Steam, Discord, Epic: Where do the Windows PC gaming store wars leave Microsoft?

Epic Games of Fortnite fame just announced a creator-friendly PC gaming storefront. The announcement was significant, equally Epic touted 88 percent revenue slice for developers, beating out Steam (and for that matter, Microsoft) by a pregnant margin. Additionally, the Epic store volition as well permit YouTubers, streamers, and bloggers to get a cutting of any sales they transport through to the Ballsy store, which is something Steam has even so to consider.

Things are certainly heating up for Steam. Steam was the de-facto ruler of PC gaming distribution for quite a while, simply as companies like Activision Blizzard and EA began selling their games direct to consumers on PC via their ain storefronts, others have begun to realize that they don't exactly need Steam anymore. It likewise doesn't aid that Steam is incredibly saturated, making it hard for some devs to gain visibility. Discord's ascension as a customs platform has also taken eyes away from Steam, every bit Valve'due south conversation and community tools languish in an archaic land.

With increasing competition from all sides, the window for Microsoft to build a credible PC gaming storefront of its own seems to exist shrinking. But as a platform holder, Microsoft does take a few natural advantages. Should it want to capitalize, that is.

The state of the Microsoft Store

I always end up correcting myself when I write "Microsoft Store," as in my listen it is still the "Windows Shop," with a very specific identity, divide from the brick and mortar retail Microsoft stores, and split up from the hardware-centric Microsoft store website. The Windows "Microsoft Shop" has a complete and full identity crisis, with enough of crapware from the Windows 8 era, predatory pay-to-win gaming shovelware, and abandonware from companies who don't see the value in the store in general. Simply put, despite some small improvements, information technology's still a mess.

Microsoft has signaled an intent to improve its offer for PC gamers, though. Information technology's particularly of import considering, every bit Xbox Game Pass expands, it could eventually incorporate PC games also. Information technology already does with games that support Xbox Play Anywhere (XPA), but the additional developer effort involved to make XPA work for devs has kept third-party support relatively anemic. Thus far, the panthera leo's share of XPA back up has come via Microsoft itself, with games like Forza Horizon 4 which are distributed exclusively on the Microsoft Shop for PC.

There is a growing puddle of practiced PC games on the store, just it'southward still very limited, and update parity is a problem.

For the most part, it'southward possible to completely ignore the Microsoft Shop once you lot have installed a game. The basic experience has improved on that front, at least. When Gears four and Forza Horizon 3 launched, in that location were many complications stemming from technical problems with the shop, peculiarly as pertains to larger downloads — the Windows Microsoft Shop simply wasn't designed for gaming from the first, that much is evident.

What could the future look like?

Microsoft is in a bit of a different position when information technology comes to video game distribution than say, Epic or Steam, equally they're both still dealing in Win32 titles packaged as .exe files. Microsoft distributes games packaged into UWP containers as .appx files, which at least theoretically, come with boosted security and DRM benefits for devs, at the expense of hard mods. Microsoft has struggled to attract developers to the Microsoft Store, not just considering distribution differs a chip against Steam and traditional storefronts, but also but because ... nobody likes or uses the Microsoft Store.

A future game shop from Microsoft would probably accept to be completely separate from the Microsoft Shop, which is crammed with non-gaming "stuff" that completely muddies its focus. Allowing the distribution of traditional games that don't upset developer's workflow should probably be on the cards every bit well, while too increasing revenue share Microsoft offers to compete with Epic's 88 per centum.

Across that, though, Microsoft is also exploring entirely new methods of game delivery in the form of Game Core, which will be part of Windows Core Os we've covered previously. While the details are scant at this time, it seems as though Game Core will farther span the gap between Xbox and PC game development, potentially assuasive developers to bring their Xbox titles over to PC and other Game Core-supporting devices with minimal programming endeavor.

In addition, Microsoft is also exploring game streaming over the net with Project xCloud, which would eliminate the need for Win32 entirely. Hereafter ARM-powered super-lightweight, battery-stiff laptops and tablets might exist able to tap into console-quality games streamed via the net, circumventing the need for installations. If information technology works, of course. Microsoft could create a epitome shift, but at that place's e'er going to be more advantages for playing games locally, peculiarly PC games.

When will we observe out more?

A major Microsoft Store overhaul is well overdue, particularly as pertains to gaming. Speaking at X018, Microsoft gaming atomic number 82 Phil Spencer noted that he wanted to accept a bigger leadership office when it comes to the Microsoft Store, but it could be a while before we encounter those efforts materialize.

I think we have got a ton of work to do on Windows. Windows is something I'1000 very committed to. I've heard the feedback about our store. I'm going to have a much bigger leadership role on what'southward going on with the Windows Store and make it really tailored towards the gamers that we know want to see the best from what we take to offer.

The modern Microsoft has taken a different approach to competition in contempo years. It has learned to accept when it is defeated, as nosotros saw recently with rumors that Microsoft is killing off Edge, in favor of a new, Chromium-based web browser. For Microsoft to have on Steam in PC game distribution, or Discord in community curation just seems a piffling far-fetched at this point, but they certainly have the tools and knowhow internally to bridge the gap between Xbox and PC ever further, and build something that only offers something different, merely something skillful.

It could exist that Microsoft unveils its efforts in this space to coincide with their efforts revolving around the next Xbox, which we sympathize will be a family unit of devices and services, currently codenamed Scarlett. From 5G-powered mobile deject streaming, new ARM-powered PC form factors, new Windows platform features, studio acquisitions, and the next Xbox, at that place are certainly a lot of pieces to consider as Microsoft builds its strategy to reach hundreds of millions of gamers. I expect nosotros'll encounter Microsoft'southward game plan begin to unveil itself throughout 2022.