Microsoft has created a new way to enjoy the Steam Deck by allowing Xbox’s cloud gaming service to be run on the portable device.

However, cloud gaming is not coming as a native application for the Steam Deck. Instead, users must first go through a Microsoft Edge browser installation process on the device in order to stream Xbox games.

Microsoft announced the news on Friday with a Tweeter by Catherine Gluckstein, the company’s product and strategy manager for Xbox cloud gaming.

Tweeter

In a Reddit post, Microsoft added that it is working closely with Valve to bring the game to streaming on the Steam Deck. “We’re particularly excited about this ourselves because we believe it can open up new opportunities in the Linux gaming community.”

Microsoft currently offers cloud gaming as a free perk to an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, which costs $14.99 per month. Cloud gaming means you can stream a catalog of over 300 Xbox titles to other devices, including iPhones, Android handsets and Windows laptops, as long as you have a fast enough internet connection.

You can check out our guide on how to set it up, which might just involve downloading an app or using an existing browser. But in the case of the Steam Deck, Microsoft says you’ll need to complete around 16 steps to get Xbox cloud gaming working on the device. It’s also best to install with a mouse and keyboard connected to the Steam Deck.

The company has created a support document that includes screenshots of the entire process, which requires accessing Steam Deck’s desktop mode first, then downloading a Linux version of the Microsoft Edge browser. You will then need to configure the device to launch the Edge browser as an app in your games library before configuring it to automatically load the Xbox cloud gaming site on startup.

Essentially, you create a shortcut on the Steam Deck to immediately access cloud gaming. Microsoft’s support document also includes steps on how you can replace the shortcut with the official Xbox cloud gaming logos.

In response to the news some users are already joking, Microsoft has found another way to force the Edge browser on users. But we wouldn’t be surprised if the company is working on an easier way to enable cloud gaming, without requiring a browser to be installed. It will also be interesting to see how well streaming works on the device and if it has any advantages or disadvantages over the native Steam Deck experience.

If you’d rather not stream, Microsoft is working to make its existing PC titles playable on the Steam Deck as natively running games. The roster currently includes Psychonauts 2, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, and Sea of ​​Thieves, among others. However, Gears 5 and Halo Infinite are still not supported, due to the games anti-cheat systems.