The Xbox’s library has grown, kind of, especially if your Steam library is large.
That’s because Xbox consoles can now technically play Steam games, although you shouldn’t get too excited – this can be best described as a fun thing to check out in action rather than a legitimate and viable way to play Steam games.
As reported by PCWorld, The Verge’s Tom Warren discovered that because Microsoft’s Edge browser runs on Xbox consoles, Nvidia’s GeForce Now streaming service, which allows you to log into PC store databases like Steam to play games you already own, can technically be run on these consoles. Basically, what’s happening is that you can use the Edge browser to access the GeForce Now streaming service online. You can then stream your Steam games through GeForce Now through the Edge browser on your Xbox Series X/S or Xbox One.
Reading that sentence alone should indicate to you how well, or rather not well, streaming Steam games through this method works. That’s multiple interfaces the game must be streamed through, and as you might expect, there’s a good amount of lag and latency involved. You can see Warren play Counter-Strike: Global Offensive below, and as he points out, it’s not an ideal experience.
You can now play Steam PC games on an Xbox with Nvidia’s GeForce Now. Here’s a quick look at how it all works. Details here: https://t.co/EMGX0HRxcT pic.twitter.com/G6YcloBubM
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) October 25, 2021
However, turn-based RPGs and other game types that don’t require quick reflex-based actions might be worth checking out through this odd method of streaming.
If you want to try this for yourself, use the Edge browser on your Xbox console to go to Play.GeForceNow.com. Once there, log in and select the game you want to try out. You can play games via your Xbox controller or keyboard and mouse through this method. It’s important to note that Warren tried this on his Xbox One X – perhaps an Xbox Series X can handle the workaround better.
As noted by PCWorld, this is not a method Xbox or Nvidia highlight or even suggest. It’s simply a workaround discovered, and for now, we don’t foresee Xbox or Nvidia revealing this as a viable way to play games. Maybe the two will work together to create an app that does this very thing on Xbox consoles. For now, the Edge browser is your doorway to Steam games on Xbox.
For more, read about Nvidia GeForce Now and how it works, and then read about how cloud gaming is coming to Xbox consoles this holiday season. Check out this story about Microsoft’s new Xbox update that brings 4K dashboards to the Xbox Series X, night mode, and more to consoles after that.
Will you be giving this a go? Let us know in the comments below!
