Valve has always said that the company wanted to support other portable gaming PC handhelds by providing SteamOS on the platform. The company is keeping its word but it might take a while to get there.
The latest SteamOS build has explicitly mentioned support for the ROG Ally and Valve says this isn’t a mistake. The company is now working on opening up SteamOS to other devices. The latest build’s mention of “Added support for extra ROG Ally keys” is indeed the start of this process.
However, while this sounds exciting, it might take a while before other devices fully support SteamOS. Both ASUS (and other PC brands) need to work with Valve to incorporate the Linux-based SteamOS across the hardware first. This means working on a lot of technical stuff in the background.
ASUS has stated in the past that the ROG Ally ships with Windows due to its widespread support for various hardware configurations and chips. Moving to SteamOS would mean repeating the same process all over again and ensuring the hardware works on the platform.
Valve has also confirmed that while the process has begun, it is far from ready. The company says it is “making steady progress” to allow rival handhelds to install SteamOS. We will eventually get there but it isn’t ready yet.
Keep in mind that Valve is also working on SteamOS 3 which has been designed from the ground up for non-hanheld PCs. The operating system will act as a replacement for users who don’t want Windows on their gaming PCs and simply want it to run as a dedicated Steam gaming platform.
SteamOS 3 is far from ready according to Valve but by the sounds of things, it would act as a Linux platform for most devices on the market. If this becomes a reality, Valve could easily open up SteamOS for rival handhelds and slowly become the “Microsoft of the gaming operating system”.
There would be no reason for Valve to keep SteamOS as a Steam Deck exclusive if the OS is seen as the go-to for gamers on PCs.
In related news, ASUS has just launched its ROG Ally X handheld in South Africa today. Boasting various technical improvements like a bigger battery and more RAM, the device retails for R17,9990. Find out more here.
