Steam integration in the Xbox app leaked: Everything you need to know

A new leak has appeared in the form of an Xbox app user interface showing a separate tab that reads Steam, which led many to believe a potential Steam integration into the Xbox app is in the works. Notably, this leak comes from Microsoft itself.

The Redmond tech giant posted a new blog on its Xbox website about Xbox development at GDC 2025, but the featured image showed a Steam tab in the Xbox UI. Microsoft later realized its mistake and replaced that image, arousing even more suspicion that a potential Steam integration is in the works.

In this article, we will analyze this leak and discuss everything you need to know, including possible integration of other storefronts and what it means for an average user.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the writer's opinions.

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Xbox blog image leaks a potential Steam games integration inside the Xbox app

Xbox Series X box (Image via Microsoft)

A blog posted by VP of Global Partnerships at Xbox, Leo Oleb, included an image that showcased a mockup of how the Xbox UI would look across a variety of devices. The user interface had several tabs, including Owned, Game Pass, Steam, and others.

The inclusion of the Steam tab in Xbox UI caught the attention of XboxEra, who quickly captured the picture before it was removed. Once Microsoft realized its error, the company replaced that image. This aroused suspicion regarding a potential Steam integration in the Xbox app, which was seen running on multiple devices, according to the image.

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How could Steam get integrated into the Xbox app?

As of writing, there's no information on how the storefront can be integrated into the Xbox app. If we had to guess, it could be in the form of Steam games displayed on the Xbox app, but when you click on it, they launch on the Steam app. This is certainly not an ideal integration, but that's our most realistic expectation, given Microsoft's integration of other services in the past.

The ideal integration would be if Microsoft allows Steam games to be downloaded, installed, and run directly from the Xbox user interface without needing a Steam client present on the system. However, that would require a strategic partnership between Microsoft and Valve. It would also be better if the Steam features were integrated into the Xbox app, but there's no telling if Microsoft would do any of it.

If these services are integrated into the Xbox app, then the idea of Steam tabs does make sense. These tabs might be there on the Xbox app to segregate and catalog games available for each category. For example, the Game Pass tab would only include titles from the Game Pass subscription and the same could be said for a potential Steam tab.

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Will other storefronts be integrated into the Xbox app?

Steam is a third-party game distribution service, and if that can be integrated, Microsoft could offer the same to other storefronts. However, there are no concrete leaks regarding the same, as of writing.