Valve is testing ARM64 support that could bring Steam games to smartphones

23 Sep 2024, 12:43 by Chris Thomas · Android Police

Key Takeaways

Valve is bridging its x86 library with ARM framework support for possible Steam games on mobile.
The focus on ARM64 hints at expanded cross-platform support for SteamOS.
Speculation includes Steam games on mobile and the potential development of Valve's standalone VR headset.

Valve's beloved Steam gaming service taught us long ago about the value of a competent buying service that connects a community. Many years later, its 2022 release of the Steam Deck took portable gaming by storm, and still marks a turning point in gaming handheld evolution.

Per a recent NotebookCheck report, Valve's engineers are back to work bridging the gap between the ARM chips underpinning mobile devices and the x86 framework relied on by Windows computers. The results could be as freeing as Steam games on mobile, or perhaps it's a clue for a standalone VR headset from the privately owned gaming behemoth.

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Why is Valve interested in ARM64 support?

Probably not because of a mass Windows exodus — yet

One of these handhelds plays Windows games. The other might soon.

The ARM instruction set architecture has had a stranglehold on the smartphone market since its inception, with open-source competitors like RISC-V failing to make major inroads yet. It's a vastly different ISA than the x86 technology behind PCs running software like Windows, and porting programs between the two is often prohibitively difficult.

The third-party website SteamDB catalogs the entirety of the popular Steam gaming platform for informational purposes. It recently uncovered an unknown app that implicates the connection of Proton, a tool commonly used to run Windows games on Linux, with several specific titles available on Steam. Despite the versatility of Linux (which Android is based on), its gaming sphere was limited at best until the arrival of Wine, which Proton ultimately built on.

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The SteamDB entry contains countless identifiers tagged with the text "proton-arm64", accompanied by comments indicating certain games. The massive list includes popular titles such as Garry's Mod, Left 4 Dead 2, Kerbal Space Program (RIP Intercept Games), and Exploding Kittens 2. The clear implication is that Valve is preparing to make a ton of games run seamlessly on Linux-based platforms.

What ARM64 translation means for Steam games

Smartphones, handhelds, and VR, oh my

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The most obvious speculation is the eventual arrival of Steam games on Android. The Steam Link app technically lets you stream your PC games on Android devices, but it works poorly for anything remotely fast-paced. Alternatively, Valve's new implementation could simply be better documentation in preparation for SteamOS support on third-party handhelds (via IGN) or even the Steam Deck 2.

The more interesting prospect surrounds Valve's mythical standalone VR headset, AKA Deckard. We've seen rumors flying for over a year, but most fans have resigned to the idea that it'll arrive sometime around Half-Life 3.

Not beholden to public investment, Valve typically takes its time with major developments, which would undoubtedly hold true for a potentially industry-defining VR headset. While we can gleefully say Valve's ARM64 focus might indicate that the project is moving forward, we'll remain skeptical to avoid getting our hopes up too much. But it's a fun idea to entertain.

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