Ever since Microsoft’s push for cross-platform games between Xbox and PC becomes apparent, many gamers have feared that the company will be using its console leverage to limit PC gaming choices to its Windows Store platform. Well here’s something that should alleviate that fear: Xbox chief Phil Spencer has gone on the record about Microsoft’s future support for Steam, reports Windows Central.
Specifically, according to Spencer in an interview on the Giant Boom livestream, Steam has massive growth in the PC gaming space, and Valve remains “an important independent software vendor” for Windows. It certainly doesn’t hurt Valve to not have first party Microsoft games on its store, and Microsoft seems to be choosing the most reasonable way to reach gamers: by releasing games on Steam.
No titles were mentioned for a potential Steam release, however. Furthermore, with Xbox Play Anywhere officially announced at this year’s E3, cross-buy and cross-play between Xbox and Windows will remain a distinctive advantage of Microsoft’s gaming platform: while there’s no mention of Steam titles getting even cross-buy, it’s not hard to see Valve’s platform left out of the loop, if for nothing but purely technical reasons.
To be fair, not all Windows Store Xbox titles have been successfully launched, as Spencer admitted himself in the interview; they are going to be learning points for Microsoft to do better in the future. After all, gamers will be the one benefit the most from these decisions and the competition, which is always a good thing.
