Xbox Games for Windows Phone 8.1 updated, fixes woes

I don't need it changed back just a filter on the app list similar to W8.1 where I can choose what category to list.

⬆⬆⬆ This ⬆⬆⬆

Agree!

That's a really good suggestion!  Kudos!

I would love a filtered app list too. You could filter out entire categories of apps that you don't want to see in the list. You could also filter out the apps that have a primary live tile on the Start Screen. I would definitely like the ability to sort/group the apps differently in the list. Give us what we have in Windows 8.1 for app lists and we are a long way down the road for sure.

Yes, please!
 

Yes, even Windows 3.0, released 23 years ago, allowed you to group together apps into different "program groups".  But grouping/filtering of apps, even if completely optional, could not possibly be made simple enough for modern users.  Right?

Makes sense to me now. Think its same on Android too.

how do you know its not going to change back!?
This solution is CRAP. It looks HORRID ! Its my APPLIST not my GAMELIST! So why do i need the games hub ? Quite useless now! At least they should give us the choice to show/hide games.
Talking about::...where is the promised SORT BY USE for the Applist!

because if you delete the xbox games app then the games would not be viewable anywhere.  This makes sense from a programming standpoint.  I like the idea to select is games show in the app list though.  That would be an effective workaround.

There is no option to delete games app.

Lets say an update to the Games App breaks it completely. Now tell me what will you do? Your Games do not show up in your Applist and the Games App wont open. Answer: You complain like a 5 year old and scream why Microsoft wont show Games in the Applist when things like that happen. lol. Srsly its good as it is now.

Plus, I don't see why people are complaining. Nearly my whole phone is full of apps and games, and I have no problem finding an app/game with the current setup by using the Search option or using the quick jump to the letter that I want to jump to. If you're searching by scrolling through the whole list, you're really not using it as they intended when they built it. (Not you, specifically. Speaking to whoever is actuall doing that ;-))

Exactly! I like how it is now. Its way faster now to find a game, for me at least. The Applist is a list populated by Apps after all, so in my Opinion Games belong in there. All complainers can use still the Games App instead. No problem there...

What annoyed me the most I that they removed the recently used games section from the app, that's what made the games app useful to me, bring that back and I couldn't give a crap about the app list I'll just go back to using the games hub.

good point Thomas Jordan   as far as Forc3, if an update breaks the Games app so thoughly, then we would expect a rapid fix by Microsoft.   You have your opinion that things are good as they are now, but many of us do not.   Many of us want to be able to toggle off having games in the main app list.   And when it comes down to the desires of thousands vs. your dogmatic assertion that things are good now, I'm going to bet that Microsoft will listen to us and not you.... same goes for interscaperob

+1520

I just think I would be better if games where not listed with the rest of our apps would be better. I have alot of games on my phone which I personally don't play on they are for kids. I just hate my app list being so full. Was better before. Hopefully they will do something even if they bring in a filter option in app list would be good.

Normally I've been thinking about a toggle switch to remove them entirely, but a filter would be good as well, especially if we could name, populate, and move the filtered apps locations on the list.

"And when it comes down to the desires of thousands vs. your dogmatic assertion that things are good now, I'm going to bet that Microsoft will listen to us and not you...." Have you considered that "you [loud] thousands" still might be representing a minority in the millions of WP8.1 users in this world? :)

Standard useless comment.   Do you have hard data on the prevalence of the desire for games to be either in the games hub and not in the start list or some sort of switch so the end user can control the behavior.   No you don't.    What I do remember is that MS is already aware of our concerns on this issue and stated that they are looking into it.   As to what they decide, we shall see.

You are so right.  I assumed it was allowed, my bad for not checking!

There are a lot of apps that the user is not able to delete. Games should be one.

i am wid u ..... sooooooooo angered ,, even unlisted games folder and added nokia's app folder app to create games shortcuts separately ........ and even thinking to uninstall loads of games as a protest on my part :@: :@: :@ :@ :@

That would have been a really informative and well thought-out post... if you could actually uninstall the Games hub.

