Microsoft revealed earlier this year that it’s combining “the best of Xbox and Windows together” for handhelds, and now the company is starting to drop the first hints at what that UI might look like. In a blog post about Xbox “opening a billion doors,” Microsoft briefly revealed a new Xbox UI that looks a lot more console-like across multiple devices and even appears to list Steam games.
After briefly posting an image of a new Xbox UI across multiple devices, Microsoft quickly removed it once The Verge inquired about it. The image has a new Xbox UI that can be seen on a TV, where you can clearly see the Steam label listed. The same UI, with the Steam mention, is also shown on the tablet and handheld versions.
While the image appears to be a mockup, with owned games listed twice as well as action-adventure titles, I don’t think the Steam label here is necessarily a mistake. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell me that the company is currently working on an Xbox app update that will show every game you have installed on your PC. That includes games from Steam and the Epic Games Store, and I understand Microsoft will label these games accordingly.
I’m told Microsoft is still in the early stages of this Xbox app update, so the company might never ship the feature to list all your Steam games, but this mocked up image shows how they might show up eventually. Xbox chief Phil Spencer has also previously hinted that PC stores like Epic Games Store and Itch.io could one day arrive on Xbox consoles.
Microsoft has also been working on making the Xbox app the home of PC gaming, and listing Steam games in this app would certainly help. GOG has a similar system in place, so you can see games you own on PC across multiple launchers.
I asked Microsoft to comment on the appearance of this Xbox app UI, but the company didn’t respond in time for publication.
