A mention in this week's Steam Deck firmware patch notes has some observers speculating that Valve is preparing to release its well-regarded Linux build for third-party hardware....

One of the Steam Deck’s primary advantages over more powerful handheld gaming PCs is its operating system, which is designed to mimic a game console interface within a Linux PC environment. Valve has long planned to bring the OS to other devices, but a recent Steam Deck software update includes the first mention of a rival handheld.

    • teawrecks@sopuli.xyz
      14·
      4 months ago

      The Steam Link tried and succeeded at this. My guess is only technical people understood its use-case at the time. For hardware to do well on a large scale it needs to be standalone. You turn it on and immediately see the benefit of it. Can’t be dependent on the customer’s other hardware.

      • HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com
        3·
        4 months ago

        well it will help if you can get many of the same internet streaming apps you have with firetv stick and such. so people might just buy it to steam netflix and be part of the market outside of the ones using the game streaming.

    • fjordbasa@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      4 months ago

      It is, but Steam has a habit of iterating, maybe we’ll see an updated Steam Link- like device in the future?

        • InputZero@lemmy.ml
          7·
          4 months ago

          They didn’t abandon it, they opened it up to anything running at least Andriod 8.0 or newer. So basically every Andriod device made since 2015 can run Steam Link, maybe not at a quality seen as appropriate but it’ll run.

          • toastal@lemmy.ml
            5·
            3 months ago

            I wish we could stop with smart TVs. I want a dumb TV with a nice screen & my own hardware without worrying about the data collection

          • conciselyverbose@sh.itjust.works
            2·
            3 months ago

            Steam link hardware was junk too.

            Just get something with android and you’ll have a better experience for all the rest of your TV stuff too.

    • ryathal@sh.itjust.works
      2·
      4 months ago

      Yes, but it really only works at low latency over a wired connection. It’s great for video or games where input lag isn’t a big deal.

    • Blxter@lemmy.zipEnglish
      1·
      4 months ago

      I believe so yes (tbh forgot it was a thing) but for example my smart TV does not have a steam link app available for some reason (LGC3) and I would definitely stream to it given the chance. Not sure why the steam app is not available.

    • HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com
      1·
      4 months ago

      yeah and steam had a desktop I think but Im hoping it just sorta being cheaply licensed will work out better for that kind of thing.

    • Gamma@beehaw.orgEnglish
      1·
      4 months ago

      Loved that thing, I could play party games from downstairs with our 5ghz network. Made college weekends so much fun!