Rumors abound. New leaks are piling serious fuel onto the flames. SteamOS has been the magic sauce driving the Steam Deck for some time now. It provides a wonderful, gaming-oriented experience on the go. What if that experience was about to be made available much wider than Valve's own hardware
Signs Pointing to a Wider SteamOS Release
The latest rumor is from a reliable source, industry insider @SadlyItsBradley. They've found code changes referencing "Jupiter." Most believe this is a codename for SteamOS support for additional devices outside of the Steam Deck. This aligns perfectly with what Valve teased at CES 2025. SteamOS would be opened up to third-party manufacturers.
Thrillingly, the first taste of this enhanced SteamOS is just around the corner with Lenovo's Legion Go S handheld, available in May 2025. Rumor has it that Valve's plans go even further than that. A broad public release of SteamOS is already underway. Expect to install SteamOS on your own gaming computer.
Beyond Desktops? ARM in the Picture?
The rumor does not stop at desktops. There is even speculation that SteamOS will be using ARM architecture one day. It might sound surprising, but there are hints. The open-source community, by means of efforts like 'Arch Linux Ports,' is pushing for greater ARM support in Linux. More significantly, Valve itself has reportedly been testing out ARM64 support. Perhaps this is for its rumored standalone VR headset, "Deckard."
Recent advancements include improved ARM support in Wine 10.0. This is the foundation of Proton, Steam's Windows-compatible game compatibility layer. The possibility of SteamOS on ARM hardware suddenly seems much more plausible. This would open up a whole new line of possibilities. It could bring SteamOS to even more platforms.
SteamOS for Your Desktop: A Bloatware-Free Gaming Dream?
For as long as anyone can remember, Windows has reigned supreme as the gaming operating system. But Windows has always been the resource hog that it is. It comes with all the features that most gamers simply do not need or want. This is where SteamOS could finally shine. A neat, streamlined operating system is specifically for gaming. It is free of bloatware and distractions. That is what SteamOS offers.
SteamOS is rooted in Linux. Valve's Proton compatibility layer has taken giant leaps forward in allowing Windows games to run smoothly. The compatibility gap is now narrowing for many players. SteamOS could deliver a more polished and streamlined gaming experience.
The Road Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
Of course, there are still challenges. SteamOS compatibility with NVIDIA GPUs, for example, is something Valve is probably working on improving. Valve provides a "Build Your Own" version of SteamOS. However, it is not really the user-friendly experience many desktop users would expect. It is also not the same OS as on the Steam Deck.
But there is a chance it could happen. A publicly released SteamOS, tuned for desktops and potentially even ARM, would be a game-changer. Is Valve positioning SteamOS to be a real competitor to Windows as a gaming platform It is interesting. The coming months might tell us just how committed Valve is to SteamOS.
Source: Based on post by @SadlyItsBradley on X/Twitter
