When Microsoft revealed their pre-180 plans for the Xbox One, some pundits theorized that they were trying to build a Steam-like digital network, complete with frequently-discounted games and a user-friendly, retail-free interface.
With news that the Xbox One isn't actually going to be as digital as Microsoft wanted to be, we've all kind of assumed that the chances of Microsoft emulating Steam are rather slim.
But there's some good news. Today in Executive Shuffling News brings word from GamesIndustry.biz that Jason Holtman, who ran Steam for eight years over at Valve, is heading to Microsoft to work on turning Windows into "a great platform for gaming and interactive entertainment."
Aha! While it's unclear whether Holtman will be working on Xbox platforms as well—GI.biz speculates that maybe he will—this is good news for people who game on PC. Holtman is a fan of discounts. Maybe he'll help make it so people don't immediately groan when they hear the name Games For Windows Live.