Microsoft is working on a "Steam Deck" mode for Windows
A leaked video shows an early prototype of a handheld mode for Windows.
The growing popularity of devices such as the Steam Deck has not escaped Microsoft's notice. At an internal hackathon, at which employees present new ideas for projects, a concept for a handheld mode was presented. The interface would be ideal for devices such as the Steam Deck, which is very awkward to use with the current Windows 11 version.
The video of the hackathon was leaked by Twitter user h0x0d. In it, the current problems of handheld devices with Windows are explained in detail. They range from driver problems and sluggish navigation to the lack of a dedicated launcher, as offered by the SteamOS of the Steam Deck.
The project is interesting because Valve's Steam Deck works with Linux. Games outside of the Steam Store are difficult or impossible to run on the device. Games from the Windows Store and Game Pass in particular can currently only be played via the cloud. Windows alternatives such as theAyaneo, on the other hand, can install everything, but are very cumbersome.
Source: Twitter/h0x0d
The video shows a launcher that can open games from Steam, Game Pass, EA Play and the Epic Store. It also has an optimised touch keyboard that can be operated with the controller. This is all part of a "gaming shell" including the installation process, drivers and services. The Hackathon team is working with the person who found a way to use the Steam Deck controller in Windows
At the end of the video is a call to Microsoft's employees to take handheld gaming with Windows seriously. It is currently impossible to say what will become of the project. Such a gaming shell would certainly be necessary if you look at the growing list of Windows handhelds. <p
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