Monday, June 23rd 2025
Microsoft Adds Steam Library to Xbox PC App on Windows
Microsoft is letting Xbox Insiders try out a new library in the Xbox PC app on Windows that brings together games from Steam, Battle.net, Xbox, and Game Pass in one central spot. Once you install a supported title, it automatically shows up in your library and in the recent games list, so you don't have to hunt through different launchers. You can also hide any storefront you don't use in the app's settings to keep your view clean. Before the holidays, Microsoft will roll this feature out to handhelds like the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X, so you can carry your entire collection on the go. Over time, more PC storefronts will be added, making the Xbox PC app an even more complete hub for your games. To get started, just download the Xbox Insider Hub on your PC, join the PC gaming preview, and you'll see the combined library appear in your Xbox app.
Source:
Xbox
34 Comments on Microsoft Adds Steam Library to Xbox PC App on Windows
Did I tell you no yet? You keep trying. Just no.
Sure, the XBOX app may well be adding support for steam games, but what do we, the users get from this flagrant misplaced trust?
Will Microsoft handle Steam achievements, matchmaking, multiplayer, the Steam overlay and all it's associated features, Big Picture Mode, SteamVR, chat, invites, ad-hoc session join, automatic update/DLC management, library sharing, libraries in shared locations, cloud save for savegames and settings, local network transfer for huge libraries of 100GB games, workshop mods, linked mod managers, per-game community forums and compatibility with Steams built-in voice-chat?
That's not even close to being a complete list, it's just the things that I'd be upset to lose and if the answer to that question is no for more than a few of those things Steam does, then it just seems like a way for microsoft to harvest your data without really giving you anything positive for the downsides.
I feel like people are massively misunderstanding what that new functionality actually is. That app won't allow you buy and install a steam game without steam installed. It's just a global launcher like GOG.
galaxy.
Microsoft really created a generational trauma. You really thought that they were trying to to do an hostile takeover of valve ?
Java... py powered? It is, isn't it? Either way, GameSpy Arcade did this in like 2000, so did GameSpy Comrade in 2006. Hell, Kali did it in 1995. All of those had more features too, seemingly. This is more akin to GoG Galaxy from a decade ago, or more recently Asus's own Crate software that comes on the Ally itself (which I own), or dozen other launchers and aggregate-your-games-under-this-one-app "apps" out there. Except all of those listed had more functionality somehow than this.... this "app" from one of the largest corporations in the solar system. What happened to this company? As far as gaming, they seem to be content to sticking to Ryzen budget PC's, onto which they slap Xbox stickers and call it a "console"....The max I'm willing to endure is the M$ account requirement for some games like M$F$ or other M$/Xbox games but no more than that. If I want to play a Steam game, I'll use/launch Steam, tyvm M$.
Who knew adding a button to an existing handheld would piss off Sony fanboys
Who knew adding a shortcut to Xbox that allows to view the Steam Library(just like Steam does) would piss off Steam fanboys.
KEEP GOING MICROSOFT! YOU’RE ON A ROLL RIGHT NOW.And I’m here for all of it! I’m loving every minute of it and the dumbass logic that Steam and PlayStation fanboys come up with.
For another decade of mismanagement! May Uncle Phil last forever as head of Microsoft's gaming division!
This is how they will do the aggregated library of all your pc games and give you the "xbox full screen experience" as they have listed on the website.
I really don't understand what is so controversial about this.
My only concern is that it seems to be forcing you to log in with a Microsoft Account (which will enable the Xbox profile on the account if you do). I only use a local account on Windows 10/11 computers so this would be quite annoying if Microsoft decides to force users to log in.
Anyways I still prefer DRM free everything if possible as want to actually own my games and not just a license.
to make it simple
Box with USB stick and paper manual - works flawless without asking for server - without own nonsense launcher - without long intro - without crashing the game in middle.
quality usb stick which last 30years + free download server with login code for 50years.
Except hardware and a few amazon prime gaming games I hardly bought any games.
Minecraft i got windows key - I did not even bother creating the account.
Gog.com also annoys me. 15% can not be executed. Some other nonsense installs on windows 11 pro a very old dosbox version. No information on gog.com that the game uses dosbox. I can setup dosbox myself. I do not need several archives which install an outdated version of dosbox. If I had known it's dosbox version, I would have setup my gnu userspace dosbox.
amazon prime bought week membership has shown me that gog.com has poor game support. especially mafia III and a few other games. It's the same mess as when I compile code for a github game in the gnu userspace and fix some compiling bugs. For windows I need to get the game running and patch it so it is barely acceptable. missing System files for windows, missing music, missing textures, ...I did a reinstall of w11 pro with a local user a few hours ago. Once the microsoft account is in w11pro it's very hard to get rid of it. than I was forced to set a pin and other nonsense.
No thanks. i do not need password or pin for a "secure" w11 pro. W11 pro i classify such secure that i use a local user only and for binary games only. Really awesome, very secure and there are no issues with ASUS Armory Crate and some other software which infect and affect w11pro / w10 pro operating systems. I do not need a password user with email for a gameboy operating system. I just need a plain user which autologins. Which is not possible with w11 pro a few days ago once the microsoft account is bound
I agree - just another way to get more computers infected with a microsoft email address so they know which microsoft w11 pro license, which games, which email address and other data.
-- For a company owned device a password and a user and microsoft authenticator is fine and token. - Nope for gameboy windows 11 pro.
-- a few hours ago, roman i can not play a videofile. That was a windows 11 pro I installed myself on that notebook where the NVME died a few months ago for a sports colleague. windows is a gameboy operating system - not more. The need for VLC download and 90MB less mobile data on my smartphone.
And as others have noted, Im not interested in giving micro$haft access to my Steam account of the email I use with it.
The issues of mafia are just issues that the game has on Windows. Steam users are also complaining about that.
That Dosbox stuff was probably installed because you bought a vintage game that cannot run natively on Windows. Vintage games on Steam also do that. They are trying to make things simpler for the average user, but I can see how that could annoy a power user.
if I'm not wrong, physical media are mostly dead and gone on PC. Most of them are too big for DVDs, and hardly anybody buys Blu-ray players, so it's all digital now.People who are using the Gamepass. The new ROG ally is also why they bothered with that, I think. I haven't watched the LTT demo yet, but my guess would be that the optimized handheld interface rely on the Xbox app. While steam get big picture, Epic and GOG are very mouse and KB optimized
Which probably makes the Ally a non buy for all the all people who dislike MS and all their product, but that's fine, there's tons of option, and there's especially the deck for the people who cannot wait to get away from windows. So it's a non-issue as well. Just move along, nothing to see here :D
Key question : what is GoG and what does it sell
Yes, the new Rog Ally is obviously a way for Microsoft to get more people onboard the Xbox ecosystem. But there are plenty of other handhelds that won't use an interface relying on Xbox.
You act as if Microsoft is going to make the Xbox app the only way to launch any game on Windows moving forward. Which isn't the case. You are free to not use their app, and to not get involved in the Xbox ecosystem.
It's literally a non issue for anyone who hate anything related to Xbox, you can just not use it and nothing will change in your daily life.
Are we actually having a conversation about Microsoft doing a QOL adjustment for profit? Isn't that a ship that sailed many decades ago? Windows was born from a gotcha contract screwing over IBM and a business model that ensured maximum profit and proliferation of the OS. It's been a capitalist company from its genesis. Cheap PC compatible computers for everyone, yes, but also billions of dollars in their pockets.