Exactly!

concur, given there's no ability to uninstall the games app, you have to wonder about the rest of his argument.   and the overall feeling I get from it is a pretty dogmatic assertion based upon not knowing what he's talking about... so younger people than I would call that a "fail"  

If the Games app breaks for some reason, his assertion would ring true. Yes, you can't uninstall it, but any software can be broken. He was only partially wrong, so therefore, no fail.

If an app broke to that extent I would expect a very rapid fix by Microsoft.    Overall given the demand by people to resolve the issue of having games listed in the main app list, I expect that Microsoft will respond.   I do not think they are so deluded as to rationalize along the lines of "well if the list was only in the Game Hub and the Game Hub was broken and we sat around with our thumbs up our ass and did not fix it, THEN...." Bullshit.    I hope that Microsoft has learned from their Window 8 experience that while they do have some level of ability to push a product in the direction they want to go, however outside of those mission critical areas, Microsoft needs to listen to their customers.    So the decision to go with Metro/Modern UI is a mission critical decision, however the decision to drop Start Menu/Start Button was not mission critical but instead a reflection of that ex-employee of Microsoft who insisted that HE F*CKING knows all via the user data they had.   Hubris just doesn't cut it when it comes down to making a product that millions, if not billions use. Microsoft either needs to fix this issue in a way that we find satisfactory, or they are going to explicity tell us why the new OS makes it impossible.    That is the only options for a competent company (and no, they do not always act competently).    My bet is that they fix it.... At the end of the day Microsoft needs to realize that while they run the company and make the products, WE ARE THE FUCKING BOSS.  And when it comes down to Daniel saying that those who comment here are just a fringe he couldn't be more wrong.   We care more than those who don't comment, but our desires cannot be blithely ignored via some cheesy rationalization that we are a fringe aspect of the market. The customer is king.

You can't uninstall the games app.

It certainly could be changed, and very easily. A simple 'Show Games in App List' check box in Settings would fix the issue. Or 'Automatically Hiding Games from App list when Games App Installed'. Its not Rocket Science.

'Show Games in App List' check box in Settings would fix the issue."   thank you MadSci2

What menu is that under? Can't seem to easily locate it...

you're pulling my leg of course or you are real new to this conversation. that setting does not exist at this point, although many of us want it.

Except you can't uninstall the games app, you silly.

How is it much better in the long run? I currently have 137 games in my 8.0 games hub which my kids frequently use. Under 8.1, my app list will now increase by 137. How is that better in the long run?

Dumbest decision ever

OS limitation because it isn't apart of the OS anymore - why they can update it now.

Agreed, games in apps list "need to get gone"!

Yes! I hate games in apps list!

+1

Agree!!!

Yep. Whoever decided that was a good idea needs to be fired.

It's a shitty app. It still is primarily focused on Xbox 360 users. Doesn't have allot of Xbox one features. Have to use smartglass beta to message.

You can still message people on Xbox one from the app... I do it often :p all I see her is "WAHHH"

Let's hope Xbox Music is next. Mine just shows a BLACK screen with no information!!!

its sooooooooo irrrrrritating to have games in already loaded long app list :@ :@ :@ :@

Speedy! This is the Microsoft I like to see, especially paired with the planned Xbox Music updates.

+920

Downloading now hope it lives up to expectation....

Nope. Still laggy on 1020. The whole idea of the hub extracting a games list from the all apps list is a bad idea.

I'm really turned off by my low res avatar...it was sharp as a razor in the old hub....

Thanks MS

So the appearance of games in the apps list is permanent? WPC App for Android- Lenovo IdeaTab A3000

This is looking good. It populates my installed games now. I hope they bring back the live tile functionality soon.

And Transparency tiles has also been updated.. I am loving this force update check feature in the stores.. I make sure I run it couple of times a day :)

What's the point of this app if the games now appears on the app list?

Xbox Live integration. :) You can see what your friends are up to and send them messages. Plus it's just nice to have all your games grouped together somewhere.

