I feel that Microsoft was actually heading in this direction much more recently. During the development of Windows 8 it was starting to look more and more like Microsoft was going to emulate Apple and lock down windows to the Microsoft store.

Valve reacted to this and created ChromeOS and Chromebox, so they could still have a business in a world where they have been locked out. Ultimately I think negative customer reaction to Windows 8 caused Microsoft to back off and Valve put those things on the backburner.

I think this is also the reason Valve created SteamVR, partnered with HTC and made the Vive and later the Index. They saw the Facebook of Oculus clearly for what it was, Facebook's attempt to become the walled garden of VR.