Microsoft Publishes and Pulls Xbox UI Mockup Featuring a Tab for Steam Games

Microsoft has leaked what appears to beryllium an in-development Xbox UI update that allows players to spot each of the PC games they’ve installed done Steam, the Epic Games Store, and more.

The institution prematurely pulled backmost the curtain connected what could yet beryllium a diagnostic for players to instrumentality vantage of successful a caller blog station titled “Opening a Billion Doors with Xbox.” As spotted and shared by The Verge, the station included a seemingly innocuous representation of Xbox Series X | S consoles alongside phones, tablets, tv screens, and more. Closer inspection, however, reveals that immoderate of the devices’ screens item a tiny tab labeled “Steam.”

Xbox UI representation featuring Steam tab. Image courtesy of Microsoft via The Verge.

It's casual to miss but undeniably unusual considering Valve’s integer PC storefront doesn’t truly stock immoderate functionality with Microsoft gaming hardware successful this way. The representation has besides present been removed from the station itself, signaling that the Xbox squad wasn’t funny successful leaving it up aft a fewer keen-eyed readers noticed Steam’s inclusion.

The Verge’s sources said the institution is so moving connected an update that volition link users not lone to their Steam room but to different PC storefronts, too. If accurate, it would mean players could spot each crippled installed connected their PCs and which storefront they’ve purchased them through. The tract said Microsoft is inactive successful the “early stages” erstwhile it comes to the improvement of this imaginable UI update, truthful don’t expect to spot an update rollout soon (if ever) until much factual accusation is revealed.

Any notation of Steam successful an authoritative Xbox UI update mockup should rise eyebrows adjacent if it was unintentionally published. Microsoft has spent the past decennary dilatory bringing much of its titles not lone to PC but different platforms, too. Some highlights see games similar Pentiment and Grounded connected PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch, portion rumors proceed to constituent to the Master Chief Collection yet coming to PlayStation, too.

Microsoft has continued to blur the lines betwixt Xbox and PC for the past fewer years. Just months ago, it launched the “This is an Xbox” campaign, which aims to amusement each of the devices players tin play Xbox games on. In an interrogation with Polygon past year, Xbox caput Phil Spencer teased that helium could spot a aboriginal wherever PC stores similar Itch.io and the Epic Games Store are disposable connected Xbox hardware.

Indeed, Microsoft's alleged next-gen Xbox, seemingly owed retired 2027, volition reportedly beryllium much similar a PC than immoderate Xbox earlier it.

Michael Cripe is simply a freelance contributor with IGN. He's champion known for his enactment astatine sites similar The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be definite to springiness him a travel connected Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).