Windows 11 has already been chastised for the increasing number of advertisements that appear throughout the operating system, but this will only get worse in the near future. Microsoft is adding Xbox Game Pass‘s first exclusive ads to Windows 11’s “Settings” section.
There has been ongoing speculation that more advertisements will be included in Windows 11, and it appears that a new ad promoting Microsoft’s Game Pass has emerged.
This announcement was made in the most recent Windows 11 developer channel version 26120.470 (KB5037864).
Here’s what Microsoft says about the latest 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.
Home and Pro Versions
According to Microsoft, these promotional Xbox Game Pass ads will only appear in the Home and Pro versions of Windows 11, and only if you actively play games on your PC.
This means that most gamers using Windows 11 will soon see these ads.
Although Game Pass growth on Xbox has largely plateaued, Microsoft has stated that its PC counterpart is still expanding.
This move to promote Game Pass within Windows could be a strategy to increase its visibility among regular Windows users who are not avid gamers.
However, once Game Pass ads become available, hopefully there will be an option to disable them as well.
To read our blog on “Microsoft takes over Sony on the PlayStation Store,” click here
