Valve Will Support Steam Deck Competitors in a Big Way

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Valve Will Support Steam Deck Competitors in a Big Way

Highlights

  • Valve plans to expand the reach of its well-optimized SteamOS software to rival handheld devices like Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion GO.
  • The Steam Deck’s success lies in its console-like experience and affordability, making it a strong contender in the handheld gaming PC market.
  • While Valve works on supporting Windows-powered competitors, players can look forward to a user-friendly interface on other handheld devices.

As a seasoned gamer who has been through the ups and downs of various gaming platforms, I find the latest development from Valve truly exciting. The prospect of SteamOS, the heart and soul of the Steam Deck, expanding to rival devices like the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion GO is a game-changer.

Valve has announced plans to share its Linux-based operating system, SteamOS, with competing handheld devices such as the Asus ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion GO, similar to the Steam Deck. This optimized, console-like experience of SteamOS has been a key factor in the popularity of the Steam Deck, and now Valve is working to expand this software to its Windows-powered rivals too.

Since its debut in February 2022, Valve’s Steam Deck has been a hit, offering power comparable to a PlayStation 4 at a lower price than high-end options available at the time. More recently, competitors like Asus, Lenovo, and MSI have entered the handheld gaming PC market, but the Steam Deck still stands out due to its user-friendly operating system, which is more streamlined than Windows-based alternatives as Windows 11 hasn’t been fully optimized for a handheld setup yet.

As a gamer, I’ve been enjoying the flexibility of SteamOS, which lets me use my Steam Deck both as a desktop PC and a portable gaming console with a specialized interface. Unlike Windows 11, it doesn’t offer these options just yet, but it seems Valve is open to helping other companies in the market. In response to a recent update hinting at “extra ROG Ally keys” support, The Verge asked Valve designer Lawrence Yang for clarification. He confirmed that Valve is indeed working on expanding SteamOS compatibility with more handheld devices. However, he also mentioned that it might take some time before SteamOS can run seamlessly on third-party devices as it’s not quite ready to do so at the moment.

Valve Will Release SteamOS on Third-Party Devices, But There’s a Catch

For quite some time, there have been whispers about a complete launch of SteamOS, and while it might take longer than expected, Valve’s recent confirmation is still a positive sign. However, it seems unlikely that companies like Asus, MSI, and Lenovo will swap their handheld devices from Windows to SteamOS, given that their hardware is certified by Microsoft. Changing to an entirely different operating system could present logistical challenges. Nevertheless, gamers who appreciate the more user-friendly interface of the Steam Deck but also prefer stronger Windows-based handhelds might eventually enjoy a blend of both systems in the future.

Although some might view this action as Valve making one of the Steam Deck’s key advantages available to their competitors, the underlying goal is to grow the influence of Linux as an operating system. The Steam Deck has been successful in promoting gaming on Linux, but with Microsoft maintaining its dominance in the operating system market through Windows, Valve seems eager to claim a portion of that market share too.

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2024-08-14 13:43