It appears that Microsoft intends to demolish the norms of gaming industry competition between platforms. Not happy about revealing valuable first-party games on rival consoles, Xbox appears to be ready for Arm to link with Steam, the leading PC gaming platform.
Verge reports that Microsoft briefly released an image depicting Xbox’s new cross-device user interface on Thursday. The “Steam” filters are clearly visible in the view of the user’s game library shown in the image.
The image was featured on a blog titled “Open a Billion Door on Xbox” about Microsoft’s current platform-independent strategy. (Sample quote: “Our goal is simple: to make every screen in the world Xbox”)) It appears that the image was deleted immediately by Microsoft after Verge asked.
It appears that the release of the image was a mistake. Does it really show that steam integration is coming to Xbox? And in a world where all screens are Xbox, what exactly does that mean?
It’s certainly not strange for Microsoft to try to view a user’s Steam library within the Xbox PC app in this way. According to sources in Verge, Microsoft plans to install all the games on PCs visible within the Xbox app, and other PC game launchers such as GOG are planning to do this.
However, there is also a real opportunity for Microsoft to think about expanding steam integration beyond desktop PCs. This image shows a new Xbox UI running on multiple devices. Laptop, phone, tablet, ASUS Rog Ally handheld, TV. The Xbox console is also shown. This coincides with Microsoft’s announced strategy combining Windows and Xbox experience with a new integrated UI that will be reportedly featured in Xbox-branded PC handhelds from partner manufacturers this year.
Will steam integration reach future Xbox consoles and desktops and handheld PCs? It’s not fantasy to propose that. Xbox chief Phil Spencer last year believes that console platforms should be more open, like PCS, and that they have opened rival stores like the Epic Games store on Xbox consoles.
Windows Central refers to the enduring rumors of a Microsoft-Valve partnership, and refers to steaming the next-generation Xbox console. The next-generation Xbox console (a dedicated handheld and successor to the Xbox Series X) is said to be more PC-like devices running in a Windows-based development environment.
With all that in mind, it’s surprisingly easy to imagine Steam as an integral part of Xbox in the future. This latest image was probably a mockup, and the publication certainly was an unintended slip. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a sign of what’s coming.
