Before I begin, I want to be clear: this is not a thread about which platform is better.
It's clear that, as far as PC platforms go, Steam still has the most features: achievements, cards, family sharing, Steam Workshop, etc. I also have been looking at the advancements the Xbox team has been making on their app. Devs and pubs can publish Win32 games since last year (or 2018), Play Anywhere is a thing, Crossplay with other Xbox devices, Microsoft Rewards and Game Pass Quests can help you earn points to redeem things such as gift cards or subscriptions, mods have been starting to show up (although at very early stages), and, of course, the star of the show that is Game Pass itself - which also gives you a discount to purchase games and DLCs, as well as EA Play and the incoming Zenimax/Bethesda library.
Of course, the Xbox app is far from perfect. Some users can still see errors, Microsoft Rewards isn't part of the app, and there are not as many Game Pass Quests compared to the Xbox console. The installation folders being locked to changes can also be frustrating if you plan to mod games or .ini files in any way.
Still, when you put all those things together, it still feels the Xbox app has been the most successful "alternative" to Steam on Windows. I have been finding myself looking more into the Game Pass library than upcoming Steam/EGS/other stores' games, with a few exceptions. So I'm curious to see if something similar has been happening to any of you folx.
It's clear that, as far as PC platforms go, Steam still has the most features: achievements, cards, family sharing, Steam Workshop, etc. I also have been looking at the advancements the Xbox team has been making on their app. Devs and pubs can publish Win32 games since last year (or 2018), Play Anywhere is a thing, Crossplay with other Xbox devices, Microsoft Rewards and Game Pass Quests can help you earn points to redeem things such as gift cards or subscriptions, mods have been starting to show up (although at very early stages), and, of course, the star of the show that is Game Pass itself - which also gives you a discount to purchase games and DLCs, as well as EA Play and the incoming Zenimax/Bethesda library.
Of course, the Xbox app is far from perfect. Some users can still see errors, Microsoft Rewards isn't part of the app, and there are not as many Game Pass Quests compared to the Xbox console. The installation folders being locked to changes can also be frustrating if you plan to mod games or .ini files in any way.
Still, when you put all those things together, it still feels the Xbox app has been the most successful "alternative" to Steam on Windows. I have been finding myself looking more into the Game Pass library than upcoming Steam/EGS/other stores' games, with a few exceptions. So I'm curious to see if something similar has been happening to any of you folx.