If you do play games on your computer, you may have tabbed out of the game before to launch a web browser and run a search for clues or information. Steam users can use the integrated browser for that, which has been around for a long time.
Game Assist is Microsoft’s universal answer to the Steam browser, at least on Windows. It is an in-game browser that is available as a preview currently. It uses Microsoft Edge to render webpages and browse the Internet without leaving the game.
While that is theoretically also possible without the browser, as you can tab-out of most games to use other programs, some gamers may find the integration useful.
One of the most interesting features up to this point is the ability to display Game Assist information while you are playing. You can watch a video or display guides while playing the game.
One major downside up until now was that Game Assist did not support extensions. This meant that you had to endure ads and other unwanted elements while using it.
This changed with this week’s Game Assist update. The major addition is support for extensions. Install extensions in Edge and you can use them on Game Assist as well. Most extensions should work according to Microsoft.
Microsoft writes:
We heard your feedback that ad blockers are crucial, so we’re thrilled to bring initial support for extensions to Game Assist! Game Assist currently supports many extensions that automatically run on the webpage, like ad blockers. Extensions can be installed and managed using the desktop version of Microsoft Edge.
It is a good addition to Game Assist. The release notes highlight several other features of interest. More games are supported, there is a new menu that offers common browser controls such as opening a new tab, right-click support for certain page elements, an option to pin the current tab, and more.
The list of supported games is still relatively short. To become a truly universal option, Microsoft needs to improve game support significantly.
Like everything else they touch, you know they will use it for advertising.
As a gamer, I do often pull up info on the game I am currently playing in a browser while playing it. I do so on my secondary monitor and certainly not with Edge.
I’ve also removed gamebar and xbox which is a pain in the arse to do.