Phil Spencer wants to open the console to alternative shops

In an interview with Polygon At this year's GDC, Phil Spencer spoke out in favor of alternative shops on the Xbox. He would especially like to see itch.io and the Epic Games Store on the console. Now rumors about Steam on Xbox are making the rounds.

Why is that important: Alternative shops on consoles would compensate for a major disadvantage that console gamers have compared to PC gamers. You could choose where you get the game from and potentially save money. Steam on Xbox would be a major revolution in the market and a strong argument for Xbox.

This is what Microsoft says: Phil Spencer sees a big advantage for PC gamers because they can choose where they get their game from or which launcher they can use. He also wants this freedom for console gamers.

In detail: Spencer explained that in the past, console manufacturers often subsidized the cost of expensive hardware in the hope that some of players' spending on games over the years would ultimately end up back at the console manufacturer. Over time, the subsidies should be recouped – and ideally more.

He sees the following problems as why it no longer works that way today:

• Component costs are no longer falling as quickly as in previous generations.
• Console market is not growing; many gamers are switching to PC and handhelds
• The closed systems could prevent many gamers from buying a console

What are the Steam rumors about?

Steam wasn't mentioned at all: In the Polygon interview, Phil Spencer only talked about the Epic Games Store and the indie platform itch.io.

Of course, after the interview, many were wondering why the most obvious PC platform, Steam, wasn't mentioned. This really fueled the rumor mill and the first speculations about Steam on Xbox started making the rounds.

A tweet fuels the rumor: A tweet from Geoff Keighley, video game journalist and host of the Game Awards, further fuels these rumors. In this one you can see Xbox boss Phil Spencer, Trent Baker, Keighley and Mohan Goel in a call with Gabe Newell.

Link to Twitter content

Film producer and digital media producer Karim Jovian shared the post and according to him, one of the participants mentioned the introduction of Steam on Xbox consoles.

Link to Twitter content

So you should take this information with a pinch of salt. Senior Editor Tom Warren from The Verge commented on Jovian's tweet with just one word:

“Nonsense.”

Do you think Steam will make its way to Xbox consoles? And what do you think about Phil Spencer wanting to see the Epic Games Store and itch.io on Xbox? If you don't own an Xbox console yet, would that be a decisive reason for you to buy it? Write us your opinion in the comments!