Microsoft has released the in-game browser overlay Edge Game Assist for Windows 11, which has already left beta testing and is available to all users. The overlay is made in the style of Steam, built into the Game Bar and provides access to guides and tips for popular games. According to the developers, the system automatically detects the running game and offers contextual advice.
Image source: Microsoft
To enable the overlay, you need to open the Microsoft Edge settings, find the Game Assist section and install the widget. After this, the game panel, called by the Win + G key combination, will display the overlay side menu. Users can simultaneously play and search for information without minimizing the window.
Initially, as explained by William Devereux, senior product manager for Microsoft Edge, Game Assist offers contextual help and guidance for the most popular PC games, such as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Marvel Rivals and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. . However, guides for more games will be added later, Devereux assured. At the same time, even if the game is not supported, the Edge overlay allows you to open any sites or manuals manually, directly during the game.
Edge Game Assist syncs with your main Microsoft Edge profile – carrying over autofill data, favorites, and cookies. Installation of extensions is also available, for example, ad blockers, and in the future the company plans to add support for hotkeys, improve the picture-in-picture mode and the ability to transfer tabs from the main browser to the game overlay.
It is emphasized that the tool is specifically designed to simplify access to information without interrupting gameplay and will be improved and optimized in the future thanks to feedback from gamers. Microsoft hopes that its equivalent of the Steam overlay can become the standard for users on Windows 11, especially given the growing list of supported games and integration with the Edge ecosystem.