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Dear reader, while I do like Game Pass—it’s often a good deal when the lineup’s strong—I think you’ll agree when I say I’ve never enjoyed the experience of using the Xbox app. Microsoft can’t seem to cobble together a user interface that works after perfecting the concept back in the Windows XP days, and it’s been a slow slide downhill ever since.
The company is, however, trying to walk that back with an upcoming project—it sort of stumbled at the first block, though, by accidentally playing its hands a little early. On a GDC 2025 blog, Microsoft accidentally flaunted an image before taking it down, shown below (via The Verge). You’ll have to squint, but there’s also a “Classified as Microsoft Highly Confidential” watermark on the top and bottom left of the image. Oops.
As you might be able to see, tucked cheekily next to the “Game Pass” tab is a label that clearly reads Steam. Coincidence? I think not! The Verge also reports that “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”.
It’s been a few years—around three, to be precise—since PC Gamer’s own Tyler Wilde wrote these prophetic words on our site: “They really all came crawlin’ back to Steam, didn’t they?” He’s asleep as I’m writing this, but I’m sure he’s currently at GDC, feeling pleased as punch to be vindicated once more.
Okay, but what about the blog post? Well, it’s mostly filled with industry-speak that’ll make your eyes glaze over in record time, such as “the gaming industry continues to evolve” and “as we look toward 2025 and beyond”. It’s a pat on the back with some business assertions, bragging about all the strides in cloud gaming. Jolly good chewing material for investors, not much actual info.
As for the idea of an ‘everything app’? I’m not actually ragging at Microsoft for this, mind. It’s annoying to have all of your games scattered to the four winds of videogame launchers—any app that collates them is doing a good thing, in my book. Heck, I actively like the idea that I could launch my Game Pass games and Steam games from the same window.
The question, however, is whether this’ll actually be better than the current offerings. Microsoft’s not doing much new, here—GOG Galaxy’s existed in some form since 2019, as has Playnite. Under normal circumstances, I’d say Microsoft has a home field advantage, being able to slap this thing into your computer by default as part of its race to add bloatware to the experience of having a PC—but the Xbox app hasn’t exactly competed with Steam, has it?
Well, if you can’t beat them, join them. It’s doing okay for Ubisoft, who are enjoying solid player counts on Assassin’s Creed: Shadows after limping back to papa Valve. So it goes.
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Kurt Indovina
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