If that were the natural outcome Xbox would’ve “gotten it right” since it was the most PC-like console before the Steam Deck.

The moddability is a deliberate strategy by Valve, and I don’t see it as an inevitable move for every PC-centered company, Microsoft being the prime counterexample.

The XBox One and PS4 are very PC-like as well. (Continuing with the PS5 and XBox Series).

But yes, Valve does seem to get what gamers want (other than games made by them)

I think it's pretty clear that "PC-like" also means you need an open platform, with the possibility to install any software and operating system you wish, which the xbox nor any console from the major brands allows for.

Yeah PC means "personal computer", not x64 CPU with an AMD or Nvidia GPU. I don't see how the Xbox is PC-like at all.

It’s running Windows, and if you put it in dev mode, which is not much harder than putting a laptop off S mode, you can install anything. It works with a mouse and keyboard. Pretty close to a PC.

You can't install anything, only UWP apps that run in an extremely restrictive sandbox. You can get root on Steam Deck by switching to Desktop mode, opening the terminal and inputting a couple commands and you have full access to the hardware's bootloader.

The first Xbox was hacked wide open, but that was in spite of Microsoft.

Lots of good stuff there, too. XBMC for life!

XBMC and all the wacky homebrew software extended the life of my original Xbox by more than a decade. I still think the linksbox browser did alphabet input better than any other controller software I've seen. And it was always fun in college to host a Mario Kart 64 night (emulated on Xbox) in the dorms and see the expressions on people's faces when they looked from the controllers to the screen, and then back and forth again. :)

And I still use 2 original Xboxs at LAN parties here and there. Even with a softmod and Linux, it's still possible to system link Halo, Halo 2, Battlefront (2004), Battlefront 2 (2005), Crimson Skies, Metal Arms, and other games across at least three generations of console (Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One) with 16-to-32 people. Microsoft does backward compatibility like almost no one else, even on console.

It's getting harder to find replacement controllers, but I've found a local hardware guy in my city who can help find the right replacement parts as little pieces on the board start to fail. I plan on keeping both of mine running as long as possible!

Project Stellar lets you use Xbox One controllers https://makemhz.com/products/stellar