Powered by SteamOS: Valve’s Linux gaming OS prepares to expand beyond the Steam Deck
Something to look forward to: Steam users have long wondered about when Valve might make the Steam Deck’s custom Linux distro available for other devices. While the company hasn’t disclosed its software roadmap, new internal guidelines provide the latest evidence that these plans are progressing. Interestingly, this development coincides with a new patent for a Linux-based handheld gaming device from Samsung.
Valve’s new logo and “Powered by SteamOS” brand guidelines reference other devices, suggesting that the Steam Deck may soon no longer be the only hardware running Valve’s custom Linux distro. Introducing the OS to other PCs could loosen Microsoft’s grip on PC gaming.
Page 16 of Valve’s new internal document outlines devices that ship with SteamOS pre-installed and boot directly into the gaming-oriented operating system. Although Valve has previously confirmed its intention to make SteamOS available on additional PCs, it remains unclear whether the company will license the distro to hardware manufacturers or release it as a free download for all PC users.
Click to enlarge
A SteamOS beta release from earlier this year included code referencing the Asus ROG Ally, one of the most popular Windows-based competitors to the Steam Deck. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Linux distro debut on the Ally and other handhelds.
Additionally, a leaked render of a potential successor to the Steam Controller, which could enter mass production within months, hints at a revival of Valve’s abandoned Steam Machines initiative.
SteamOS and similar projects, like Bazzite, simplify managing and launching PC games with a controller, offering an experience closer to consoles without compromising the flexibility of a PC. They also resolve common Windows-related annoyances, such as driver updates and shader compilation issues.
Click to enlarge
Recent reports also highlight Valve’s ongoing interest in virtual reality and Arm-based systems. The new guidelines devote several pages to Steam VR, and leaked images of controller designs for a rumored standalone Steam VR headset surfaced alongside renders of the Steam Controller 2.
Meanwhile, the well-known leaker “Jukanlosreve” claims that Samsung has recently begun developing a Linux Vulkan driver for its Arm-based Xclipse GPU. Earlier leaks revealed Valve’s ongoing Arm Linux development efforts, and a Samsung patent filed last month describes a foldable handheld gaming device.
While the patent lacks software details – and patents don’t always lead to commercial products – it broadens the range of possibilities for where SteamOS could appear in the future.
