Report Suggests Next-Gen Xbox Could Support PlayStation Games

Xbox has been steadily shifting its strategy in the gaming industry over recent years, signaling a departure from the traditional console war mindset. Microsoft’s vision seems to be expanding beyond the confines of its Xbox-branded consoles, aiming to bring its first-party titles to a multitude of platforms. This includes everything from phones and laptops to PCs and even competitor consoles like the PS5.

It appears that Xbox is opening itself up to a wider audience which, intriguingly, might eventually allow PlayStation titles to be accessed on upcoming Xbox hardware. However, before you get too excited, there’s a significant caveat to consider.

The buzz around this topic sparked from what seems to have been an unintentional reveal. As reported by The Verge’s Tom Warren, Microsoft released a blog post—subsequently taken down—that came with an image intriguingly titled, “GDC 2025: Opening a Billion Doors with Xbox.” This picture showcased a new Xbox user interface compatible with a range of devices. Just like a typical Games Library, the image illustrated various ways to sort and organize games available on the platform, highlighted by bubbles at the top of the screen. What caught everyone’s attention was the option to categorize games by Steam, hinting at a future where Steam games might be playable on Xbox consoles.

This discovery has intriguing implications, considering a number of PlayStation exclusives—including titles like God of War Ragnarok, Ghost of Tsushima, and The Last of Us—are accessible through Valve’s digital storefront, Steam. If Xbox devices could tap into Steam libraries, it would potentially pave the way for PlayStation PC ports to be available on Xbox.

In essence, it seems the vision for the next Xbox generation leans more towards being a PC-like platform rather than sticking with the conventional console framework. This raises questions about PlayStation’s approach to its PC ports and which platforms they choose to support. There’s a split in opinion here: some believe PlayStation would not block its games from being available on a future Xbox system. Others, however, see Sony employing a protective stance, reminiscent of their approach with services like GeForce Now.

Jez Corden from The Verge recently voiced on social media that PlayStation might indeed have the capability to restrict its PC ports from being used on Xbox—if their games were synchronized through consumer’s Steam libraries. However, figures like Warren argue the situation is more nuanced.

Responding to Corden, Warren noted, “The issue with GeForce Now was about game distribution without publisher consent. That situation didn’t involve Valve, and I doubt the Steam publishing agreement would permit blocking specific Windows devices.”

This scenario remains largely speculative at this point, and we are still a few years away from seeing how it unfolds. For now, it’s a waiting game to see what direction these changes will take and how both companies adapt to this evolving landscape.