Microsoft is adding more bloat to Edge with a Games button

Microsoft is adding a new feature to Edge, but you're probably not going to like it. The Chromium-based browser now has a games button, because why not?

The feature hasn't made it to the stable channel yet, but according to reddit user, Leopeva64-2, who spotted the option, is available in the Edge Canary Channel.

The person also shared some screenshots on the social website to highlight the feature. The toggle for the Games button is located in the Edge > Settings > Appearance page. It is not enabled by default, which is a good thing. Switching it on adds the button to the browser's toolbar. Clicking the said button, displays a modal that pulls content from MSN Games.

That's what it is, the panel is a glorified web wrapper for Microsoft's online gaming portal. Great, that's just what we want, more bloat!

I mean, take a look at this list, some of these are useful options. Do we really need a button that takes you to the MSN Games page to clutter the toolbar? That's what makes it bloat, right?

I have all three channels of Edge installed on my computer (for testing purposes), but the Games button isn't available for me in the latest version of Edge Canary, 99.0.1117.0. So, the option is probably only available for users in specific regions for soft-testing purposes, or maybe it has been pulled already like the "follow the website" feature that is sort of like an RSS feed.

If it provided something useful, like quick access to Steam, Epic Games, GOG, or  the Xbox GamePass store, I can kind of understand how that can be useful, a faster way to search game fronts might be handy. But, the screenshots tell a different story, and since I can't test the feature myself, I can't comment on how the Games button and the panel will work. I wouldn't be surprised if it displays notifications or ads for games, invites from other players, but this is pure speculation of course.

Where is Microsoft Edge heading?

When Microsoft introduced features like Vertical Tabs, Sleeping Tabs, etc., I thought that Edge browser was very impressive and modern. But the browser has been on a downward spiral for a while.

The Redmond company has been criticized for making it difficult for users to switch default apps in Windows 11. Even if you set a different browser as your default handler, web searches are forced to open in Edge. And then there is all the negative marketing that Microsoft has been involved with, it ridiculed Chrome as a dated browser, promoting itself when the user searches for rival browsers. Maybe they are doing all this deliberately, to take the heat away from Windows 11's performance issues? How's that for 4D chess?

Jokes aside, I can barely find a reason to recommend Edge these days. Sure, it is well optimized and hence is faster than other browsers on Windows, but that's about the only positive thing I have to say about it.

Do you remember when useful features like EPUB support were removed from the browser, despite having many votes on the Feedback Hub? We have seen various odd features arrive in Edge, like shopping coupons, a buy now pay and later option which is quite controversial, and now we have a nearly useless games button.

Microsoft is adding more bloat to Edge with a Games button