Valve has confirmed it will officially support the ASUS ROG Ally gaming handheld with its Steam Deck operating system, SteamOS. This announcement marks a significant step in Valve’s efforts to expand its SteamOS platform to rival handheld devices. Lawrence Yang, a Valve designer, verified that the company is actively working on adding support for additional handhelds on SteamOS.
He stated, “The note about ROG Ally keys is related to third-party device support for SteamOS. The team is continuing to work on adding support for additional handhelds on SteamOS.
However, Yang cautioned that while Valve is making steady progress, SteamOS “isn’t ready to run out of the box yet” on rival handhelds. He did not provide a specific timeline for when an official SteamOS installer for the ROG Ally would be available.
It’s important to note that ASUS has not officially endorsed Valve’s SteamOS installer or announced plans to sell the ROG Ally with SteamOS pre-installed. ASUS cites several reasons for shipping the device with Windows, including Microsoft’s extensive validation teams that ensure compatibility across various hardware configurations.
Valve expands SteamOS support
Valve’s vision of extending SteamOS beyond the Steam Deck is not new. For years, the company has envisioned a world where every PC maker could have their own “Steam Machine,” a PC game console powered by the Linux-based SteamOS. The Steam Deck, Valve’s internally developed gaming handheld, is a materialization of this vision that has been over a decade in the making.
In addition to supporting rival handhelds, Valve is also working on a general release of SteamOS 3 that could theoretically be installed on non-handheld PCs. Yang noted progress but reiterated that it’s not yet ready for deployment. Yang provided an update regarding the potential for dual-booting Windows on Steam Decks: “As for Windows, we’re preparing to make the remaining Windows drivers for Steam Deck OLED available.
There’s no update on the timing for dual boot support. It’s still a priority, but we haven’t gotten to it yet.
Valve’s move to offer an official version of SteamOS for competing hardware is likely driven by a desire to maintain a cohesive brand image and ensure the best possible experience for handheld gaming device users. As Valve continues its development, more updates and news are expected.