Smartglass can do that. Xbox extras can change your avatar. So games hub is pretty useless as a standalone app.

If SmartGlass can do that, the options are very well hidden. I can't find any way to view my friend list on the 360 SmartGlass app.

I should clarify. Xbox one Smartglass can view friends on both systems and what they are doing. Sorry for confusion.

It's called 'Xbox Games', not just 'games'. The point of this app is to handle your Xbox account, not just to enlist the games.

Well in that case what was wrong with what we had before? Games stay in one place and apps in another. It was smooth and lag free. Now, Xbox games app tries to gather games list every single time it loads, making the whole experience terrible.

Microsoft has a habit of "fixing" things that are running just fine. No doubt they've replaced many unique features from WP8 (ie- the photos hub) that we loved. But I'm just saying that, just because games are now also listed in the app list, doesn't mean "there is no point for a games hub". 

Oh for the love of Christ how are xbox one games still not showing up get it done Microsoft I don't want to use 2 different apps

I bet you're fun at parties... -_-

Lol no idea what you're problem is but its been month's since the xbox one has been out and the games hub doesn't support xbox one games in the achievements list

He is correct. Why doesn't it list Xbox one games. Stupid.

It is pointless having to use the xbox one smart glass app just to view achievements. The UI should be updated to reflect the xbox one UI am not asking for huge stuff

If you're using the developer preview, will you be notified of updates for the instance we're using outside of standalone apps?

"item not available"

woohoo! love the speediness lately. this is what you have to do to get back on top. EDIT: Hmm.. it still seems to do a seemingly unnecessary load each time i open it.

Its probably refreshing your games list and the special deals in the app. That's my guess though

It does that on every load. Very jittery still.

Still a bit slow... Also they have to add a way to hide the games from the app list...

Spotlight is now fixed for me and it seems to be quicker to update as well.

spotlight is not fixed for me :C i din't use that feature since it would always show me the same games for years, but having a can't update or something is really annoying. And i still have waiting and loading and isht.

Separating things from the OS turned out to be a huge plus because they can update things independently of one another and a lot speedier too.

But the separated apps turned out to be crap.

This comment would make sense the moment we actually get something new, not when we get back old functionality or "previously unexistant bug" fixes

Bit slow..games are now shown in app list and games hub...can improve

give USER the option if games are shown in HUB only or in app list too.You can do it Microsoft.

i'm thinking that's on the OS level rather than the games app.

Well you see, xbox games is not built into the OS, it's an app now.  That means it can be updated outside of OS needing updates.. with that being said, you can also uninstall xbox games from your phone.. if you do that, where then will your games go?  So they simply placed all the games (apps that they are) in the app list.  This would be made easier if we could sort the app list into categories or soemthing and all the games just go under "games" and we can resolve the issue nicely.

You can't actually uninstall the games app.  A simple setting "show games in app list" is all that's needed for now if they can't do the category thing yet.

You didnt get it. Games is an App now. Yes you cannot delete it but it is decoupled from the OS to actually be updateable. Because of this Games have to be shown on the Applist.
Or what do you do when an update kills the Games App. Accessing your Games would be impossible if they wouldnt be on your Applist.

You don't assume preinstalled apps to be killed by updates, whether it is the games, music or video apps.  It's understandable for dev previews as the apps are not the important things here, it is for devs to test out their own apps.  A filter in settings won't kill anything either, it's just an option to hide or show the games in the list.  The issue here also stems from the fact that there is no way to categorise the app list, therefore people wanting at least the games separated.  I'm sure the majority of people on here agrees with this.

thank you lemonsteveo

You dont get this concept right? the Games App was previously integrated into the OS so it was possible to hide Games from the applist and have them in the Games "Hub", Hub because technically it was not an App. Now that it became an App it lacks that OS level integration it previously had. This means it is bound to the same rules as all the other Apps in the store. Do you really think MS does this on purpose there are reasons they did this. What if they really break the Games App through an update and some Idiot sues them because he couldnt access his Apps he paid for example? FFS stop complaining already we debate over whether some fucking Apps are displayed on a LIST or not. wtf?

