In our mission to constantly improve the Xbox platform, March is bringing several updates for players to enjoy. This month we’re introducing more ways to access games, offering new ways to be rewarded for gaming, and launching additional in-game benefits for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members.

Additionally, title activation is now available while playing via Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta), allowing for a seamless transition between games. Stream your own game adds more titles for Game Pass Ultimate members to enjoy. And in case you missed it, we also released the Xbox Adaptive Joystick, Rewards points balances are now easier to find Rewards members can now get a $3 Candy Crush gift card, and there are new dynamic backgrounds on console to choose from.

Check out the full details for every update below:

Unlock more in-game benefits for free-to-play games with Game Pass

Starting this week, we’re rolling out even more value to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members with new in-game benefits for free-to-play games. Members will be able to unlock cosmetics, characters, in-game currency, and more for additional games, including Heroes of the Storm, Naraka: Bladepoint, and The Finals. Plus, we’re adding even more benefits starting in April 2025, like Call of Duty: Warzone and Enlisted. With seasonal content drops, members always have new benefits to look forward to.

To find available benefits, launch Xbox on PC:

• Navigate to the Game Pass tab and click “More Benefits” to see all in-game benefits.
• Or explore Home or Game Pass tabs for the in-game benefits section. Click “More Games” to explore all in-game benefits.

• Or navigate to a participating game’s page to see available in-game benefits.

Find out the full of list of new benefits available here and keep an eye out for more benefits for additional games in the future.

PC Gaming

A new look for Game Bar on PC

Players may have noticed that Game Bar has a fresh new look. This marks the beginning of several visual enhancements that will be rolling out this week. The update includes a refreshed design for Game Bar and various utility widgets, including Home Bar, Capture widget, Performance widget, Resource widget, and Widget Store.

Additionally, we’ve made improvements to controller navigation within the Widget Store, ensuring a smoother experience when using Compact Mode on PCs and Windows Handhelds.

These visual updates and navigation improvements make Game Bar easier to use, improving the overall gaming experience.

Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta)

Seamlessly shift between games on Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta)

We’re making changes to how players shift between games on Xbox Cloud Gaming (beta), starting with Assassin’s Creed Shadows this month. Previously, players would need to return to the Xbox.com/play page to switch between games. Now, when playing Assassin’s Creed Shadows from xbox.com/play, players can directly launch other Assassin’s Creed games without needing to return to the Home page. For example, Assassin’s Creed Shadows players can directly launch any of the following four Assassin’s Creed games: Assassin’s Creed Origins, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage. This new capability allows for a more immersive and frictionless experience when switching between games.

When launching Assassin’s Creed Shadows, players can select other Assassin’s Creed games from an in-game hub and see a pop-up with information about each game. They can then directly launch the available Assassin’s Creed games with one-click from within Assassin’s Creed Shadows. If the game is not owned or isn’t available on the cloud, players will receive a notification. This feature is currently only available with Assassin’s Creed Shadows and will be extended to additional cloud playable games soon. 

Stream your own game – More cloud playable games are available

This month, we’re adding more games to the Stream Your Own Game collection. Game Pass Ultimate members can stream over 50+ cloud playable games on supported devices if they own them.

Recently added:

• Assassin’s Creed Shadows
• Gotham Knights
• Party Animals
• Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
• The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
• The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
• Wobbly Life

Coming soon:

• Planet Coaster 2
• Planet Zoo: Console Edition
• Raft
• Shredders
• The Thing: Remastered
• And more

Check out the full list of cloud-playable games available to stream on supported devices here. For more information, learn more here.

In Case You Missed It

Xbox Adaptive Joystick

Recently announced, the Xbox Adaptive Joystick is available for purchase exclusively at the Microsoft Store. Developed in collaboration with the Gaming and Disability Community, this singular, wired controller is primarily designed to meet the needs of players with limited mobility. Its versatility allows players to seamlessly incorporate the controller into their existing gaming setups. Read more about the Xbox Adaptive Joystick here.

Rewards update and $3 Candy Crush gift card

Redeeming Rewards points just got a lot easier: play, claim, redeem, repeat. Navigate to the Microsoft Store on console and find Rewards points and account balance on the left navigation menu. Redeem points for an Xbox gift card straight from the Store to get your next favorite game. This update rolled out to all Rewards eligible regions this month.

Besides Xbox gift cards, Rewards points can also be used for a $3 Candy Crush gift card. This comes with 48 hours of unlimited lives so players can continue to solve tasty puzzles while getting rewarded with in-game combos. Go to the Rewards hub on the Xbox profile across devices and look for the Candy Crush gift card in the Rewards catalog. Once redeemed, an email with the gift card code and instructions on how to redeem will be sent to the King account on file (wherever Candy Crush Saga or Candy Crush Soda Saga is played). This is a limited offer, so terms apply.

Xbox Consoles – More Dynamic Backgrounds

There are now several new dynamic backgrounds to choose from for Xbox Series X|S consoles. Within the last month, we’ve added dynamic backgrounds for:

• Microsoft 50^th Anniversary
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• Sea of Thieves: Megalodon
• Sea of Thieves: Sunset
• Split Fiction
• Towerborne
• WWE 2K25

Learn how to customize the Xbox console by choosing a dynamic background on this Xbox Support page.

Help Shape the Future of Xbox

Stay tuned to Xbox Wire for future updates and the latest and greatest Xbox news. For support related to Xbox updates, visit the official Xbox Support site.

We love hearing from the community, whether you have a suggestion for a new feature that you’d like to see added, or you want to give feedback on existing features that could use some improvement. We’re always looking for ways to improve Xbox experiences for players around the world. If you’d like to help create the future of Xbox and get early access to new features, join the Xbox Insider Program today by downloading the Xbox Insider Hub for Xbox Series X|S & Xbox One or Windows PC.

Happy gaming!