Comment by lukevp
18 days ago
Games aren’t going to suddenly start targeting only updated copies of windows 11 though… if they target even win 10 then they need to be API compatible with what’s currently there in windows. It doesn’t matter what new stuff comes out. Just like how we had to keep using ie6 compatible code for ages for the 5% of people still on windows xp even though it kept us from using modern web tech for everyone else.
Depends on how much Microsoft decides Windows Store and XBox App are relevant for game developers targeting the PC going forward.
They can't stop publishers from targeting steam/proton, though. The publishers will go to where the market is. Sure maybe they can restrict the version published to whatever store windows has but they can't prevent the one distributed with steam targeting an older version.
They can on the studios they own, and publish.
Right now, they are not even making their own games exclusive to Windows Store or the XBox App (see MSFS 2024, Age of Empires series, Forza, etc...).
Because until recently SteamDeck was a non issue for Microsoft.
If it starts being a big issue, they won't ignore it.