What do you not get about the countless suggestions of adding a toggle to settings that enables housing of games in the apps list? Then if the Games app was truly broken you could find them from search or by re-enabling them from settings.

Mine was affected by the infamous empty game list bug. And this update apparently fix that.

Ugh... I still really want the games off of my app list.

+ a million

+920

Please get rid of games listed on apps. page
-The avatar quality isn't good.
-Some friends from Xbox One aren't shown
-Stop pushing ads with games.
-Sometimes it get stuck on loading.
-Sometimes games avatars aren't shown.

Much better app now..

Still not getting push notifications for games..

Updated but here in Argentina the Avatar still not showing up! :/

Updated and all installed games appeared in the games hub..wasn't showing any previously ..

+1020

Well if the Games hub is no longer incorporated into OS and works as a standalone app then I guess we can forget about our games being visible in the mentioned hub only, instead of app list. What could at least partially solve it is W8-like app sorting.

Unfortunately WP seems to be evolving into an app launcher like iOS and android. Shame.

Will anyone please upload a screen shot of the 8.1 hub replacements. I see People complaining but i still don't know what's the difference

Don't install it if you like what you have

the difference its alot of people like to complain... I have 8.1 and it's "perfectly" fine, (since no preview is perfect and it will be modify in some features).
I wont get a screenshot, but some people like to be dramatic about it, if they didn't like to run a beta software, they shouldn't install 8.1... it's obvious 8.1 today will be different than 8.1 when it's officially released because apps will be updated, and other features will be polished, also firmware updates will give alot of things needed to be a really good update. so I wouldn't believe to the dramatic people complaining about beta software, it's like they don't understand what they are running.

The app only allows you to now review and rate the games and not pin them to start or uninstall em. What the heck????

That came with WP8.1...

Ist a start.

Error during installation

reboot my phone and now the installation was succesfull.

Good fix Microsoft. I just want the ability to create stations playing only my favorite artists and songs. LETS GO!!!

Uh, this isn't about the Xbox Music app but the Xbox Games app.

Let me guess, still no live tile? Missing my avatar on the start screen already!

+920

oh let me guess... you are another clueless person who installed a PREVIEW update and complains? oh right, I get it............

Can't download it here in Brazil.

Nor here in UK.

I got it just fine, UK Lumia 920.

1. Do you have 8.1?
2. Did you use a workaround to get Cortana?

Yes and sort-of-yes. Cortana's UK voice recognition is a bit shoddy so I've switched back to UK English settings, though I could make Cortana work at any time if I want to.

Do you have the US region enabled?

You need US region settings to access Cortana, but I've been on UK English all day.

The app is much laggier now running on a 925, dont like the update so far and see zero changes from the last update.

Ditto

Fixed, but still laggy as lag.

My Lumia 1520 still won't find updates automatically. I have always had trouble since I got my HTC 8X (incidentally the HTC 7 Mozart before that was fine). It just does not find app updates unless I force the check... makes auto updates useless! Anyone else having this STILL?!

Now when I open the games app in a few seconds it closes

Same with Xbox video.

The whole Xbox Family of Apps is messed up! So sad. The xbox team is a bunch of losers.

Finally loads my collection again, buy know if I swipe to my avatar the app crashes... Way to go!

I don't understand how anyone prefers these apps that update from the store, yes they can update separately from the OS. Whoop de doo, they're horribly slow and will never ever be as fast and slick as a native experience. Never, unless windows phone completely changes the way it handles apps. But that hasn't happened and what we are left with is a horrid experience in the Xbox apps that used to be so fluid.

Agreed. We were fine before.

It isn't available in store

I can't open Xbox video app. Whenever I open it closes automatically.

Doesnt show my xbox Live profile nor cant sign in...

Well...at least the score is all for WP, XboX and XboxOne in one place and everything works.

Still clunky and laggy when scrolling. Updates every time you open it. For what I have no idea.

