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Gaming on Windows on Arm: Progress and New Developments in Snapdragon and Microsoft Support

January 5, 2026

Last year, Qualcomm promised that games would “just work” on its Snapdragon X Elite laptops, but my testing showed that the reality was quite different. However, a year later, the landscape has significantly improved thanks to emulator enhancements, driver updates, and new tools from Qualcomm and Microsoft that boost gaming capabilities on Windows on Arm devices.

Snapdragon Control Panel Launch

This week, Qualcomm is releasing the Snapdragon Control Panel, a new utility that automatically detects installed games on Snapdragon X Elite laptops and optimizes their settings. It resembles the GPU management apps from AMD and Nvidia, offering configurations such as:

  • Frame rate caps
  • Anti-aliasing
  • Texture filtering
  • Other performance tweaks

Additionally, the Control Panel allows users to install the latest Adreno GPU drivers, tailored to improve stability and performance in the newest games. Qualcomm reports fixing issues and improving performance for over 100 titles since last year, with ongoing updates to enhance stability.

Improvements in Emulator and Compatibility

Alongside the Control Panel, both Microsoft and Qualcomm have introduced major updates to support gaming better on Windows on Arm:

  • Microsoft’s Prism Emulator now supports x86 AVX (Advanced Vector Extensions), essential for many contemporary games and creative applications.
  • Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon X2 Elite chips support AVX2 emulation. Existing Snapdragon X series devices will also receive this update in the coming weeks.

Enhanced Gaming Experience with Microsoft and Qualcomm

Microsoft recently upgraded its Xbox app for Windows on Arm, enabling:

  • Downloading ARM64-compatible games
  • Better game library and store access, moving beyond the initial cloud gaming portal introduced last year

This marks a significant step forward in making PC gaming more accessible on Arm-based devices.

Fortnite and Anti-Cheat Support

Qualcomm has been collaborating with Epic Games to bring Fortnite to Windows on Arm, including full kernel-level anti-cheat support. To run Fortnite, users will need the latest Adreno GPU drivers. Qualcomm is also working with anti-cheat providers like:

  • Tencent’s Anti-Cheat Expert
  • Roblox’s Hyperion
  • Denuvo
  • InProtect GameGuard
  • Uncheater
  • BattleEye

These efforts aim to expand multiplayer gaming options on Windows on Arm devices.

Global Impact and Future Outlook

Fortnite’s arrival on Windows on Arm coincides with its debut on the Xbox PC store, marking Epic Games’ first release outside traditional PC launchers. This move also involves bringing Fortnite Crew to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.

Conclusion

While these advancements mark substantial progress in gaming on Windows on Arm, performance and compatibility are still evolving. Users can check whether their favorite titles run natively, via emulation, or not at all using available tools.

Stay tuned for further updates as Qualcomm and Microsoft continue refining the gaming experience on Arm-based laptops.