After years of being exclusive to their own launcher and Epic Games Store, HoYoverse’s massive catalog of games, including Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero, appears to be finally making its way to Steam.
The rumors started heating up when dataminer @AboutGacha spotted something interesting in Genshin Impact’s update 6.4: the game was attempting to load the file “steam_api64.dll.”
For those unfamiliar, that’s basically Steam’s calling card, a file specifically used by games running through Valve’s platform. It’s like finding McDonald’s fries in a Burger King bag; something’s definitely cooking behind the scenes.
The Genshin 6.4 client is reportedly trying to load steam_api64.dll. That’s a Steam SDK file, which usually means Steam integration is being tested internally.
Not an official confirmation yet, but this is the kind of low-level detail that doesn’t show up for no reason.
Take it… pic.twitter.com/b0w319xO7X
— About Genshin (@AboutGenshin_) January 19, 2026
The evidence keeps piling up
What makes this leak even more credible is that just days earlier, Reddit sleuths discovered Steam-related code added to HoYoverse’s account management system on January 6.
The system now includes specific strings referencing Steam logins and warnings about previous play records, technical stuff that strongly suggests they’re preparing to integrate Steam accounts with their service.
The code explicitly mentions that logging in with Honkai Impact 3rd Steam accounts isn’t supported, which hints these preparations are for their other titles.
Currently, if you want to play Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, or Zenless Zone Zero on PC, you’ve got two options: download HoYoverse’s own HoYoPlay launcher or grab them from Epic Games Store.
Only Honkai Impact 3rd has made it to Steam so far, and that version runs independently without the HoYoPlay launcher. But that isolated launch might be about to get some company.
Steam Deck players are finally getting what they deserve
Steam Deck owners have been begging for official support forever. Right now, getting HoYoverse games running on the handheld requires jumping through hoops, installing Windows 11, dealing with anti-cheat software that doesn’t play nice with SteamOS, or using workarounds like third-party launchers.
Meanwhile, competitor Wuthering Waves launched on Steam back in April 2025 and runs smoothly with full Steam Deck compatibility. HoYoverse has been leaving money on the table.
Beyond portable gaming, there’s a huge segment of PC gamers who simply refuse to use anything but Steam.
The platform offers conveniences like automatic updates through a launcher that’s always running, cloud saves, Steam overlay features, and better controller support.
For many, having to maintain multiple launchers is a genuine deal-breaker, and HoYoverse has been missing out on that entire audience.
It’s worth noting that HoYoverse hasn’t made any official announcements yet, so this could still be internal testing that never sees the light of day.
But considering the mounting evidence and the fact that other major gacha games have successfully made the jump to Steam, it feels less like “if” and more like “when.” The company would be smart to capitalize on Steam’s massive user base, especially with competitors already establishing their presence on the platform.
For now, all we can do is wait and see if HoYoverse finally pulls the trigger on what could be one of the biggest platform expansions in gacha gaming history.
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