Microsoft Explores Windows Optimization for Steam Deck Gaming

Microsoft developers created a basic version of Windows optimized for handheld gaming consoles like the Steam Deck during a hackathon last September. The developers worked with a separate community of developers to create Steam Deck controls for Windows and showed how they could get Windows to run with a custom UI inside Valve’s popular handheld. The presentation mentions a minimum product would need your basics, like a suitable touch keyboard, UI scaling, control mapping, and a “robust launcher” for quickly accessing games. While there is no official word on whether Microsoft is working on a UI specifically for handheld gaming consoles, the market is currently booming with new products supporting cloud-based gaming on the go, and there is certainly a demand for more handheld console-specific software.