AoE: Definitive Edition on Steam out of Microsoft's hands

Very soon, nostalgia will run amok as the original Age of Empires re-releases as Age of Empires: Definitive Edition. Since the game is both published and developed by Microsoft, it releases exclusively on Windows 10, and some aren't happy with this decision, wanting it released on Steam as well. While it's broadly assumed that it's Microsoft that wants players to go through Windows 10, that's not necessarily the case.

In an interview with German outlet GameStar, Microsoft's head of production for global publishing Jörg Neumann explains that it's to do with Xbox Live, which is the network people play through. If that service could use Steam as a platform, then the game could be available there.

"This may be a misunderstanding, the platform is where people play, and people play in the social spaces of Xbox Live, which means that if Xbox Live exists somewhere, we can get a game out there. Unfortunately, there is no solution to doing this on Steam, but it depends less on us than on other people."

Are you bothered about the platform?