Now that Sony has turned its back on the PC, Microsoft may promote its own platform instead of Steam, which so many people use.

Xbox is currently going through a challenging period in the wake of a wave of acquisitions led by former executive Phil Spencer. This period has led to multiple rounds of layoffs, studio closures, and a radical overhaul of the company’s operations to ensure its survival amid difficult market conditions. According to Jez Corden, editor at Windows Central, the company is considering restructuring its PC operations. These discussions could present an opportunity to break away from Steam.

“I know Microsoft has some plans regarding how they will be present on PC. I don’t know what that pertains to with regard to Steam, but the plans I know about suggest that Microsoft could potentially pull out of Steam. So, I would not be shocked if we eventually see a world where Microsoft leaves Steam,” Corden said during the latest episode of the Xbox Two Podcast.

I REALLY doubt they will, but they’re doing something that could potentially give them a window to do so, but there’s just too much money to be left on the table imo. It was part of a bigger discussion.

— Jez (@JezCorden) August 1, 2026

Xbox has always released its games on Steam and its own store, so a change would be significant. It would be difficult to convince users to switch platforms. Corden clarified on Twitter that having the option doesn’t mean it will happen since pulling out of the Valve store would cause Microsoft to lose a significant amount of revenue. “I really doubt they will, but they’re doing something that could potentially give them the opportunity to do so. However, there’s just too much money to be left on the table, in my opinion. It was part of a bigger discussion.”

As discussed on the podcast, Xbox’s plans to change how it operates on PCs are likely related to its next-generation hardware, Project Helix, which connects console and PC games. Since manufacturing the massive Magnus APU is more costly, the system will likely be more expensive than the PlayStation 6. The availability of third-party stores like Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store on the system would significantly reduce the 30% platform fee that Xbox receives from every game sold. This makes it harder to support the hardware and launch it at a lower price.

Although this has likely been discussed before, prices for components, particularly RAM and NAND storage, continue to rise. Since the situation is expected to worsen in the coming months, it’s easy to see why Xbox might consider pulling out of Steam, however unlikely that may seem.

Source: WCCFTech