This probably won't happen, given that such a deal would need to facilitate profits for both Microsoft and Valve, and Valve would likely lose its sales cut on some titles if they were offered in a third-party subscription service on its storefront. Unless Microsoft is specifically prepared to tackle integrating Proton and its many iterations into this app and making sure games are verified itself, this seems like a more ambitious goal than it might first appear.Īnother option that seems less likely is a team effort by Microsoft and Valve to integrate PC Game Pass as a whole into Steam, including making all of its library on Steam available to PC Game Pass subscribers.

This approach makes sense, but is likely to cause issues with the main method that the Steam Deck uses to launch Windows games, Proton. Microsoft could bring an application to the platform similar to the Xbox launcher for Windows PCs.

There are many factors to consider when theorizing how Xbox Game Pass could be efficiently adapted to Steam Deck. Microsoft has made some adjustments to game streaming based on its performance on Steam Deck, but this is still far from ideal for those paying for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass. This arduous installation process is ineffective since it involves modifying the game's launch options in Steam's settings, the constant requirement of high-speed internet, and its limitation to only the library of games supported by Xbox Cloud Gaming (which only includes Xbox console games).

With this in mind, integrating subscriptions services to the platform gives new Steam Deck owners a slew of titles to play upon taking the system out of the box.Ĭurrently, the only way to access Xbox Game Pass's vast catalog of games is by awkwardly installing a version of the Bing web application that allows for integrated streaming of Xbox Cloud Gaming titles to the handheld. That means they do not have massive libraries filled with games bought during quarterly sales like many other Steam users. While Steam is one of the biggest storefronts in the entire video game industry and generates billions in revenue every year, many purchasing Valve's Steam Deck are new to the service.

Game pass on steam deck