Microsoft (MSFT) stock was up on Friday after the tech giant started the rollout of a new Xbox mode for Windows 11 PCs. With this mode, owners of PCs, laptops, and handheld devices running Windows 11 can activate the new mode for an Xbox-based experience.
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Microsoft said that there are several benefits for gamers who choose to activate Xbox mode, including:
- Browse and launch games using a controller-optimized interface.
- Easily switch between Xbox mode and Windows 11.
- Access an aggregated game library, including the full games catalog from Xbox Game Pass, and installed games from leading PC storefronts.
Microsoft stated that Xbox mode is “another step in our broader work to make Xbox feel consistent across screens while giving you more choice in how and where you play,” and that “Xbox is taking everything we’ve learned about building a world-class operating system for gaming and continuing to evolve the experiences that meet players where and how they choose to play.”
Microsoft’s Xbox PC Push
Microsoft has been working to more closely associate the Xbox brand with PC gaming, instead of just home video game consoles. This is part of the company’s effort to move in on the PC gaming market, which has largely been dominated by Valve and its Steam platform. There have even been rumors that the next Xbox, codenamed Project Helix, will be more akin to a gaming PC than a home console.
Of course, Valve isn’t taking this sitting down. The PC gaming giant has announced a revision of its Steam Machine line. The Steam Machine will act as a prebuilt gaming PC that could challenge video game consoles in the living room. The new Steam Machine could very well cause major disruptions in the home console market that could affect Xbox, Sony’s (SONY) PlayStation, and Nintendo (NTDOF).
Microsoft Stock Movement Today
MSFT stock was up 1.59% on Friday but was down 14.34% year-to-date. The stock has also fallen 6.32% over the past 12 months.
Microsoft stock trading activity today saw some 18 million shares change hands, compared to a three-month average daily trading volume of about 31.77 million shares.
Is Microsoft Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold?
Turning to Wall Street, the analysts’ consensus rating for Microsoft is Strong Buy, based on 30 Buy and two Hold ratings over the past three months. With that comes an average MSFT stock price target of $554.33, representing a potential 33.72% upside for the shares.
