Microsoft «has highlighted» the Steam tab in the new Xbox interface

Microsoft seems to be preparing a major update for the Xbox ecosystem — and it inadvertently «revealed» an interesting detail.

У Xbox blog there was a report that Microsoft is looking to combine the best of Xbox and Windows in a new interface for different devices. The screenshots showed the Xbox interface with a Steam tab in the game list. However, Microsoft quickly removed the images when journalists asked about them.

The images showed the new UI on TVs, tablets, consoles, etc. All versions clearly show Steam, which hints at the possibility of running games from this platform via Xbox.

The Verge’s sources confirm that this is not a mock-up, and Microsoft is indeed working on updating the Xbox App. The app is expected to show all installed games on PCs, regardless of the store. This applies not only to Steam but also to the Epic Games Store. Each service will be labeled accordingly, so users will be able to manage their library in one place.

However, this is only at an early stage of development. There is no guarantee that Microsoft will launch this feature in the near future. For now, the company is actively working on a full-fledged pocket console, which can be released in cooperation with Asus. The portable console is expected to run on Windows, but with an interface close to the Xbox to make it easier to launch games from the Xbox and PC libraries. Most likely, the development is somehow related to Steam in the Xbox ecosystem.

Microsoft has long hinted at the possibility of integrating third-party stores. Back in 2024, Xbox CEO Phil Spencer spoke about the desire to add Itch.io and the Epic Games Store to consoles. Perhaps the company is testing a new direction that will allow playing Steam games directly through the Xbox App or even on the consoles themselves.

There is no official comment from Microsoft yet, but this «merged» detail may be the first step towards a new, more open Xbox ecosystem. Perhaps the company decided to attract more players this way, given that developers often ignore Xbox (which means «lame» exclusives)

Source: The Verge