Microsoft seems to insist on spoiling its internet browsers, as after every successful start to a browser, the company either slows down its development process or adds unnecessary elements to it to make users alienate it, and it looks for another alternative.
In the past few days, Microsoft has been testing a new feature with some Canary channel insiders of the Edge Chromium browser called Game Panel. This feature is not enabled by default, and it can be accessed via the Settings menu --> Appearance --> Games button.
When enabled, a new gamestick button appears in the browser's omnibar next to the URL bar, and when the user clicks this button, a list opens containing dozens of HTML5 games arranged by categories such as Microsoft classics, Arcade, Girls, Board & Card, Puzzle, Sports, Match 3..., etc.
When you click on one of these games, a new browsing tab opens that leads to the MSN Games website, where it can be played without installing anything additional in the browser or on the user's device. Suggested games on the games panel include Solitaire, Mahjong, Microsoft Jewel, Chess, 2048, and more.
This new feature joins the list of add-ons that Microsoft is incorporating into the new browser, such as the Math Solver, RSS reader, Pinterest Collections, alerts, and tips button, buy now pay later, and Citations, in addition to preventing the user from easily changing his default browser in Windows 11, as well as sending him notifications and advertisements when he wants to install a competing browser or when he switches to another search engine in an effort to gain more users and gain a larger market share. But stuffing the Edge browser with many pre-installed add-ons goes against the foundation on which Microsoft introduced the Edge Chromium browser, as a Lightweight alternative for Google Chrome, and may negatively affect the user's productivity and experience, alienating him and looking for an alternative browser.