- Microsoft adds a new Easter egg in the setup of Windows 11.
- The Easter egg is an option to play the SkiFree while setting up your new device.
- The game seems to appear when during update downloads or restoring from backup.
Windows 11 has a new Easter egg in the form of a game. It’s been discovered that in certain laptops, the initial Out-of-box Experience (OOBE) of the operating system will allow you to play a modern version of the classic SkiFree skiing game.
According to a new report from The Verge, when setting up a new device, and the system has to download a substantial amount of updates or restore the system from backup, you will notice an option to play the SkiFree game while you wait for the setup to complete.
The secret game is the same Easter egg that Microsoft introduced to its Microsoft Edge browser several years ago, and it provides an enjoyable way to spend time while your computer finishes the setup.
SkiFree is a classic skiing game where you control a skier down a mountain, avoiding obstacles and trying to score points, depending on the game mode. The game was created by Chris Pirih and released with Microsoft Entertainment Pack 3 for Windows 3.0 in October 1991.
The report notes that the option to play the game has appeared while setting up the new Surface Laptop Studio 2, and it’s unclear if this Easter egg is limited to Surface devices or if anyone will find the game while configuring any computer or during a clean installation of Windows 11.
Regardless of the reason, the secret game on Windows 11 seems to be a subtle but good addition to the Out-of-box Experience, which the company has been significantly improving since the original release of the operating system.
Image credit: The Verge
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].