Xbox is really upping its game by weaving more features into its PC app, and it seems like they’ve let slip a surprise that not many saw coming.
Not too long ago, we shared an exclusive scoop on Project Kennan, which is Microsoft’s partner venture with ASUS to create a handheld device. This marks the first step in Xbox’s fresh initiative to team up with OEM partners, mainly those linked with Windows PCs, aiming to shape the future of Windows gaming hardware.
For those familiar with devices like Lenovo’s Legion Go or ASUS’s ROG Ally, the user experience feels worlds apart from what the Steam Deck offers. That’s because Windows isn’t inherently set up for gaming like this, though that’s a landscape that’s evolving before our eyes.
Microsoft is introducing loads of new features via the Xbox Game Bar, with additions like a compact mode and the newfound capability to use Windows’ on-screen keyboard with a controller. But this recent leak indicates a major step forward.
The Verge spotted, and then watched as Microsoft hastily removed, a blog post featuring a graphic. The image hinted at Microsoft’s endeavor to engage developers in a gaming ecosystem spanning multiple platforms. Look closely, and you’ll notice an intriguing feature absent from Microsoft’s Xbox app game library—a Steam filter.
As of now, the Xbox Game Bar already allows for launching recent Steam games when it’s set to compact mode. It can detect and launch Steam games residing on your system. For instance, I’ve been playing Final Fantasy 7 Remake on my Lenovo Legion Go without a hitch. However, this functionality doesn’t extend to the Xbox app itself, and certainly not to detecting your entire Steam library.
The presence of a “Steam” filter suggests something more could be in the works. It might be a simple oversight or an aspirational vision from the designer who created the mockup. Alternatively, it could imply a deeper, long-anticipated collaboration between Microsoft and Valve, possibly to bring platforms like Steam to Xbox consoles. The inclusion of Xbox consoles in the graphic suggests that Microsoft might indeed want us to view this as a part of the Xbox experience. Or perhaps it’s all just a significant oversight.
The Verge highlighted that after they started probing the implications of the image, Microsoft promptly pulled it from the blog post.
Now, does it hold any real weight? If I were to venture a guess, Microsoft is poised to revamp the library segment of the Xbox app on PC. As it stands, the game library is perhaps its weakest link, highlighting defunct Windows Phone games in its “owned” filter and lacking the option to hide outdated beta tests or demos. Microsoft has already started merging Steam with the compact version of the Xbox Game Bar. Xbox chief Phil Spencer has previously expressed how he aspires for partner devices—like Kennan or the ROG Ally—to offer an experience much like an Xbox console.
Microsoft is diligently working to fuse Xbox and Windows game development into a more cohesive future. From what Windows Central gathers, traditional Win32 will serve as the primary development environment for forthcoming Xbox consoles, with the current Xbox One/Series X|S “ERA” set-up gradually getting phased out. What happens to our library of Xbox ERA games is yet to be determined, though emulation seems to be one option Microsoft is exploring for backward compatibility and game preservation.
Will this make these games accessible on Windows devices like Kennan, the ROG Ally, or typical gaming PCs? That’s uncertain, partly due to the legal complexities concerning what Microsoft can offer with third-party titles in its store.
I’ve reached out to Microsoft for their thoughts on this, but no matter how you slice it, things are definitely heating up.
