Are you ready for the experience?
We look to 2023 to bring new, exciting opportunities in our lives and the sentiment is no different in the world of apps, games, and entertainment on Microsoft Store on Windows. But before we say “out with the old and in with the new,” let’s take a moment to reflect on some of the biggest hits of 2022. Let’s be honest, we’re never really “out” when it comes to great content and apps that improve our lives.
Some of the most memorable movies and TV shows of 2022
Whether they were surprise hits, most anticipated titles, or content that had everyone talking, these are just a few hits of the big and small screen that are worth checking out if you never got around to watching them for yourself. See our carefully curated list of titles here.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Microsoft Movies & TV
After being framed for the death of Quentin Beck in “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” Peter Parker (Tom Holland) asks Dr. Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a spell to make the world forget Spider-Man’s true identity. However, the corrupted spell backfires and exposes the world to villains across the multiverse. Can Spider-Man protect his loved ones and the world in his biggest war to date? Zendaya and Alfred Molina also star in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Top Gun: Maverick
Microsoft Movies & TV, Prime Video
Over 30 years have passed and fans of the original “Top Gun” finally got the highly anticipated sequel, Top Gun: Maverick. Maverick is now a captain, test pilot, and one of the United States Navy’s top aviators; however, his constant insubordination has prevented him from becoming a flag officer. His rival-turned-friend Iceman, who is now a commander, has been able to protect him from being grounded. Maverick has to confront and embrace his past all while training the latest crop of young pilots, including his deceased best friend’s (Goose) son. Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer return to their original roles as Maverick and Iceman, respectively. Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Jon Hamm, and Glen Powell join the cast.
The Woman King
Microsoft Movies & TV
Fight or we die. This is the rally cry to warriors of the King’s Guard of the African Kingdom of Dahomey. The Woman King gives a historical account of the Agojie, an all-female military regiment and their epic story in the 1820s. The Agojie’s general begins intense training of liberated women who had been abducted by slavers as their king wages an all-out war on the rival empire and slave traders. Bear witness to the strength, fearlessness, and bravery of, arguably, the most effective military unit in West African history. Oscar-award winner Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, and John Boyega take a star turn in this action-drama film based on true events.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Prime Video
As the prequel of J.R.R Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power tackles the battle to save Middle-earth from being covered by a shroud of evil darkness thousands of years prior. New and familiar characters shape their destinies across epic journeys, adventures, and fantastical sceneries that readers and viewers have grown to love. Touting the distinction of being the most expensive TV series ever made, this Prime Video series showcases an ensemble of characters seeking to “choose not the path of fear, but that of faith.”
Wednesday
Netflix
Just when you thought you’d seen the last of the Addams family, they’re already back in a snap (or two). The Netflix series Wednesday tells the story of the eccentric family’s teenage daughter who tends to lean towards her morbid curiosities and to avoid most—if not all—social interactions. Having been expelled for defending her brother at her “normie” school, Wednesday’s parents send her to Nevermore, the school for outcasts where they met. While there, she realizes that she is capable of having visions which play a huge part in a murder mystery she is intent to solve. From the imagination of Tim Burton, “Wednesday” stars Jenny Ortega, Gwendoline Christie, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, and Christina Ricci.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Disney+
As the follow-up, miniseries to Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan Kenobi picks up a decade later with the series’ titular character lending a watchful eye over a young Luke Skywalker on the desert planet Tatooine. Meanwhile, the exiled Jedi must steer clear of the Empire’s elite Jedi hunters. Ewan McGregor (Kenobi) and Hayden Christensen (Darth Vader) reprise their roles from their characters’ respective Star Wars prequel trilogy installments.
Explore some of our top PC games of 2022
There is truly something for everyone in our massive collection of PC games. If you’re curious about our top sellers of 2022, check out our collection of the best-selling titles here.
Hello Neighbor 2
tinyBuild
Can you truly trust your neighbors? Hello Neighbor 2 is a stealth horror game about uncovering your creepy neighbor’s secrets. Since no one else has dared to try, you are a journalist seeking to solve the neighbor’s case. Play against a complex opponent controlled by an advanced AI that learns from you and all the other players. As time passes and the neighbor adapts to the players’ patterns, his own behavior will change and surprise you. Will you be the one to outsmart this sneaky neighbor and discover what he’s been hiding all along? Will you be ready for what you’ll find?
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition – The Complete History
Xbox Game Studios
Experience everything Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition has to offer with The Complete History bundle. Be prepared to enjoy the full game plus all the previously released expansions, which bring all 22 civilizations, twelve co-op historical battles, eight fully voiced campaigns, and the Art of War challenge missions into one, cost-effective package. The bundle includes the latest downloadable content, The Knights of the Mediterranean DLC (plus the addition of the Italy and Malta Civilizations), the new Tycoon Game mode, eight historical maps, as well as new achievements to be earned.
Bermuda Adventures: Farm Games
Belka Games
Looking for family fun adventure games? Try the all-new Bermuda Adventures: Farm Games, which is the perfect mix of a tropical escape, while harvesting and enjoying adventures in island building. Imagine gathering a big family to celebrate Grandma’s birthday on a tropical paradise island, then suddenly suddenly something goes terribly wrong. A plane loses control and makes an emergency landing down in Bermuda adventure island, scattering the once-excited family members in all directions. Now they must, not only, learn to live on a tropical lost island, but also find the lost relatives.
Don’t miss some of our most popular productivity apps launched in 2022
They say it’s about productivity, but who are we kidding? It’s about making your life easier every step of the way. These are a few of our favorites, but take a full look at Microsoft Store on Windows’s productivity, creativity, and social media apps here.
CapCut
Bytedance Pte. Ltd.
CapCut offers easy-to-use video editing functions, free in-APP fonts and effects, free advanced features such as keyframe animation, smooth slow-motion, chroma key, and stabilization, to help you capture and snip moments. Create fancy videos with other unique features: auto captions, text-to-speech, motion tracking, and background removal. Show your personality and go viral on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook
Affinity Designer 2
Serif Europe Ltd
The latest generation of the award-winning vector graphics software, Affinity Designer 2 is setting the new industry standard in the world of design. Packed with tons of new features and hundreds of enhancements to optimize your workflow, you can now create high-quality concept art, illustrations, architectural renders, logos, icons, mock-ups, and other designs more seamlessly than ever before. Affinity Designer 2 offers a fully redeveloped UI, featuring an all-new Layers Panel and high-contrast UI settings. Check out the real-time performing app’s powerful new tools, including an x-ray view mode, drawing scale, and DXF/DWF import.
Canva
Canva
Everything you love about Canva and more is now available in a beautiful Windows desktop app. Join Fortune 500 companies that have bolstered their productivity and collaboration across their teams using Canva’s Workplace Templates to stay on brand and Charts and Infographics to simplify data storytelling. Use the creative app for social media across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Plus, with Canva, you can easily edit videos and photos by adjusting brightness, contrast, and saturation. Add text to photos and video, while applying your favorite aesthetic filters.