Valve developed the Steam Deck, a handheld gaming PC running on SteamOS (a Linux-based operating system), in 2022. It has proven its worth in the market, playing a major role in inspiring other handheld gaming PCs from companies like ASUS and Lenovo.
Valve has been steadily working toward making SteamOS available for devices beyond its own Steam Deck. In December 2024, Valve announced that the SteamOS might expand soon and could be adopted by third-party hardware manufacturers. Then, in January 2025, Valve revealed that a beta version of SteamOS would be available for other handheld devices before the release of Lenovo’s Legion Go S.
The latest development suggests that Valve may be on the verge of officially releasing SteamOS for a wide range of devices, not just handheld gaming PCs. Leaker SadlyitsBradly, who frequently reports on Steam hardware and software, has found hints suggesting on his X account that SteamOS could soon be available on PCs, laptops, and other non-Steam Deck hardware.
Importance: If true, this rumor could signal a major shift in Valve’s strategy, as Valve might expand SteamOS beyond its own Steam Deck, potentially positioning SteamOS as a viable alternative to Windows for gaming.
SteamOS’s Beta Testing and Third-Party Adoption
At CES 2025, Valve officially announced its expansion beyond Steam Deck and revealed that the Legion Go S will be the first third-party device to feature SteamOS. Currently, Lenovo already sells a Windows version of the Legion Go, however, they are now preparing to launch the Legion Go S, a SteamOS version, expected to release in May 2025.
With the CES 25 announcement and Valve shipping a SteamOS beta ahead of the Legion Go S launch, the full release of SteamOS across multiple devices seems imminent. Moreover, a photo shared by SadlyitsBradly suggests that the developer has made significant updates to SteamOS’s code, indicating an upcoming general release.
Valve Might Expand SteamOS, But Hardware Compatibility Questions Remains
Historically, Nvidia hardware has had compatibility issues with Linux, and a Valve software engineer acknowledged that there is still work to be done in this area. Since the first release of SteamOS will be a beta version, Valve will have time to improve compatibility
Overall, a wider SteamOS release is great news for PC gamers, especially for those looking for an alternative to Windows. However, it’s still unclear that how well SteamOS will perform across different hardware types. The primary focus appears to be optimizing it for portable gaming PC’s. Since both the Steam Deck and Lenovo Legion Go S use AMD hardware, SteamOS is presumably well optimized for AMD-based devices.
For a visual overview of this development, you might find the following video informative:
On that note, what are your thoughts on Valve potentially sharing the SteamOS with other platforms? Let us know in the comments section.
More News
Split Fiction Hits 2 Million Sales In Just One Week
AJ Investments CEO Slams Ubisoft Over Mismanagement & Opacity
