- 0-20%: Unlikely – Lacks credible sources
- 21-40%: Questionable – Some concerns remain
- 41-60%: Plausible – Reasonable evidence
- 61-80%: Probable – Strong evidence
- 81-100%: Highly Likely – Multiple reliable sources
A couple of days ago, Windows Central’s Jez Corden suggested that Xbox might stop releasing PC games on Valve’s Steam at some point in the future as part of its new PC gaming strategy.
Today, in a new report, Corden is setting the record straight after checking with hislly have any such plans. However, there are a few changes in how Xbox games will show up across the platform’s many stores
To start with, Battle.net is reportedly opening up to third-party developers. Corden says this plan has been in place for a while, but adds there’s no indication it has changed under the new management led by CEO Asha Sharma. Battle.net was traditionally used exclusively for Blizzard games, but over the years, it has added other Activision titles like Call of Duty and, after the Microsoft acquisition, Xbox-published titles such as Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed, as well as id Software’s DOOM: The Dark Ages.
The report also confirms that a program codenamed Positron will soon allow users to convert their physical game discs into a digital license for a game. This program is expected to be publicly unveiled by Microsoft later this month, so we won’t have to wait long to learn how exactly it’s going to work. Lastly, Corden heard that Microsoft is continuing to invest heavily in the Xbox PC app, Play Anywhere, backward compatibility on PC, and deeper integration with various third-party launchers like Ubisoft Connect and the EA app.
Everything considered, the new report makes the picture far less dramatic than the initial speculation suggested. Xbox is not preparing to abandon Steam, which would have been a disastrous move, but Microsoft does appear to be investing in a broader PC ecosystem around the Xbox app, Game Pass, Battle.net, Play Anywhere, and its own account infrastructure. The goal seems to be giving players and publishers more connected ways to buy, access, and carry games across Xbox consoles and PC, rather than forcing them away from Valve’s enormously popular storefront.
That approach makes actual business sense. Pulling first-party games from Steam would mean walking away from a huge PC audience and significant sales revenue, while strengthening Microsoft’s own platforms can still create new revenue opportunities without requiring that risk. As Xbox moves toward its next-generation hardware plans, the company seems intent on making its PC presence more competitive, interoperable, and useful, and Steam must be part of that equation, especially given that Project Helix is supposed to run Steam games as well.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief.
In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech’s gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews.
Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications.
His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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