You can use the Xbox Live app to play your
favorite games, see what’s hot in the world of gaming, and buy new games
you’d like to try. Depending on the format of the game, you may be able
to play it on your PC or the Xbox, or both. Begin by displaying the
Xbox Live app by tapping the Xbox Live app tile on your Windows 8 Start
screen.
>>>step-by-step: Customizing Your Avatar
Are you as connected to your Xbox Live
avatar as I am? It’s odd how this little digital person I created and
customized to suit my own online persona can make a difference when I
log in to Xbox Live to play a game or two. You can personalize your
avatar by choosing clothing items and features, like hairstyles, facial
features, and more.
1. Scroll to the left of the Xbox Live Games screen to display your avatar and friends.
2. Tap or click Customize Avatar.
3. Click or tap the arrow to display a list of styles you can customize.
4. Tap or click My Features to change facial and body features of your avatar.
5. When you’re finished making changes, tap or click Save.
>>>step-by-step: Finding and Playing Your Favorite Games
The Game Activity area of the Xbox Live
app displays all the games you have purchased and played on your Xbox,
Xbox Kinect, or Xbox Live accounts. You can display more information
about the games or—in some cases—play the game on your PC by tapping the
one you want to see.
1. Scroll to the Game Activity area of the Xbox Live Games screen.
2. Tap or click the tile of a game you want to play.
3. Click or tap Show More to see a list of recently played games and then, on that screen, tap or click the game you want to play.
Can I Play This on My PC?
The games you can
play on your computer have an Xbox Live banner at the top of the game
cover. For games that can only be played on your Xbox system, you’ll see
either Xbox 360 Kinect or Xbox 360 at the top of the game image.
Buying or Renting a Game
You’ll notice that the Xbox Live app gives
you two different marketplaces. One is for Windows games, and it
includes only those games available with Windows 8 Consumer Preview. The
other is the Xbox Game Marketplace, which gives you access to all the
Xbox games available either for your PC or for your Xbox. For now,
you’ll want to use the Xbox Game Marketplace if you’re shopping for new
games you’ve never seen before. There are likely to be many more Windows
games available before Windows 8 officially launches.
1. Scroll to Xbox Game Marketplace area of the Xbox Live Games screen and tap or click Show More.
2. Across
the top of the Games screen, you’ll find a number of controls for
displaying the games you’re looking for. Choose from Games on Demand,
Demos, Indie, or Arcade games.
3. Tap or click a game tile to display more about the game or demo.
4. Tap or
click Play on Xbox to download a trial version of the game to your Xbox
360. If you like the game you can later elect to purchase it through
your Xbox.
5. Click or tap Game Details to learn more about the game.
6. Tap or click Play Trailer to see a short video clip about the game.
Setting up the Companion
This is a good place
to stop and make sure you’ve set up the Xbox Companion for your Xbox
360. If you don’t have an Xbox at this point, you’re limited to playing
games that can be downloaded and played on your PC.
I hope you enjoyed
this first look at Windows 8 Consumer Preview and you’re as excited
about the general release of Windows 8 as I am! We’re sure to see some
program changes and improvements before the product ships (which rumor
says may be as early as the end of 2012), but as you can see from all
the tasks we’ve explored here, Microsoft has already taken some bold
steps in rethinking how we relate to today’s technology. I hope you’ll
join me in putting Windows 8 Consumer Preview through its paces and
providing feedback to Microsoft along the way so the final product is as
good as it can be.
