Chinese tech giant ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, is developing a new global gaming platform called GameTop to rival Steam and Epic Games Store. According to reports from Chinese media, ByteDance has already begun hiring for the project, which aims to blend AI-driven game creation with social interaction.
GameTop will allow players not only to play games but also to create and share AI-generated content, offering a more personalized gaming experience. While Steam currently dominates 74% of the PC gaming market with 132 million monthly users and $9.8 billion in 2024 revenue, ByteDance is betting on artificial intelligence to carve out its own space. Insiders suggest the platform could also expand into mobile gaming, making it a broader competitor in the industry.
Meanwhile, on the console front, Xbox seems to be rethinking its role in the market. In a recent New York Timesinterview, Xbox Studios head Matt Booty stated that “players no longer feel strong loyalty to the devices they use,” adding that Microsoft now sees its competition as “everything from TikToks to movies.”
Recent Bloomberg reports also claim Microsoft is putting pressure on its Xbox leadership to improve profitability, introducing cost-cutting measures across the gaming division. Interestingly, six of the top ten best-selling PS5 gamesbetween April and July were Xbox titles, highlighting a new strategy that prioritizes revenue over exclusivity.
With ByteDance entering the PC space and Xbox blurring console boundaries, the gaming industry seems to be entering a new era—one where platforms matter less than the content itself.
And honestly, just visit GameTop’s website yourself. You’ll wonder how and why they dare to challenge Steam. But somehow, some things are making Xbox talk and act about the future of gaming accordingly.
