Xbox gaming makes the jump to Windows on Arm, but can it stem the tide of gamers turning to Linux?

(Image credit: Future)

Once upon a time, one of the universally accepted truths was that if you were serious about gaming on a PC or laptop, you needed Windows.

Microsoft fostered a community of PC gamers that’s been around for more than three decades now, and the ways you can game are evolving beyond relying on the x86 likes of Intel and AMD chips, and bringing Arm support for laptops sporting Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite.

But the winds of change might be blowing. The Steam Deck showed what was possible on Linux, Valve is coming for the desktop space with Steam Machine, and all the ‘Microslop’ accusations are starting to sway me and other users. Let me explain.

Shot in the Arm

Windows 11 Xbox app — (Image credit: Future)

Before diving into the rise of Linux, there’s good news for Xbox fans who are playing on PC - the Xbox app has finally arrived on Arm-based Windows 11 PCs.

If you’ve got one such machine, Microsoft says you can play 85% of games in the Game Pass catalog of them right now by downloading the app. The company also says Epic Anti-Cheat is functional so players can enjoy Fortnite, Gears of War: Reloaded, and more.

You can check out the latest in Microsoft’s blog post, with the company promising more to come with Windows.

Snapdragon X2 Elite CPU case — (Image credit: Future / Tom's Guide)

“Windows and Xbox continue to collaborate across the gaming community, OEMs, silicon innovators and game studios to expand catalog compatibility and deliver a consistently great Windows gaming experience—whether you’re on a powerful desktop, a purpose‑built handheld, or an Arm‑based Windows 11 laptop,” it says.

“Our focus remains on improving compatibility, enhancing performance and delivering experiences that make it easy to jump in and play.”

That’s just as well, because Windows might be up against its sternest test in the battle for PC gaming dominance.

Pressure Valve

Vale Steam Machine — (Image credit: Valve)

While Xbox has fallen way behind other platforms in the console space, Microsoft still owns the biggest piece of the PC market. According to Steam’s Hardware Survey from December 2025, Windows versions (including Windows 11, Windows 10, and even Windows 7) make up 94.23% of PC gamers.

And yet, macOS and Linux are climbing, too. Mac versions now make up 2.18% of the survey results, a slight jump but undeniably buoyed by Apple’s Game Porting Toolkit rollout and the power of Apple Silicon.

Linux is also on the climb, reaching 3.58% across all platforms. There’s a good chance that’s thanks to the arrival of the Steam Deck in 2022, which has given rise to handheld PCs, many of which now run (or dual boot) the Linux-based SteamOS.

Asus ROG Ally X running SteamOS — (Image credit: Future)

These are small numbers as it stands, but they conceal the fact that Linux is a more efficient platform for extracting better performance and battery life from your games (as Jason found out in his hands-on testing with the Asus ROG Ally X). The tides are slowly but surely turning.

While the Steam Machine could end up seeing a delay thanks to the ongoing RAM crisis, it’’ offer a PC-like experience that would be shorn of the cruft that Copilot has introduced. Microsoft keeps chasing the dream of AI, but it’s done so at the cost of many of Windows’ core pillars - including stability.

Gamers are noticing, too. Anecdotally, more adventurous enthusiasts are starting to dual-boot into Linux, or even remove Windows entirely. Developers and publishers have done some of the heavy lifting already to get games onto SteamOS, and now even storefronts are having their say.

“I'm really surprised at Windows. It's such poor-quality software and product, and I'm so surprised that it's [spent] so many years on the market. I can't believe it!” Michał Kiciński, the new owner of storefront GOG.com explained to PC Gamer.

Preaching to the choir, Michal, preaching to the choir.

A gaming Arm race

Despite all this, Windows on Arm might get another boost for gamers with reports that a new Nvidia N1 and N1X chip lineup is expected to debut in new Lenovo laptops. Outside of Snapdragon X2 Elite's improved GPU, this would mark the first real push for Windows 11 gaming on Arm. Will that then improve perception around Windows for gamers? Or is it too little too late?

94.23% of the market share suggests it’s likely to be a positive thing for anyone already on Windows. The Nvidia N1 and N1X chips will also bring Blackwell features to Dell XPS systems if reports are correct.

The advantage would be that the work Microsoft is doing on compatibility will undoubtedly make Arm a more compatible platform. Linux still doesn’t have access to anti-cheat systems across games like Fortnite, Battlefield 6, Destiny 2, or Call of Duty, meaning if you’re heavily invested in any of those titles, Windows (on Arm or not) is still the way to go for you.

There’s an argument that there’s never been a worse time to buy a dedicated games console, too, with the Switch 2 expected to join its Sony and Microsoft contemporaries in raising prices following the AI rush for RAM.

Where do you stand? Are you considering a move away from Windows for your gaming fix? Leaning into consoles? Or staying put and hoping Windows gets better? Let us know in the comments!

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