Still not good, games are not in the hub. Try again

Games are available in hub as well as in apps list...is this called development?

That's not what we want and you know that

if you didn't want this, why did you install a preview? you could have waited for official release when apps would be updated and have more features, and alot of features would be polished and changed.
go back to 8.0 if you cant deal with a preview... or better, next time, don't install a non final release.

By following your point of view, we can't say what we don't like in this new version ? Wow, bravo :)

Same with me. Lumia 1520

Now it's fine

Laggy :(

Praise Cortana!

+920

it works great now

Still laggy

See, I don't get this solution. You can't uninstall these new out-of-OS apps, so you can't save space on them. I have NO use for the Video app, and with the way it currently functions, the Games hub serves no purpose. Without being able to delete games from the hub (or even pin them), I'd rather just uninstall it. I'd also like to uninstall the FM Radio and Podcast apps, since I'll never use them. So, what does taking these things from the OS level get us? Allegedly, more updates. Except before 8.1, I had 0 issues with Music+Video or Games hub, meaning there was no need for faster updates.   What concerns me is the result of taking these from the OS-level. We know that apps can only update tiles every 30 minutes, due to OS limitations, among other things. It makes me wonder if this is the reason that the Music app is so slow to load, that it isn't an OS-level process, so it doesn't get priority/smoothness, which sucks. It also worries me that because it is no longer in the OS, there will be no real way to get the Music app running as smoothly as its predecessor, and that annoys me. It now takes roughly 2 minutes before I can actually play music on my phone.

I agree on everything you wrote

Wow I didn't even realise you couldn't uninstall or pin from the games hub...what the hell - they completely neutered it!

Slow. Updating list with every launch. If decoupling hubs from system means lower performance, I'm not sure if it was a good idea. Microsoft must push a lot of updates before official launch of 8.1. Also, please stop writing about uninstalling the app, as it can't be done.

Manufacturer Firmware will solve most issues as it will be optimised for WP8.1

The games are loading now but it still keeps updating everytime I open the app.

Great update,waiting for the games to removed from apps list in the next update

Thanks for beta testing everyone ;]

Still whenever I open the app it updates my games. If my games are in the phone I want the list to appear instantly, no delays, like it used to be. If the app wants to connect to internet to offer something extra after I see my games, fine. But instant response when opening my music, videos or games was what I liked the most of the WP experience, if they mess with that in order to implement ways of selling stuff I'm out.  

It still lags so much, just like windows phone 8.1 on my phone.

Games still in app list....so still broken. 8.1 has been two steps forward, three steps back. Kudos. P.S. Still laggier than hell. Who ever is in charging of wrecking everything that actually worked fine....FIRE THEIR ASSES!

The games are supposed to be in the app list, that's a change 8.1 brought with it.

Yeah...and they did that once before. And almost all of us screamed we hated it, so they put it back how it should be. So here is a great idea...DO IT AGAIN. Who ever is making the decisions over there went brain dead years ago. Def and dumb.

Really, what dimension did you get your Windows Phone from because Games have never been in the app list before. Not even on WP7!!!

need more fix))
scroling to bad

scrolling like a android )

Thanks I really have been struggling with this app

It seems they took away some of the interactions with your avatar ... for example to cause your avatar to get angry and break glass or get dizzy and fall down.   It was just a nice little feature that was fun.

You can still shake your phone to make your avatar fall down, after it finishes playing with a prop. However it won't react by moving the hub to the right or breaking glass, as you said.

Thx. I didn't know you could shake the phone...i miss the breaking glass. It was even better in wp7.5 ... The screen would break and vibrate at the same time. :)

Look at the relative install bases and guess which one got dealt with first.

I noticed nothing different at all.

Avatar is not loading instantly. It requires data each time I open games hub. So annoying.

It works better.  Still updates every time tho.  I agree with getting the games off my app list.  And I also want my Recent Games back at the top of the list

Fixes nothing for Me :'(

I just think I would be better if games where not listed with the rest of our apps would be better. I have alot of games on my phone which I personally don't play on they are for kids. I just hate my app list being so full. Was better before. Hopefully they will do something even if they bring in a filter option in app list would be good

Update just made it bad for me. Used to list all my games, now it doesn't.

