Valve has been vocal about its plans to expand SteamOS beyond the Steam Deck, aiming to make it available for other gaming devices, including rival handhelds. The recent beta update that referenced adding support for the Asus ROG Ally’s inputs has sparked interest in the gaming community.
Valve engineer Lawrence Yang confirmed to The Verge that SteamOS support for non-Steam Deck portables is still in progress. The team is actively working on incorporating support for additional handhelds on SteamOS, with a specific mention of third-party device support. While this feature is not yet ready for immediate use, it opens up possibilities for users who prefer the performance of devices like the ROG Ally but are not fans of Windows 11.
Despite the excitement surrounding potential third-party device support for SteamOS, the long-promised dual booting capability for the Steam Deck seems to be lower on the priority list. Valve’s focus remains on enhancing the SteamOS experience for a wider range of devices. Dual booting with Windows is a desirable feature for many Steam Deck owners, offering the best of both worlds in terms of operating systems.
Running desktop-optimized games on a handheld device can present challenges, especially when dealing with Windows-based applications on devices like the Steam Deck. However, users have found workarounds such as streaming games from the cloud or manually installing non-Steam launchers to access a broader selection of PC games. While these solutions are effective to some extent, the convenience of dual booting with both SteamOS and Windows is highly desired by the gaming community.
Future Outlook
Valve acknowledges the demand for dual boot support but admits that it is still a work in progress. The company is preparing to make the remaining Windows drivers for Steam Deck OLED available, indicating progress towards achieving dual boot functionality. In the meantime, users have experimented with alternative methods like installing Windows on a microSD card for a form of dual booting, albeit not as seamless as having both operating systems on the Steam Deck’s SSD.
Valve’s continued efforts to expand SteamOS support to non-Steam Deck devices and improve the dual booting experience demonstrate a commitment to enhancing the gaming experience for a broader audience. As the company works towards achieving compatibility with a wider range of handhelds and operating systems, gamers can look forward to a more versatile and flexible gaming environment in the future.
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