Microsoft is making the Windows 11 setup process a little more fun, at least on some laptops. Editors who unboxed Surface Laptop Studio 2 yesterday discovered that Microsoft will now prompt you to play modern versions of SkiFree games while waiting for updates.
This fun Easter egg is very similar to the SkiFree ski game released in 1991 as part of Microsoft's Windows Entertainment Pack 3.
The game will appear as an option if there are outstanding Windows updates available, or if you are restoring settings using a Windows backup. Therefore, it is not yet clear whether this game is exclusive to the new Surface device, or whether Microsoft has added the game to the entire setup process of Windows 11.
Regardless, it's a fun addition to the often tedious Windows setup process. Microsoft has made great strides in the out-of-box installation process of Windows in recent years, and Windows 10 improves on Windows 8 to provide a more modern and streamlined process. Older gamers must still remember how unfriendly the installation process of Windows laptops was more than ten years ago, and the changes in Windows 11 are refreshing. Even when you're trying to configure a bunch of laptops, having a game available to you is much better than having Cortana yell at you.