Xbox Game Pass Playable On Steam Deck Through Microsoft Edge

Xbox Game Pass is finally playable on the Steam Deck thanks to a new Microsoft Edge beta. In the months leading up to the Steam Deck’s launch in late February, many developers and industry insiders praised Valve’s portable answer to the Nintendo Switch, including Xbox head Phil Spencer. Spencer had spent some hands-on time with the then-in-development Steam Deck last August and noted the new console’s potential in running Xbox titles like Halo and Age Of Empires, as well as services like the experimental xCloud.

Sure enough, at least 14 first-party Xbox titles are officially compatible with the Steam Deck at launch, including Forza Horizon 5 and Sea Of Thieves. However, there are others like Halo Infinite and Microsoft Flight Simulator X that remain unable to run on the Steam Deck due to anti-cheating measures. Additionally, Steam Deck users are unable to run Xbox Game Pass natively on their systems as of this writing, despite Valve President Gabe Newell recently stating that his company plans on adding support to the subscription gaming service instead of creating its own service for the Steam Deck.

Now, Microsoft is bringing Xbox Game Pass to the Steam Deck by way of its Microsoft Edge web browser. As reported by The Verge, Microsoft has released a new Edge beta that can be run on the Steam Deck – complete with access to Xbox Game Pass. This was confirmed by Xbox Cloud Gaming Head of Product and Strategy Catherine Gluckstein, who noted that her company is working closely with Valve to support xCloud and Xbox Game Pass on Steam Deck through Microsoft Edge. The latest Linux version of Microsoft Edge is currently available to download from the Discover Software Center part of SteamOS, and Microsoft has also posted details on how to create a link to Xbox Cloud Gaming on the Steam Deck for easier access in the future.

Xbox Game Pass has gained a growing reputation as one of the best deals in gaming. Players can access an ever-growing collection of Xbox Game Pass titles on both Xbox consoles and PC for a small monthly fee, with new titles being added every month. For example, one of the most recent of these additions to Xbox Game Pass is Tunic, a Legend Of Zelda-style isometric action-adventure title that has quickly become one of 2022’s most critically acclaimed releases. Even better, Xbox’s xCloud technology allows players to access Xbox Game Pass on their Android-compatible mobile devices, complete with touch-screen controls for certain games.

One of the main appeals of the Steam Deck is how it lets players take their PC gaming libraries with them on the go, and the addition of Xbox Game Pass to the new system will add to the list of top-notch titles players will be able to enjoy wherever they may be. While it might still be some time before Steam Deck owners can access Xbox Game Pass directly on their consoles, at least Valve and Microsoft are letting them run Game Pass through Microsoft Edge in the meantime.

Source: The Verge, Catherine Gluckstein/Twitter

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J. Brodie Shirey
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J. Brodie Shirey is just a simple man trying to make his way in the universe, but aren’t we all? He currently lives in York, Pennsylvania. He is a big comic book, video game, and science fiction fan, and likes writing articles for ScreenRant or scripts for some of his crazy TV show ideas.

A graduate from York County School of Technology, he’s self-published several books on Amazon, and once won 1st place at a regional computer fair for a CGI animated short. He might post it on Youtube someday. He hopes that working for this site will be his first step into the larger universe of online writing, since Megazord technology hasn’t been invented yet and he doesn’t seem to have any Force powers. You can check out his work at The Uncanny Fox, purchase his books on Amazon.com, see his posted scripts on Script Revolution, or see his portfolio here or here. He can also be followed on Twitter @FoxUncanny.

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