What do you want to know
- The Xbox app on PC now shows approximately how long it will take to complete a game.
- The feature is powered by HowLongToBeat and includes details for those looking to complete a game’s main story or finalists.
- Microsoft also improved Xbox app launch time on PC by 15% and improved app reliability.
When buying games, it’s important to know how long you’re going to have to spend to complete a title. Sometimes you want a game that you can kick off over a weekend. Other times you want an ongoing quest that will take you hundreds of hours. Microsoft has partnered with HowLongToBeat to provide information on the duration of games in the Xbox app on PC.
Most PC Game Pass games will display information from HowLongToBeat. Estimates are drawn from data submitted by people who have played the games. Since some people just want to complete a game’s main story and others want to complete every side quest, HowLongToBeat breaks things down into categories.
Microsoft goes down (opens in a new tab) the four categories covered by HowLongToBeat:
- Main story (required): You complete the main objectives, just enough to see the credits roll
- Main story and additional quests/medals/unlockables: You take your time, discover and accomplish additional tasks not required
- Completer (100%): You aim for every achievement, every medal and conquer everything the game has to offer
- Combined: All playing styles taken into account when estimating
The Xbox app on PC also features an improved Game Details section that makes it easier to view trailers, screenshots, and other content.
The most recent Xbox app update on PC also improves launch time by 15% and improves reliability. “We saw crash-free sessions improve to 99.9%, and player reports of games that weren’t successfully downloaded or installed were cut nearly in half,” Microsoft said. “We also focused on improving the relevance of search results, and getting results is now up to 20% faster.”
