This is great news, and I've wondered why it didn't happen before.
SteamOS is basically Arch Linux with Wine and Proton already properly installed - and of course Steam's UI.
I've always wondered why it could only run on Steam Decks - outside of, you know, the usual reason, that software companies want at all costs to make money from owning the hardware too.
And it seems like a chronic dip in the sales of Steam Deck has finally pushed SteamOS into becoming something more of a general-purpose Linux distro that you can install on any PC.
It is great for two reasons:
1. Most of the diehard gamers still prefer computers over consoles and handhelds. Those computers overwhelmingly use Windows. And now it looks like we've got a serious Linux contender that can make a dent in that market share, without providing only titles like SuperTux as alternatives (which I love btw, but it isn't exactly the kind of game that attracts the gaming community in 2025), or instructing them on how to install and configure Wine, the Proton runtime, the emulation layer for DirectX or set up their own Bottles installation.
2. You may install SteamOS on your PC because you're a gamer. But you've also got an Arch-based distro by doing so. The terminal, pacman and the AUR are just a few keystrokes away and the potential for customization is endless. This haa the potential of bringing more and more folks from the gaming community closer to Linux, and as a result push more vendors to release titles that are natively compatible with it.
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2025/05/valve-adds-steamos-compatible-game-label-as-it-prepares-to-expand-beyond-steam-deck/
Fabio Manganiello /
npub13u…dpvgs
2025-05-24 09:42:54
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npub13uunvh7djw9ep54nswkuxlneyee7ehcpc7e53t68krykrdeg6j4qrdpvgsPublished at
2025-05-24 09:42:54Event JSON
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"content": "This is great news, and I've wondered why it didn't happen before.\n\nSteamOS is basically Arch Linux with Wine and Proton already properly installed - and of course Steam's UI.\n\nI've always wondered why it could only run on Steam Decks - outside of, you know, the usual reason, that software companies want at all costs to make money from owning the hardware too.\n\nAnd it seems like a chronic dip in the sales of Steam Deck has finally pushed SteamOS into becoming something more of a general-purpose Linux distro that you can install on any PC.\n\nIt is great for two reasons:\n\n1. Most of the diehard gamers still prefer computers over consoles and handhelds. Those computers overwhelmingly use Windows. And now it looks like we've got a serious Linux contender that can make a dent in that market share, without providing only titles like SuperTux as alternatives (which I love btw, but it isn't exactly the kind of game that attracts the gaming community in 2025), or instructing them on how to install and configure Wine, the Proton runtime, the emulation layer for DirectX or set up their own Bottles installation.\n\n2. You may install SteamOS on your PC because you're a gamer. But you've also got an Arch-based distro by doing so. The terminal, pacman and the AUR are just a few keystrokes away and the potential for customization is endless. This haa the potential of bringing more and more folks from the gaming community closer to Linux, and as a result push more vendors to release titles that are natively compatible with it.\n\nhttps://arstechnica.com/gaming/2025/05/valve-adds-steamos-compatible-game-label-as-it-prepares-to-expand-beyond-steam-deck/",
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