Xbox is considering abandoning Steam.

Microsoft is reconsidering its long-term PC strategy, which could ultimately lead to the end of new game releases on Steam, according to a journalist. Windows Central’s Jez Corden on the Xbox Two podcast. Amid a recent wave of reorganizations, internal studio closures, and staff layoffs, the gaming division’s management is looking for ways to optimize its business. Observers note that abandoning Valve’s platform appears difficult due to the risk of losing a significant portion of revenue, but the current changes offer the company a potential window for implementing such a scenario.

The potential change in course is closely linked to the development of the next-generation console, codenamed Xbox Project Helix. The new device is intended to bridge the gap between traditional consoles and personal computers. Manufacturing a hybrid system based on the powerful Magnus chip is significantly more expensive than similar systems like the PlayStation 6. An additional negative factor is the steadily rising cost of key components, including RAM and NAND flash drives. Under these circumstances, supporting third-party stores reduces the ability to subsidize the cost of the hardware itself through the standard 30% commission on software sales.

Despite the technological and organizational prerequisites, a final decision on a complete exit from Valve’s service has not yet been made. Experts emphasize that publishing projects on its own platforms will allow Microsoft to retain all revenue, but will also create difficulties with audience migration. For now, the company continues to study financial models and the structure of future hardware, weighing the losses from abandoning the largest PC store against the potential benefits of developing its own ecosystem. Further management steps will depend on component pricing dynamics and the final configuration of Project Helix.

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