Xbox is rolling out a packed Xbox March update that’s all about giving players more control over how they personalize their console and where they play, from new Home and color options for Insiders to a bigger “play anywhere” and cloud library.
New console features for Xbox Insiders
Microsoft is testing several highly requested console features with select Xbox Insiders before they launch for everyone in a future system update. In the March Xbox Update blog, Xbox says Insiders can now create up to 10 groups on the Home screen, define a custom console color, control Quick Resume on a per‑game basis, and see a player’s five most recently unlocked profile badges directly in the Guide.
In a new post on Xbox Wire, Senior Product Marketing Manager Dean Shimabukuro explains that these features are rolling out to a subset of Insiders first and will expand more broadly over time as Microsoft gathers feedback. The team calls out these changes as “highly demanded” quality-of-life upgrades aimed at making it easier to organize your library, express your personality, and control how games launch on your console.
Xbox at GDC and Project Helix
The March update also recaps Xbox’s presence at GDC, where Microsoft shared more about how it’s building the next generation of Xbox for both players and developers. That included an early look at Project Helix, the next‑generation Xbox console designed to play both Xbox console and PC games, underscoring Microsoft’s push to blur the lines between platforms.
Xbox also highlighted that “Xbox mode” will start rolling out to all Windows 11 devices in April, bringing a streamlined, full‑screen gaming experience to laptops, desktops, and tablets in select markets. In addition, the company called out the continued growth of Xbox Play Anywhere, which now spans more than 1,500 titles, making it easier to carry your purchases and progress between PC, console, and supported handhelds.
New dynamic backgrounds on console
On the cosmetic side, the March update adds fresh dynamic backgrounds on Xbox Series X|S themed around Crimson Desert, Sea of Thieves, and Towerborne. These animated backdrops let you customize your console to celebrate some of the platform’s biggest titles, sitting alongside existing dynamic themes so you can better match your dashboard to what you’re currently playing.
Handheld Compatibility Program grows
Microsoft’s Handheld Compatibility Program continues to expand, making it easier to see which games are optimized for handheld play across supported Windows handheld devices. Xbox says this labeling now appears on product detail pages and in a dedicated handheld‑compatible channel on the Home experience for supported handhelds, so you can quickly find titles that work best on smaller screens.
Recently added handheld‑optimized games include Crimson Desert, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and Towerborne, all of which are tuned for better play on handheld form factors. The company positions this as part of a larger effort to make Xbox gaming feel more seamless whether you’re on a console, PC, or a Windows gaming handheld.
Xbox Play Anywhere passes 1,500 games
Xbox Play Anywhere has now grown to more than 1,500 supported titles, letting you buy once and play across PC, console, and supported handhelds without paying again. Your progress—including saves, add‑ons, and achievements—travels with you when you sign in with your Xbox account on another device, so you can pick up right where you left off.
February’s additions to the Xbox Play Anywhere collection include a long list of games such as High On Life 2 and Reanimal, alongside titles like Aerial_Knight’s DropShot, Showgunners, Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown, and many more. Xbox links out to the full Play Anywhere catalog, encouraging players to browse everything they can carry between platforms at no extra cost.
Stream Your Own Game tops 1,000 titles
The “Stream your own game” catalog inside Xbox Cloud Gaming is also getting bigger, with Microsoft confirming it now includes more than 1,000 supported titles. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and Essential subscribers can stream eligible games they own from this library across supported devices, including phones, tablets, and browsers.
Recent additions include games such as Crimson Desert, Marathon, Resident Evil 7 biohazard (coming soon), WWE 2K26 Standard Edition, Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered, and a long list of indie and mid‑sized titles like Minishoot Adventures and Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf. Microsoft says more games are on the way, and points players to a full, regularly updated list of cloud‑playable titles.
More games with mouse, keyboard, and touch
Xbox is also expanding support for wired USB mice and keyboards in select games and apps, as well as touch controls for players streaming games to mobile devices. According to the March update, there are now over 190 games with mouse and keyboard support on cloud and more than 260 games with touch controls, giving players more ways to play without a traditional controller.
The latest wave of supported titles includes BallXPit for touch, and mouse-and‑keyboard support for games such as Achilles: Legends Untold, BlazBlue Entropy Effect X, Bum Simulator, The Expanse: A Telltale Series, High On Life 2, Relooted, Scars Above, Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster, and more. Xbox links to updated support pages that explain how to set up accessories and customize touch layouts on compatible devices.
How to try these features and give feedback
Many of the most exciting console tweaks—like more groups on Home, custom colors, Quick Resume controls, and profile badges—are currently limited to Xbox Insiders, with broader rollout planned for future updates. Microsoft encourages players who want early access and a say in shaping features to join the Xbox Insider Program via the Xbox Insider Hub on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or Windows PC.
The March post closes by inviting players to share feedback and feature ideas, emphasizing that Xbox is “always evolving” and that community input helps decide what comes next. For help with any of these updates or features, Xbox directs users to the official Xbox Support site and its dedicated Insider release notes pages.
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