A lot of people dislike this update. Microsoft should keep their update for future reference, but we should have an option in the settings to enable/disable games being visible in the Games app instead of the original app selection. LISTEN to your LOYAL customers Microsoft! You've came a long way with this update! Don't set yourself back by limiting your loyalist!

I don't play games often, but do have a handful of games. I actually deleted all my games because I don't want them in my app list. I took the nuclear option...

I had the issue of not loading games in collection. After the update, it is fixed

I'm seriously considering not updating to Windows Phone 8.1 just so I can keep my games separate from my apps.

Each to their own, but if your in the app list so much then it sounds like you aren't using your start screen enough. I'm never I'm the app list.

Why would you let something so small stop you from updating? It doesn't make any difference, I haven't even noticed it really. 8.1 is the best thing to ever happen to us WP users.

Can't believe we still can't see my Xbox one achievements. Disappointing

You guys need to fix it properly again. There is a problem with editing the details of Xbox account, it is getting crashed. Please check it.....

Games are still appearing in the apps list but at least the screenshot on the store page has been fixed.

Seems faster...

About freekin time

Seems faster

At least it now loads the games, although kinda flickers and 8.1 does not look as smooth as 8 as overall.

Still no Xbox one support? Really?

Agreed 1,000,000,000%  This should of been supported when the beta came down. This is a joke that Xbox one is not supported in the Xbox game hub on a brand new OS update...

GJ MS!  Fastest fix I remember.. 

Wonder why it needs to "update" every single time you open the app?

Games are supposed to be on the inside of the Game Hub not in the App list!!!

They made it in app list for easy access. I think it's a good idea and so do most people from my understanding.

They fixed the Spotlight section. I would always get 'Update failed' or something like that ...

Yeah, it's fixed for me as well now.

Ummm Xbox One??

Yes! My games are showing up in the hub finally. Scrolling the game list is not smooth though.

I want Xbox One achievements to populate...

"Games in app list" I doesn't like it. May be in future songs, videos in wp will also appears! So, I suggest that there must be a filter to appear in app list or in games hub.

I have a games list again. However the store description for the games app I wrong, maybe I'm missing something but there isn't any avatar/xbox live integration at all any more. It's just a list of games. Oh and they also now display recommendations at the bottom of your games list.

This update did fix my games hub issue, but it didn't fix the GAME ISSUE... my The Sims Freeplay still can't finish their work or tasks, and the building time for a 1 hour construction became '388301h 47m 44s'.... soooooo when's the next update? -_-

Not an issue Microsoft can fix, you're sure you're time is correct?

yeah, I have my clock in auto-set :)

After Updating Xbox Games..Still the games appear on appslist!! Is it me or everyone has the same bug! Anyone know how to remove from the appslist!

It's not a bug, games show in the app list by design as the Games app is now removed from the OS for faster updates. The only way to remove them from the app list is to uninstall them!!!

I just wish Microsoft would add the feature to create an additional sort option in the app list that works as a sorting or category in a way which we can rename and add apps into that way our app list will definitely be less messy than now.

lol One and a Half Stars. OUCH.

I can't Update Xbox Games, After downloading attention required. All the Time this. What to do ?

Check your internet connection.

I use wifi cellular data still the same :/

Lolwut, still not smooth and lags, and crazy "updating..." At beginning.

Pls remove games from app list and keep it at games hub....as it was earlier in wp8

Games dont appear in hub

Still a pain in the ass.

I cannot install the 'Game' app nor the update. When I go to the app page in the store there is no install/update button in the store.

go to Store - settings and manualy search for updates, also check history of updates, if instaled Games version v2.0.1404.16001 you got update already....

The app hasn't updated and the game tile is unresponsive since 8.1 update. Even after downloading the app update the app fails to install

Still doesn't work for me. app just shows a list of games available in store, and nothing else...