It might still be the overwhelming favorite when it comes to PC gaming, but there’s no arguing that Microsoft has allowed Windows to get worse and worse over time. It’s accelerated a migration to Linux, especially with Valve’s efforts to streamline gaming through continued work on Proton and SteamOS. Microsoft understands it’s behind, and reportedly has a plan to catch up.
A report by Windows Central details what Microsoft is calling Windows K2. It’s not a standalone version of Windows that is meant to replace Windows 11, but rather an initiative that will slowly roll out significant changes to the operating system in a bid to reclaim customer trust and overhaul many key aspects that have become pain points over the past few years.
Gaming is unsurprisingly a big focus for K2, with Microsoft reportedly acknowledging that SteamOS is now the benchmark it needs to aim for. The report doesn’t go into detail, but mentions that Microsoft is looking to bridge the performance gap between Windows and SteamOS in two years, when comparing performance on identical hardware. That’s a good target, especially considering how many of SteamOS performance wins are coming from Windows games running through Proton’s translation layer–something that is meant to traditionally negatively impact performance, not improve it.
The report doesn’t mention any specific changes to the Xbox App, which itself has been redesigned recently alongside the release of the ROG Xbox Ally X, but does note how many core features in Windows will contribute to a faster, more fluid-feeling operating system. These include speed enhancements to file explorer, and a completely re-written Start Menu that will remove ads and prioritize local files and applications during searches over web results.
K2 is also meant to address system stability, with Microsoft aiming to only roll out system-critical updates that require restarts once a month. It will also give users the ability to indefinitely pause system updates, and ensure that graphics and audio driver updates do not happen during regular use.
These improvements should start releasing over the next couple of months, although given that this is more a roadmap than a siloed release, plans (and timelines) could change at any point. But if Microsoft is aiming to release its next-generation Xbox, codenamed Helix, you should probably expect to see those gaming improvements sooner rather than later.