Windows 10 loves gamers again, if Game Mode says anything about Microsoft’s plans. Spotted by an alert user in a leak of the upcoming Build 14997 and reported by Windows Central, Game Mode will shift PC resources to gameplay, letting other software take a backseat.
Note that Build 14997 isn’t out officially yet, and the Game Mode spotted in that build isn’t working yet, apparently. According to Windows Central, however, Game Mode will jump into action when you launch a game, allocating CPU, GPU, and other resources to prioritize smoother gameplay.
Still unclear at this early stage is whether Game Mode would work only for Windows Store games. Microsoft (and Amazon, Apple, and Google) have built lucrative business models around tying users to ecosystems. Game Mode could be a perk of sticking with Microsoft rather than straying into Steam-land, for instance.
With the Creators Update due in the early part of 2017, Windows Insiders could get a taste of this feature in mere weeks.
Why this matters: Microsoft prioritized its Xbox gaming products over pure PC gaming for many years. Within the couple of years, however, the company’s taken various small, gradual steps to converge the Windows 10 and Xbox ecosystems. As gaming grows in popularity, the flexibility of being able to play on a PC or on an Xbox device could be good for both product lines.