With the latest Windows updates, gamers may be noticing a new problem when attempting to launch their favorite games. Instead of directly launching the game, they find themselves redirected to Gaming Services in the Windows Store. This is happening because Gaming Services has become a vital component of many Windows games and is required for launching them.
In this article, we are going to explore why this is happening and how you can fix it. We will also provide some code examples to help developers who may be encountering this issue.
What is Gaming Services?
Gaming Services is a system application that Microsoft introduced in Windows 10. It is designed to provide a platform for games that require an Xbox Live account, multiplayer features, or other gaming-related features. It is an essential component for many popular Windows games, such as Minecraft and Forza Horizon 4, and is required for their proper functioning.
Why does gaming services launch instead of my game?
If you are experiencing the issue where Gaming Services launches instead of your favorite game, it is most likely because your game requires the Gaming Services application to run. To launch your game, you must first launch Gaming Services and log in to your Xbox Live account.
How to fix the issue?
The good news is that fixing this issue is relatively simple. All you need to do is make sure that Gaming Services is up to date and installed correctly.
To check if Gaming Services is up to date, open the Microsoft Store and search for "Gaming Services." Click on the app from the search results, and if there is an update available, click the "Update" button.
If Gaming Services is already up to date and you are still being redirected to Gaming Services after launching your game, you should try reinstalling the application. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open the "Settings" app from the Windows Menu.
- Navigate to "Apps."
- Find "Gaming Services" from the list of apps and click on it.
- Click the "Advanced options" link.
- Click the "Reset" button.
- Reinstall Gaming Services by visiting the Microsoft Store and searching for "Gaming Services."
Once you have completed this process, try launching your game again and see if the issue has been resolved.
Code examples for developers
If you are a developer who is encountering this issue, you may need to update your code to ensure that Gaming Services is launched before your game starts. Here are some code examples to help you get started:
C# code example:
using Windows.Services.Store;
async void LaunchGame()
{
// First, check if the user has Gaming Services installed
if (!await StoreContext.GetDefault().IsStoreAppInstalledAsync("Microsoft.GamingServices"))
{
// If not, redirect the user to the Microsoft Store to download it
await Launcher.LaunchUriAsync(new Uri("ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN"));
}
// Once Gaming Services is installed, launch the game
await Launcher.LaunchUriAsync(new Uri("mygame://"));
}
JavaScript code example:
var button = document.getElementById("launch-game");
button.onclick = async function() {
// First, check if the user has Gaming Services installed
if (!await Windows.Services.Store.StoreContext.getDefault().isStoreAppInstalledAsync("Microsoft.GamingServices")) {
// If not, redirect the user to the Microsoft Store to download it
await Windows.System.Launcher.launchUriAsync(new Windows.Foundation.Uri("ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN"));
}
// Once Gaming Services is installed, launch the game
await Windows.System.Launcher.launchUriAsync(new Windows.Foundation.Uri("mygame://"));
};
Conclusion
With the continued growth of gaming on the Windows platform, Gaming Services has become an essential component of many games. If you are encountering the problem where Gaming Services launches instead of your game, make sure that it is up to date and installed correctly. For developers, updating your code to ensure that Gaming Services is launched before your game starts is an essential step to ensure a seamless experience for your users. With these steps, you can ensure that your Windows gaming experience is smooth and enjoyable.
let me expand on the previous topics mentioned in the article.
What is Gaming Services?
Gaming Services is a system application developed by Microsoft for Windows 10. It provides a platform for games that require an Xbox Live account, multiplayer features, or other gaming-related features. The Gaming Services app allows users to access different gaming services, such as achievements, cloud saves, friend lists, profile details, and more. It is an essential component for many popular Windows games, allowing them to operate correctly and offer an immersive gaming experience.
Why does gaming services launch instead of my game?
If you encounter a problem where Gaming Services launches instead of your favorite game on Windows, it's likely because the game you're trying to launch requires the Gaming Services application to be running. To run your game, you need to open and log in to Gaming Services first. If Gaming Services isn't running, then the game won't be able to access the essential features it needs to run smoothly.
How to fix the issue?
Fortunately, resolving the issue where Gaming Services launches instead of your game is relatively simple. The first step is to check whether Gaming Services is up-to-date and installed correctly on your system. You can check this by opening the Microsoft Store and searching for "Gaming Services." If an update is available, install it.
