Re: SteamOS expanding to other PC Handhelds

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Sujet : Re: SteamOS expanding to other PC Handhelds
De : spallshurgenson (at) *nospam* gmail.com (Spalls Hurgenson)
Groupes : comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action
Date : 24. Aug 2024, 16:54:35
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On Sat, 24 Aug 2024 12:27:25 +0200, "Werner P." <werpu@gmx.at> wrote:

Am 15.08.24 um 01:56 schrieb Spalls Hurgenson:
 
SteamOS, the operating system that runs on Valve's own handheld PC,
the SteamDeck, will soon be available* on other similar systems, such
as the ASUS ROG Ally.
>
 
Maybe one day. In the meantime, this move by Valve is a welcome step.
 
 
 
I have a SteamDeck myself, SteamOs nowadays is really nice. It slowly
comes together what Valve had planned from the beginnning. It is a
backup option for them if Microsoft pulls the plug and closes windows off.
Most of my games run without a hitch nowadays, but bear in mind that
I only play single player games.
>

It was actually a stated plan for years, ever since Windows 8. There
was a great deal of nervousness on the part of Valve --and other
vendors-- that the inclusion of an 'app store' in Windows 8 would give
Microsoft unrivalled control over how and where people purchased or
otherwise acquired and installed applications (and games). After all,
you only had to look at the dominance Microsoft's own Internet
Explorer had over the market (at the time) to see how the majority of
people just stuck with the OS defaults over using something else.

(I know this seems weird today, what with Google's Chrome browser
being so popular, but that was the common thinking of the time)

Valve saw its marketshare potentially evaporating as people decided to
just get games from the already-built-into-the-OS software repository
rather than bother with Steam. Thus, Valve pushed back, releasing
"SteamOS" and partnering with a variety of computer manufacturers to
create "Steam Machines" (desktop PCs with SteamOS pre-installed).

As it turned out, the limitations of the Windows8 app-store meant it
never gained much traction, and after a few years -when it became
obvious Microsoft would not become the dominant software distribution
channel everyone had feared- Valve withdrew its support for SteamOS.
Because they were so few in number, SteamMachines never caught on
either; they were too expensive and lacked in hardware (and, more
importantly, driver) support to make them useful machines.

Still, when Valve needed an OS for their SteamDeck handheld gaming
computer, they revived the old OS, updated it with ten years of
advancements, and called it good. Because it was designed for very
specific hardware requirements and was primarily intended for gaming
(as opposed to general computing) use, it was easier to maintain and
support. That its Proton API also meant that many Windows games became
easier to run on Linux computers was an added bonus feature for Steam;
another reason to use it over its competitors.

Still, I don't think the SteamDeck OS (or the SteamDeck itself) is a
shot across Microsoft's bow per se. It seems more likely it's an
attempt to remain relevent as its new competitors, including the Epic
Game Store and the various streaming and subscription services (which,
yes, includes Microsoft but is not limited to them). Because SteamDeck
remains so tightly linked to Steam, its popularity only bolsters
Valve's fortunes, and any publisher who is considering releasing a
game only on streaming services is going to be leaving a lot of money
on the table if it doesn't also run on SteamDeck. And even if you can
hack those streaming services on the Steamdeck, still Valve comes out
ahead because people are paying Valve for the hardware (or other
hardware manufacturers are paying Steam for the license to use their
OS).

There is less of a concern of Microsoft locking down their OS these
days; if anything, it seems more and more likely that in the future MS
may actually switch to a Linux-variant and focus on cloud-based
services rather than OS sales as their primary revenue stream. But
whatever the future, Valve is making moves to remain relevant in the
marketplace by creating services and products that are too popular and
useful amongst its customers for other companies to ignore.



Date Sujet#  Auteur
15 Aug 24 * SteamOS expanding to other PC Handhelds6Spalls Hurgenson
24 Aug 24 `* Re: SteamOS expanding to other PC Handhelds5Werner P.
24 Aug 24  `* Re: SteamOS expanding to other PC Handhelds4Spalls Hurgenson
25 Aug 24   `* Re: SteamOS expanding to other PC Handhelds3kyonshi
25 Aug 24    +- Re: SteamOS expanding to other PC Handhelds1Dimensional Traveler
25 Aug 24    `- Re: SteamOS expanding to other PC Handhelds1Spalls Hurgenson

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