Valve today (12 November 2025) announced their new Steam Machine (x86 CPU, 6x more powerful than Steam Deck) and Steam Frame (self-contained and PCVR streaming VR headset with ARM CPU & “FEX” translation of x86 to ARM) to be released in early 2026. No prices yet.
I’m trying to speculate what effects this will have on the wider Linux ecosystem. Both devices will be running Steam OS and be open so you can run any OS.
First, I’ve read many people state that the Steam Deck considerably increased the number of devices running Linux, so it seems to me that these two new devices will accelerate that trend.
Second, it seems to me that the Steam Frame will significantly increase VR use and development for Linux.
Third, I wonder what the implications of Frame’s x86 to arm translation layer (based on FEX, an open source project that I only learned about today) as well as Android compatibility (they state it can sideload Android APKs) will be. Could this somehow help either Linux on Apple silicon or Linux phone efforts? I’m very unfamiliar with what’s going on with either of these efforts, so I may be way out on a limb here.
What do you think about all this?
Edit: this article may prompt some additional thoughts with its discussion of the openness of the Frame - https://www.uploadvr.com/valve-steam-frame-catalog-whole-compatible/
If the Frame is as open as the Deck it will be the perfect device for VR devs to play around with and make awesome stuff with. i think one of the things holding back VR was that almost every headset was super locked down.
If the Quests had been more open we’d have had much more experimental games. Maybe the Metaverse would actually be a thing. But Meta prefers to keep everything under their control not realising that this hampers development and adoption.
Look at the article that I edited the OP to post. It sounds like Valve is intent on keeping this thing as open as possible. I agree that it could lead to really interesting developments, not to mention when you consider the SD card slot and the high speed accessory interface that will allow external cameras and who knows what else. This thing is going to be crazy.
Interestingly enough, when Quest first released the hand tracking functionality I remember seeing some really interesting developments using that, but I guess the developers never took it all the way to publish games with those concepts.
It’s so weird considering how differently their approach is to like pytorch and LLAMA
Huge win for Linux. Steam Deck was the first volley, but this hardware is an all-out assault on Windows’ gaming dominance. MS is asleep at the wheel and making worse and worse software. I’m a 20 year Windows user and I’m planning my exit. If I were a gaming executive, I would assume 5 years from now that a smaller percentage of Steam users will be on Windows than there are today. I would want a damn good reason for my company’s next game to not have full Linux support.
Microsoft will either:
- win through innovation
- win through monopolistic practices
- win through inertia
- slowly lose by having a worse product
My money is on #4. Windows will probably be the #1 desktop/laptop OS for the next 20 years, but we could enter a world where Linux and MacOS are each 10% or more of the market. Steam shows 95% Windows but that’s for a gaming-focused market.
Valve isn’t perfect. They’re still a corporation. But if every company was as evil as Valve, we would achieve near world peace. They’ve contributed amazing things to open source through heavy investment.
I’m planning my exit.
How can I help?
Embarrassingly, make a Windows 10-like OS. (More specifically, a window manager, probably.) Or have an affirmative vision for the future (non-Windows 95-derived) like Niri or (fascist-adjacent) Omarchy. 15+ years ago I booted my first distro. I ran Ubuntu with Unity on a side PC for years. Good for single screen use. I daily drove Debian for 3 months in 2018 but never got it to look more modern than Windows 2000. I never “enjoyed” it. This matches my thoughts. https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/10/deduplicating_the_desktops/
Going to try out https://www.anduinos.com/ and Zorin. Have done distro hop roulette for months and a lot of them are unsatisfying. KDE looks close to how I want but runs slow e.g. https://lemmy.frozeninferno.xyz/post/58790510
I’m big on super+arrow to move windows from one screen to another. I rarely need more than 4 active windows per display. But my big problem with tiling is that I like seeing the windows I have open at the bottom of my screen. (this was for my laptop but similar points https://lemmy.frozeninferno.xyz/post/58681232 )
My side OS on my main PC is Mint with MATE, but I also don’t gel with it. Ran it on a family PC for years and it did the job for casual use. Random gripe off the top of my head I think applies in MATE: sorting is in byte order, not in brain order. Many linuxes sort
10, 1, 2instead of1, 2, 10. MATE and Xfce (iirc) have terrible file operation handling compared to Windows or (the gold standard?) Teracopy in Windows.Every default GUI archive/extract program in Linux sucks, that I could find. I prefer Peazip but even 7z-gui (the stock one) is good. Even native windows zip support feels more pleasant. This goes back to a bazzite/omarchy philosophy of shipping software that is good, instead of defaults that suck.
