, and upcoming ARM-based devices will benefit even further from these enhancements.
The Windows on ARM Gaming Push Continues
Everything points to Windows on ARM becoming dramatically more gaming-friendly:
- Microsoft has updated the Xbox app on ARM to enable the download of native ARM64 games.
- Qualcomm and Epic Games are collaborating to ensure that Fortnite runs smoothly, including full kernel-level anti-cheat support.
In short, Windows on ARM is poised for a significantly enhanced gaming experience, backed by new tools, improved drivers, enhanced emulation, and deeper industry collaboration.
