Forward-looking: It appears Microsoft is gearing up to overhaul the Xbox app on PC to integrate Steam and other game launchers. A leaked mockup image briefly posted by the company showed the new Xbox app UI spanning across TV, tablet, and handheld devices, with the "Steam" label prominently displayed alongside installed games as a filter for the games library.
Microsoft might be preparing to integrate Steam and other game launchers into the Xbox app. The company briefly posted a mockup image showing the new Xbox app UI across TV, tablet, and handheld devices, with a "Steam" filter prominently displayed alongside the game library.
The Verge spotted the image in a Game Dev blog post. Amusingly, the publication notes that when they contacted Microsoft for comment, they "quickly" removed it. The company has yet to comment on the post.
Still, the report cites sources familiar with Microsoft's plans, who say the leak is no mistake. The upcoming Xbox app update reportedly aims to show every game installed on your PC, including titles from Steam and the Epic Games Store.
This move aligns with Xbox chief Phil Spencer's previous hints about potentially bringing PC game stores like Epic Games Store and Itch.io to Xbox consoles. Microsoft has been actively positioning the Xbox app as the central hub for PC gaming, similar to GOG's unified library approach.
Beyond the purported Steam integration, the leaked mockup offers a glimpse into Microsoft's vision of a cohesive gaming experience across devices. It's still an early concept but showcases a console-like layout, pointing to the company's plans to bring the best of Xbox and Windows together for handhelds.
It's worth mentioning that Microsoft could soon face tough competition on gaming handhelds from Steam, which recently dropped the first general release for SteamOS, offering a fresh alternative to Windows. A console-like interface would help streamline the Windows gaming experience on handhelds, so a competitive redesign makes sense.
This rumored Steam integration may be just the tip of the iceberg. Redmond is reportedly pursuing much deeper synergies between Xbox and Windows gaming development in the years ahead. Anonymous insiders told Windows Central that Microsoft intends to make the traditional Win32 developmental environment the preference for coding games on future Xbox consoles. The sources added that this would eventually phase out the current Xbox One/Series X|S "ERA" environment for an experience more analogous to PC gaming.
It's certainly an odd development, given the age of Win32. The bright side is that if the Xbox runs on this, it may open up compatibility with some Windows applications. Unfortunately, this could also mean that the existing library of Xbox ERA games would have to run on emulation.
Microsoft might soon integrate your Steam games into the Windows Xbox app