Oddly enough I kind of respect AntiX + IceWM, as well as Lxqt / Lubuntu more than most of the crap modern WMs I’ve used.
SSH key exchange / setup is a fucking nightmare and I don’t know why I’m copy pasting keys into text files or piping multiple commands together for the 50% odds that my OS setup allows it. I still don’t really understand the Linux threat model where passwords on a local account make sense. (Is it to prevent local scripts from escalating to admin?)
I’ve run Linux servers for 5 years and I run WSL, but nothing clicks per se. I’m always more at home in Windows. Niri feels close to what I want, but too high a learning curve. I may make a post about it someday.
There is a mix of very precise issues with very detailed examples but also a thread of not being “comfortable” which makes it challenging for me to make practical suggestions.
If that’s OK I’d suggest to start with the top 5 problems you have then I, and hopefully others, can give potential paths forward.
One generic advice though the learning curve might feel threateningly high but I’d argue it’s if you consider this a short term adventure. If you think about the next year or so, discovering the intricacies of a distribution or shortcuts for a desktop environment look like a bad investment of your time. If now you consider this, especially as you mentioned managing servers for years, relying on WSL, etc a long term investment. If you imagine than in 10 years, heck even 50 years, console, servers, VR headsets, desktop, phones, tablets… all run Linux (which to be clear basically is the case now, even before the Valve recent announcement) then it’s a totally different dynamic. I don’t mean “behind the scene” kind of things, I mean today you can use
adb shellon your standalone VR HMD, on your video projector, on your phone, etc. You can also have the console on your Mac laptop. It doesn’t make learning easier, it’s just a lot more motivating IMHO.Also on that topic, my “trick” is to write down notes. It can be actual notes or just my ~/.bashrc or ~/bin in a more pragmatic day to day solutions. They do add up, day after day, years after years. Each challenge once overcome can be composable and a new opportunity to do more.
Win through innovation
Has Microsoft ever innovated?
Don’t be such a ridiculous fucking hater you blind yourself to reality
Barring literally everything else, this steam box shares its lineage with the Xbox, not Sony or Nintendo’s products. Speaking as one who ran xbmc on their classic first-gen it’s nice to see things coming full circle to “everything is just a media center pc, bitches”.
They were innovative in hiding their money from the tax man
Windows 95, 2000/XP, and 7 were all very nice OSs. DirectX and whatever other APIs helped PC gaming. Windows Phone 8/10 are an interesting paradigm I wish still existed. The Xbox 360 blades dashboard (and later the NXE) ushered in an era we’re arguably still living in. WSL.
I’m a 20 year Windows user and I’m planning my exit.
Hear hear. I’m a 35 year DOS -> Windows user (personally and professionally) and already actively working on my exit.
I would want a damn good reason for my company’s next game to not have full Linux support.
I think I remember reading comments indicating that lots of (indie?) developers are taking the strategy of ensuring that their games work well on WINE/Proton instead of specifically developing for Linux. That makes sense economically for a small company at this point. 5 years from now will probably be a different story than now though, like you said.
The effort they are putting towards x86 emulation will definitely help the broader Linux community. I saw a bit about 24 min in on gamer nexas video. That would help down the line on all sorts of devices.
Yeah, pretty sure it was called “Fex” translation layer for emulating x86 binaries on ARM64. To me that was absolutely the biggest takeaway, because that’s a massive game-changer for eventually moving the industry away from x86 exclusivity and into wider adoption of other architectures.
Interesting, thanks!
Could this somehow help…Linux phone efforts?
I thought about this but the biggest problem with Android is lack of adoption from developers of third party app stores and UnifiedPush, and similarly widespread adoption of Play Integrity API. This won’t solve those problems.
There’s certainly the possibility that Android apps begin being distributed on Steam. But probably only gaming apps.
Good points, thanks.
Yeah, there would need to be a major player investing in this route, coupled with strong integrity checks, to force banks and identity apps to make a third version of their apps.
Steam frame could be big for vr on linux. Before steam deck came out I dualbooted windows for gaming because gaming didn’t work well on linux. Nowadays its great. Steam vr is super buggy on linux right now and doesn’t even have feature parity with steam vr on windows. Hopefully steam vr becomes good on linux because I would imagine the steam frame needs it to be good
This is what I’m hoping for too. Thanks for providing your perspective from first-hand experience because I wasn’t sure about any of this VR on Linux stuff.
