There have been some exciting developments from Valve lately, specifically its push for SteamOS support on a wider range of devices outside of the Steam Deck. CES 2025 set the stage for the announcement of a third-party SteamOS-powered handheld. The Legion Go S will be getting a SteamOS version in May this year “with an expected starting price of $499.99”.
However, plans for SteamOS seem much more ambitious than that, though we should first disclose that nothing has been confirmed by Valve just yet. Even so, the idea of widespread Linux gaming is exciting news if you’re the kind of person who has wanted to stop gaming on Windows for a while now.
SteamOS on more form factors might just be a matter of time
In a recent interview with PCWorld, Pierre-Loup Griffais (the same person who shut down the idea the Steam Deck would be upgraded to the Ryzen Z2 processor), discussed some of the company’s plans for SteamOS. When asked whether SteamOS will be coming to other form factors, such as a ‘set-top box’, he seemed on board with the idea and added the following:
“I think for us, it’s kind of a progressive thing, first expanding to different handhelds. So we’re kind of staying in the same form factor. But then maybe once that’s more robust, going beyond that is definitely part of our goals. It’s just unclear what the time frame is”
Pierre-Loup Griffais, Valve Engineer
Griffais also adds that they’re “still working on expanding hardware support” so the idea of a Steam Machine revival is probably a long way away. This is just speculation on our part, but it seems like SteamOS is moving in the right direction and will help bring the lightweight, user-friendly Steam Deck experience we’ve come to love to plenty more devices and form factors in the coming years.
For those unaware, the ‘Steam Machine‘ we’re referencing is a discontinued series of small form factor gaming computers developed by Valve (and additional partnered manufacturers) using SteamOS – back when the operating system was much less developed. These fit the ‘set-top box’ description quite nicely and it may be the right time for them to make a return. Plus, recent leaks of a ‘Steam Controller 2‘ would certainly complete the package for a console-like experience in your living room.
Rumors and leaks for a potential upcoming SteamOS device reportedly codenamed ‘Fremont’ are another thing to think about. We see this as essentially a modern version of the Steam Machine with much more powerful hardware and it could turn out to be the next big piece of hardware from Valve. Again, there’s no official word on this, but it is certainly something to keep an eye on.
Sales numbers for the original release back in 2015 were lackluster, Ars Technica called it “dead in the water” seven months after launch. However, the release of the Steam Deck has accelerated SteamOS development massively. Referring back to the interview, Graffais also notes that “if you look at the build of SteamOS that exists today” – “if you load it on your PC right now, the experience today is going to be quite a bit better than it was last year and it’s just going to keep getting better”.
Valve will maintain a “close working relationship” with collaborators that want to make use of the new ‘powered by SteamOS‘ branding, and we predict this to be an integral part of the process if (hopefully when) the time comes for SteamOS to make the jump to form factors outside of the handheld gaming realm.
