Xbox is on a mission to enhance its PC app with more features, and it seems a new one might have accidentally been revealed, catching us all by surprise.
Recently, we broke the news about Project Kennan, Microsoft’s collaboration on a handheld device with ASUS. This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Xbox, which is partnering with OEMs typically linked to Windows PCs, to shape the future of gaming hardware on Windows.
If you’ve ever used devices like a Lenovo Legion Go or ASUS ROG Ally, you’re likely aware that the user interface feels quite different compared to something like a Steam Deck. Windows, by design, isn’t suited for this kind of experience, but that’s slowly evolving.
Microsoft has been adding useful features to its Xbox Game Bar like a compact mode, and they’ve even introduced a way to use Windows’ on-screen keyboard with a controller. But this latest potential leak could be a significant advancement.
The Verge caught wind of a graphic that briefly surfaced on a Microsoft blog—before it was hastily removed—showing their initiative to draw developers into a more interconnected gaming ecosystem. Upon closer look, the graphic hinted at a feature that the Xbox app’s game library currently lacks: a Steam filter.
The Xbox Game Bar already allows launching recent Steam games in compact mode, and it can detect Steam games on your system, launching them when you choose. For instance, I’ve been enjoying Final Fantasy 7 Remake on my Lenovo Legion Go in this manner. However, the Xbox app itself doesn’t currently offer this functionality and certainly can’t yet detect your entire Steam library.
What does this mean? It could simply be an error or a hopeful design element by whoever created the interface mockup. On the other hand, it might signal something bigger, like a long-speculated partnership between Microsoft and Valve, potentially bringing Steam to Xbox consoles. The presence of Xbox consoles in the image suggests to me that Microsoft wants you to think of this interface as an extension of Xbox. Then again, it might just be a mistake.
Interestingly, The Verge mentioned that Microsoft pulled the image after questions about its importance began to surface.
What’s the takeaway? My best guess is that Microsoft is planning a revamp of the library section within the Xbox app on PC. Right now, it feels like the weakest link, showing old Windows Phone games in the “owned” filter and missing options to hide outdated beta tests or demos. Integration of Steam with the compact Xbox Game Bar is already underway. Xbox leader Phil Spencer has expressed a desire for partner devices like Kennan and the ROG Ally to replicate the console experience as closely as possible.
Microsoft is pushing to more closely align Xbox and Windows game development in the future. From what Windows Central gathers, the traditional Win32 environment will be favored for development on upcoming Xbox consoles, as the Xbox One/Series X|S “ERA” environment starts to phase out. What this means for our current library of games from this era remains uncertain, but emulation seems to be one of Microsoft’s strategies for backward compatibility and preserving games.
Could this mean that these games will run on Windows devices such as Kennan, the ROG Ally, or even the average gaming PC? It’s difficult to say for sure, as there are contractual legal issues about what Microsoft can do with third-party titles in its store.
We’ve reached out to Microsoft for a comment, but regardless, it’s clear that developments are getting quite intriguing.