I know what you asked about is the Machine and Frame, but I’m super excited about the controller. I love my old steam controller I got on fire sale, but its an extremely flawed device. If they can polish that to the standard of the Deck, I’m so in, especially since you know it’ll work well on Linux with no firmware BS.
Definitely agree. Had a couple of them and loved some of the ideas (touchpad sticks, gyro to mouse aim, all of the Steam Input flexibility) but they never really eclipsed my rechargeable Dualshocks in terms of feeling right. Taking some of the Deck’s refinements and giving it another spin is welcome.
Yes, I’m definitely interested in the controller too! I only mentioned Machine and Frame because I figured those might both have an impact on Linux, but I didn’t even think about how the Steam controller may become a nice standard controller for Linux.
The frames might be the first VR I buy.
Same here!
As someone who previously owned a GameCube and a G4 Cube, I’m definitely getting the Steam
CubeMachine.I prefer GabeCube
People have already started calling the Steam Machine the “GabeCube” around the internet. :)
Fınally, year of the Linux desktop is here!
All 3 of the new hardware seems really cool. I’m very excited. These probably won’t be sold where I am, but I’m considering getting a steam controller from a 3rd party seller if it turns out to be cheap enough for me.
I’m surprised that they kept the “Steam Machine” name. I thought they would choose a different name to avoid any negative connotations. It is a very cool name though.
Also this goes to prove again that Steam/Valve is not a monopoly. If this “small” team of 350~ people in a private company can casually beat Microsoft’s market domination, Every other game launcher/storefront + The 17 Billion dollars Meta burned into their VR Hardware and “The Metaverse”, this is nothing but a case of crippling incompetence from their competitors.
Also this goes to prove again that Steam/Valve is not a monopoly
How does a company announcing a new item for later release disprove its status as a monopoly? How does a game company designing a better product than a bumbling social media company disprove its status as a monopoly? Can you explain?
Some 73% of developers see Steam as a monopoly
Steam satisfies the FTC’s definition of a monopolist
I’m not taking a stance on whether or not valve is a monopoly, but claiming that a press release for upcoming items (that have yet to even hit the market) disproves its monopoly status seems wrong.
The fact that customers enjoy the products that a monopoly makes doesn’t disprove its monopoly status. It just proves there is still some ounce of good engineering winning over shortsighted financial decisions in Valve’s leadership.
I’m surprised that they kept the “Steam Machine” name. I thought they would choose a different name to avoid any negative connotations. It is a very cool name though.
what negative connotations exsit for “steam machine”
They released a swath of “Steam Machine” devices about a decade ago through partnerships with companies like Alienware. I think the software implementation was poor, and I think the prices were exorbitant.
The biggest issue with Linux phones, is that basically every hardware manufacturer refuses to support Linux in any kind of way. Chipsets, and radios in particular. Linux itself needs a little optimization for mobile but it’s mostly hardware.
It’s really difficult to port Linux to any android device, despite being perfectly compatible in every way outside of drivers.
The x86 to arm is very cool. I do some stuff like this on my phone by running winlator. It works better on snapdragon because it has a better video translation layer.
It will help with linux on macs for the few (including me) blokes running it
Good to know, thanks!
Maybe the Arch Linux “ports” RFC will finally be of use…
Also, box64 works better in my experience when all of the depending libraries are installed properly, and they are guaranteed to be there in this scenario given that there’s the Steam runtime.
If there is an easy way to extend the desktop to the virtual big screen it will put it higher on my list.
I would imagine that that’s the only way that they would be able to make a desktop work on Frame, no?
Im just not sure how much steamos specific or hardware specific stuff are a part of it.
Got it. We will find out soon.
yeah. I mean I will not be buying pre sales or anything. I will let it come out. See some people who bought it give a rundown and like the steamdeck pick it up down the line after a price decrease. If I do pick it up. Sorta need to be working before I can be buying toys.
Definitely a good idea with brand new technology.
Yes but …
- no hand tracking
- no color passthrough
- no hardware upgrade
- no WebXR
- no new VR proper content
Still, it’s good obviously, not having to rely on BigTech. This was also possible before though as I pointed out in https://lemmy.ml/post/38899489/22202786 with e.g. Lynx XR1, as a rooted Android standalone HMD with no account required.
Anyway IMHO the big questions for VR on Linux more broadly is what changes upstream on KDE in terms of immersive UX? Is KDE Plasma becoming a VR graphical shell? Does it have 3D widgets? Does it impact freedesktop in any way?
