Microsoft Publishes and Pulls Xbox UI Mockup Featuring a Tab for Steam Games

Microsoft has leaked what appears to be an in-development Xbox UI update that allows players to see all of the PC games they’ve installed through Steam, the Epic Games Store, and more.

The company prematurely pulled back the curtain on what could eventually be a feature for players to take advantage of in a recent blog post titled “Opening a Billion Doors with Xbox.” As spotted and shared by The Verge, the post included a seemingly innocuous image of Xbox Series X | S consoles alongside phones, tablets, television screens, and more. Closer inspection, however, reveals that some of the devices’ screens highlight a small tab labeled “Steam.”

It's easy to miss but undeniably strange considering Valve’s digital PC storefront doesn’t really share any functionality with Microsoft gaming hardware in this way. The image has also now been removed from the post itself, signaling that the Xbox team wasn’t interested in leaving it up after a few keen-eyed readers noticed Steam’s inclusion.

The Verge’s sources said the company is indeed working on an update that will connect users not only to their Steam library but to other PC storefronts, too. If accurate, it would mean players could see every game installed on their PCs and which storefront they’ve purchased them through. The site said Microsoft is still in the “early stages” when it comes to the development of this potential UI update, so don’t expect to see an update rollout soon (if ever) until more concrete information is revealed.

Any mention of Steam in an official Xbox UI update mockup should raise eyebrows even if it was unintentionally published. Microsoft has spent the last decade slowly bringing more of its titles not only to PC but other platforms, too. Some highlights include games like Pentiment and Grounded on PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch, while rumors continue to point to the Master Chief Collection eventually coming to PlayStation, too.

Microsoft has continued to blur the lines between Xbox and PC for the last few years. Just months ago, it launched the “This is an Xbox” campaign, which aims to show all of the devices players can play Xbox games on. In an interview with Polygon last year, Xbox head Phil Spencer teased that he could see a future where PC stores like Itch.io and the Epic Games Store are available on Xbox hardware.

Indeed, Microsoft's alleged next-gen Xbox, apparently due out 2027, will reportedly be more like a PC than any Xbox before it.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).