If you're buying a Windows 11 PC in the US this holiday season, check whether it qualifies for a free game library. In an October 15 post on the Windows Experience Blog, Microsoft said that, to mark 25 years of Xbox, eligible Windows 11 PCs bought from participating US retailers between November 2 and December 31, 2026 can claim a collection of 25 Xbox games at no extra cost. The same post also points PC players to Advanced Shader Delivery, a feature built to cut how long supported games take to load the first time.
Both are gaming changes inside a much broader Windows 11 update. The rest of the post covers performance and system improvements, which Microsoft says are beginning to roll out broadly, plus a redesigned Photos app, deeper phone integration and new Search actions that reach Windows Insiders first.
What's in the 25-game collection
Microsoft values the collection at more than US$500 and names five of the games: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, Minecraft Dungeons and Gears of War: Reloaded. The other 20 aren't listed yet. Microsoft says full details, including game compatibility, system requirements and ratings, will be at aka.ms/XBOXbundle from November 2.
The terms in Microsoft's footnote are specific, so they're worth reading in order:
- Who qualifies: buyers of select Windows devices from participating US retailers, purchased from November 2 through December 31, 2026, while supplies last.
- When you can claim: the offer will be available to claim on your eligible device in the Microsoft Store app no later than November 30, 2026.
- Deadline: you must activate the PC and claim the bundle to your Microsoft account by February 12, 2027. At least one report gives a different deadline. Microsoft's own footnote says February 12, 2027.
- What you get: a digital bundle. There are no discs.
Two caveats matter more than the headline number. Microsoft says some eligible devices can't play all 25 games, so a lightweight laptop may qualify for the offer without running everything in it. And some of the games can't be played on Xbox consoles. Once claimed, the PC versions are tied to your Microsoft account and playable on any compatible Windows PC. Microsoft adds that select titles also play on Xbox Series X|S through Xbox Play Anywhere.
Windows Central, which reported the offer on October 16, describes the same US-only window and retailer requirement. Microsoft's post presents it as a US offer only.
What Advanced Shader Delivery does
The second change is less flashy but may matter more day to day. To draw a scene, a game runs small programs on your graphics card called shaders. On PC they are usually prepared for your particular hardware and driver, and that preparation can happen while the game loads, which is one reason a new PC game can sit on a loading screen for a long time on first launch.
Microsoft's description of Advanced Shader Delivery is direct: it is "designed to reduce the initial load time of your games by delivering precompiled shaders for supported titles", so that games "load in seconds instead of minutes." Microsoft names Forza Horizon 6 and Gears of War: E-Day as supported titles and links to a fuller list.
There are two conditions. Microsoft recommends installing the Xbox PC app before you download a supported game, so the precompiled shaders arrive with the download, and keeping your graphics drivers up to date. How much time you save will depend on the game and your hardware, and Microsoft's post doesn't promise a specific figure for every title.
What to do now
If you're shopping for a PC before the end of the year, the practical steps are:
- Wait until November 2 for the full terms and game list at aka.ms/XBOXbundle before treating the bundle as part of a purchase decision.
- Check that the specific device and retailer are covered, because the offer applies only to select devices from participating US retailers.
- Claim the collection in the Microsoft Store app on the new PC, and do it well before February 12, 2027.
For Advanced Shader Delivery, Microsoft's post doesn't describe a setting to turn on. Its advice is to install the Xbox PC app first, keep your graphics driver updated, and then download supported games. Microsoft hasn't said when more games will support the feature beyond pointing to its supported-titles page.
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