Steam Deck already supports a ton of games, but now you can add Xbox’s cloud gaming service to that list. Microsoft says it worked closely with Valve to enable cloud gaming support, which is now available through Microsoft’s Edge browser in beta.
The new addition means that any game that runs through Xbox’s cloud service can now be played on the handheld system from Valve. Microsoft put out detailed instructions on how to get Edge up and running on your Steam Deck, how to switch the controller layout to recognize the gamepad, and even a piece of custom artwork you can use to set up a shortcut. This is how Game Pass eventually came to iOS devices, through a shortcut button made by a Safari browser. But keep in mind that since you’re tinkering with Linux command lines to change permissions, if you do something wrong you may need to do a factory reset.
While this solution isn’t quite the same as Xbox Game Pass support on Steam Deck, it’s awfully close. The Game Pass library has a lot of crossover with Microsoft’s cloud gaming library, and the only way to even access the cloud gaming service is with a Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Since this goes hand-in-hand with the rest of Microsoft’s services, you should be able to pick up your progress on Steam Deck from a cloud save and then continue it on your PC or Xbox, or vice-versa.
Meanwhile, Steam Deck supports lots of games natively as well, with a growing list of confirmed games. In GameSpot’s Steam Deck review, Alessandro Barbosa called the device a “wonderfully constructed and powerful portable PC.” Preorders of the Steam Deck are currently going out in waves, with the second wave slated to begin rolling out in April.