If you've already updated Gaming Services and the issue still persists, you can try reinstalling the application. To do this, go to the "Settings" app, click on "Apps," find "Gaming Services" from the list of apps, click on "Advanced options," and then click on "Reset." You can then reinstall Gaming Services by visiting the Microsoft Store and searching for "Gaming Services."
Code examples for developers
If you're a developer and are encountering issues with Gaming Services and your game, then you might need to update your code to ensure that Gaming Services launches before your game starts. This is essential for a seamless experience for your users. Here are some code examples that you can use to get started:
- C# code example:
using Windows.Services.Store;
async void LaunchGame()
{
// Check if the user has Gaming Services installed
if (!await StoreContext.GetDefault().IsStoreAppInstalledAsync("Microsoft.GamingServices"))
{
// Redirect the user to the Microsoft Store to download it
await Launcher.LaunchUriAsync(new Uri("ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN"));
}
// Launch the game
await Launcher.LaunchUriAsync(new Uri("mygame://"));
}
- JavaScript code example:
var button = document.getElementById("launch-game");
button.onclick = async function() {
// Check if the user has Gaming Services installed
if (!await Windows.Services.Store.StoreContext.getDefault().isStoreAppInstalledAsync("Microsoft.GamingServices")) {
// Redirect the user to the Microsoft Store to download it
await Windows.System.Launcher.launchUriAsync(new Windows.Foundation.Uri("ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN"));
}
// Launch the game
await Windows.System.Launcher.launchUriAsync(new Windows.Foundation.Uri("mygame://"));
};
Conclusion
With continued growth in gaming on the Windows platform, Gaming Services has become an essential component for many games. If you're encountering an issue where Gaming Services launches instead of your game, ensure that it's up-to-date and installed correctly. For developers, ensuring that Gaming Services launches before your game starts is an essential step in creating a seamless experience for your users. With the steps outlined in this article, you can quickly resolve any Gaming Services issues and get back to enjoying your games on Windows.
Popular questions
-
What is Gaming Services, and why is it required to run many Windows games?
Gaming Services is a system application developed by Microsoft for Windows 10 that provides a platform for games. It is needed to run many Windows games that require an Xbox Live account, multiplayer features, or other gaming-related features. -
What should you do if Gaming Services launches instead of your game on Windows?
If Gaming Services launches instead of your game on Windows, it could be because your game requires Gaming Services to function correctly. To fix the issue, make sure that Gaming Services is up-to-date and installed correctly. If the problem persists, you can try reinstalling the application. -
How can developers ensure that Gaming Services launches correctly before their games start?
Developers can ensure that Gaming Services launches correctly before their games start by updating their code. They can do this by checking whether Gaming Services is installed on the user's system and, if not, redirecting them to the Microsoft Store to download it. They can then launch the game after Gaming Services is installed. -
What code examples can developers use to ensure that Gaming Services launches before their games start?
Developers can use code examples that check whether Gaming Services is installed on the user's system, and if not, redirects them to the Microsoft Store to download it. Here are some examples:
-
C# code example:
using Windows.Services.Store;
async void LaunchGame()
{
// Check if the user has Gaming Services installed
if (!await StoreContext.GetDefault().IsStoreAppInstalledAsync("Microsoft.GamingServices"))
{
// Redirect the user to the Microsoft Store to download it
await Launcher.LaunchUriAsync(new Uri("ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN"));
}
// Launch the game
await Launcher.LaunchUriAsync(new Uri("mygame://"));
} -
JavaScript code example:
var button = document.getElementById("launch-game");
button.onclick = async function() {
// Check if the user has Gaming Services installed
if (!await Windows.Services.Store.StoreContext.getDefault().isStoreAppInstalledAsync("Microsoft.GamingServices")) {
// Redirect the user to the Microsoft Store to download it
await Windows.System.Launcher.launchUriAsync(new Windows.Foundation.Uri("ms-windows-store://pdp/?productid=9MWPM2CQNLHN"));
}
// Launch the game
await Windows.System.Launcher.launchUriAsync(new Windows.Foundation.Uri("mygame://"));
};
- How essential is Gaming Services to the Windows gaming experience?
Gaming Services is an essential component of the Windows gaming experience for games that require an Xbox Live account or other gaming-related features. Without Gaming Services, games may not function correctly, and users may have a less immersive gaming experience.
Tag
GameLaunch
