• A new rumor about the next-gen Xbox is among the wackiest yet.
• The Xbox Series X can allegedly play PC games thanks to “Windows Mode.”
• That includes playable games from Steam and Epic Games Store.

When it comes to the next-generation consoles, it’s more speculation than substantiated fact while Sony and Microsoft prance around revealing underwhelming logos and the like. As rumors go, this latest one about the Xbox Series X ranks up there as one of the wackiest we’ve seen to date.

Xbox Series X ‘Windows Mode’

Italian gaming site Game Experience reports murmurs among those linked to the project that the Xbox Series X will feature a boot mode dubbed Windows Mode .

As the name suggests, players will be able to boot up the console to run Windows 10 applications. The mode will effectively transform the console into a PC. More specifically, the rumors suggest the console will be able to run games via both the Steam and Epic Games Store digital storefronts.

While Microsoft opening the Xbox Series X to competitor storefronts is somewhat of a stretch, a Windows Mode might not be as outlandish as it sounds.

How Xbox Game Pass Factors In

Xbox is heavily banking on the continued success of the Xbox Game Pass, which features an array of PC-only titles.

The ability to plays these on the Xbox Series X would expand the appeal of the console to PC gamers considerably.

Rather than having to spend upwards of $1,000 for a decent gaming rig, players could invest in the Series X and experience the best of both worlds.

Has a First-Party PC-Console Hybrid Arrived?

Also of note is that the Xbox Series X already looks uncannily similar to a PC both in design and purported performance. The Xbox One already runs an Xbox OS-specific version of Windows 10, and internally the console is considered a Windows device .

From a technical standpoint, a Windows Mode may be relatively straightforward to implement, given the existing Windows flavored foundations underpinning Microsoft’s consoles.

Back in 2015, Xbox head Phil Spencer even said;

Microsoft is making it easier to port experiences from PC over to Xbox, where they make sense.

It’s not unreasonable to expect Xbox to carry this over to the next-gen. Why not go the full nine yards with the Series X and incorporate a PC-console hybrid?

As always, we suggest taking the rumor with a hefty dose of salt.