Windows on Arm is Finally Ready for Gaming
▼ Summary
– Windows on Arm gaming has significantly improved due to emulator enhancements, driver updates, and a new Snapdragon Control Panel.
– Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Control Panel automatically detects and optimizes games on Snapdragon X Elite laptops with settings for performance and graphics.
– Microsoft’s Prism emulator now supports x86 AVX, and Qualcomm’s chips support AVX2 emulation, enabling compatibility with more games and apps.
– The Xbox app on Windows on Arm has been updated to allow downloading ARM64-compatible games, expanding access beyond cloud gaming.
– Fortnite is now available on Windows on Arm with anti-cheat support, and Qualcomm is collaborating with multiple anti-cheat providers for broader multiplayer game compatibility.
The long-promised era of serious gaming on Windows on Arm devices is finally becoming a reality, thanks to a series of crucial software and driver updates. A year ago, the experience was far from seamless, but significant improvements to emulation, dedicated optimization tools, and enhanced anti-cheat compatibility are transforming these laptops into viable gaming machines.
Qualcomm is launching its new Snapdragon Control Panel this week, an application that automatically identifies installed games on Snapdragon X Elite laptops and applies optimizations for them. This utility functions much like the control panels from AMD and Nvidia, offering users direct control over settings such as framerate caps, anti-aliasing, and texture filtering to fine-tune their gaming experience.
A key feature of the control panel is its ability to deliver the latest Adreno GPU drivers. These drivers are specifically tuned for new game releases to boost both stability and performance. Since the platform’s debut last year, Qualcomm has rolled out fixes and enhancements for over one hundred titles, with a continued focus on squashing bugs.
Beyond Qualcomm’s efforts, Microsoft has also implemented foundational changes. The company’s Prism emulator now supports x86 Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX), a critical instruction set used by numerous games and creative applications. Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon X2 Elite chips support AVX2 emulation, and this capability will be extended to existing Snapdragon X series devices through an update in the near future.
The software ecosystem is maturing as well. Microsoft’s Xbox app for Windows on Arm has been substantially updated and now allows users to download native ARM64-compatible games directly. This is a major shift from the initial launch of Copilot Plus PCs, where the app served only as a gateway to Xbox Cloud Gaming, lacking any local library or store functionality for installing titles from PC Game Pass.
In a significant move for multiplayer gaming, Qualcomm has collaborated with Epic Games to get Fortnite running smoothly on the platform, complete with full kernel-level anti-cheat support. Running the popular battle royale game requires the newest Adreno GPU driver. Qualcomm is actively engaging with other major anti-cheat providers, including Tencent’s Anti-Cheat Expert, Roblox’s Hyperion, Denuvo, InProtect GameGuard, Uncheater, and BattleEye, to pave the way for more online titles.
The arrival of Fortnite on Windows on Arm coincides with its debut on the Xbox PC store, marking the first time Epic Games has released its flagship title on another PC storefront. This is part of a broader arrangement to offer Fortnite Crew subscriptions to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members, further integrating the gaming ecosystem.
(Source: The Verge)
