Game Pass advertising comes to the Windows Settings app for more user-unfriendliness

Microsoft has rolled out the latest preview updates for Windows 11 Builds 22621.3810 and 22631.3810, marking the latest step in their monthly update cycle. With those updates, currently available for early testing, the builds mentioned get a new feature that makes Game Pass ads appear within the Settings app. This change is expected to be a part of the July update for Windows 11, impacting both Home and Pro edition Windows 11 users who play games on their PCs often.

The feature is outlined in Microsoft's blog post and reflects the company's ongoing strategy of integrating more ads and recommendations into Windows 11. This is an approach that has sparked a healthy amount of controversy. Critics argue that the line between helpful suggestions and plain advertising is becoming increasingly blurred. Concerns have been raised about the potential for more intrusive advertising in the future, as users become accustomed to these integrated ads.

The debate continues as Microsoft seeks to balance monetization efforts with user experience, leaving many to wonder how these changes will evolve and affect the overall usability of Windows 11. The latest preview builds will serve as a testing ground to gauge user reception and refine the implementation before the general release.

To be completely objective, the updates mentioned also come with actually useful new features such as extensive TAR format support for the Explorer.

Those interested in exploring Game Pass can check out the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, currently available from Amazon.