Edit : I have a SteamDeck since its out, Lynx XR1, etc so I absolutely want Linux VR and FLOSS XR to succeed. In fact I even gave a talk at FOSSXR years ago about that, fact did it twice. Still it doesn’t mean I can’t be disappointed by those points. I like Valve, I want to give them money, that doesn’t mean I can’t be objective. You might have different requirements, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t compare to alternatives which have existed for years.
- barely works
- never used the feature
- that’s true of existing?
- never heard of it
- ???
- criteria please, hand tracking does work even though it might not be something you like for your own usages
- there are even actual games like Laser Dance developed specifically for it
- it’s 2026 hardware?
- https://immersive-web.github.io/ feel free to ask question
- Valve did announce they are not developing VR content for it e.g. https://www.uploadvr.com/valve-isnt-currently-working-on-a-new-vr-game/
Just cause apps exist that they to use it doesn’t mean anyone uses it. Google Cardboard apps are still on the android app store, do you use that?
Because they don’t need to? Steam VR has way more VR apps than the other platforms
I genuinely don’t get your point. Popularity is not a criteria that is relevant for my needs. Your preferences are not relevant to my needs. We are different people and that’s OK.
Everyone can say the same thing… your needs are not relevant either then.
Popularity is ultimately what moves the needle, this post was asking in which direction will the needle move… so in this context your personal needs are only relevant in relation to how popular they are.
Shocking to read in a Linux thread. The entire point of free software and open source is that the need of 1, not even a market but a need, without any budget, might still be relevant and important.
Linux itself is the result of that.
The only reason Linux became a thing is because Torvalds managed to get engagement and popularity amongst a niche community of hackers that happened to share the same needs/goals.
Because what gives it importance is the needs we share. “The need of 1” is measured in relation to “the need of many”. Community is a huge piece in the “open source” puzzle. A community of 1 is not a community… it’s a personal space. If you don’t share your software with a community then declaring it “open” is pointless.
Also… when I said “relevant” I specifically meant for the questions raised by OP. I’m not talking about “relevancy” in some weird transcendental way… I don’t believe such a thing exists… everything has a viewpoint from which something can be said to be “relevant”… however, as you yourself said: “your preferences are not relevant to my needs”.
I think your list is a bit too negative. Here are my comments:
- No hand tracking - hand tracking was added to the original Oculus Quest with a software update, at first as an experimental feature. They have continued to improve it over time. I don’t see why Valve won’t be able to do the same (other than probably having a much smaller team than Meta)
- No color passthrough - I was disappointed by this too. The color passthrough has led to some really interesting games on Quest, like for example, being able to fight characters superimposed over your own real environment, which to me is an amazing development. However, the Frame does have an interface that will allow for color cameras, so there is some small hope for that. Also, perhaps having monochrome passthrough wouldn’t actually impede those same games from working on Frame in the first place. Still, out of your entire list, this is the one that I agree is a serious shortcoming.
- No hardware upgrade - what do you mean by this?
- No WebXR - Where have you heard that? I haven’t seen any mention of this, but obviously there are endless sources of information about this thing. Even if so, would it be impossible to add later with a software update?
- No new VR proper content - What do you mean by this?
- sure, it’s no a hardware problem so they might support hand tracking but for now at least officially they don’t and didn’t announce they would. There are even https://github.com/Lynx-MR/LynxOrbSlam3 that could be used. For now though it’s not supported. I remember the BT control of Base Station for the LightHouse systems NOT being supported on Linux for years in fact check https://github.com/ValveSoftware/SteamVR-for-Linux/issues/207 it’s a 6 years old issue. Being feasible does not mean it will be done.
- yep
- CPU/GPU aren’t better than other standalones HMDs already out
- there is no WebXR support on Linux, hasn’t existed for years. Firefox never supported it, neither does Chromium. It’s been confirmed by the Google developer implementing WebXR https://bsky.app/profile/toji.dev/post/3m5hm2aysg22d
- that Valve isn’t making a new VR like Alyx
Thanks for your answers. I figure that Valve is highly motivated to get the software sorted out, but we will have to see how quickly they can overcome these issues with hand tracking and WebXR.
About the CPU/GPU, I guess they decided to be practical with all this hardware to keep it relatively affordable. As far as a new VR game, you never know. Didn’t I hear that Alyx was a surprise release with the Index headset?
One should hope, and the tinkerer community, me included, is eager for both of these features.
Regarding new content I posted https://www.uploadvr.com/valve-isnt-currently-working-on-a-new-vr-game/ countless times because to me that’s maybe the biggest bummer. I have several headsets so I don’t need “yet another one” that is roughly equivalent. I need something genuinely different. A flat SeamOS (no immersive features to KDE Plasma) is boring but understandable, no new content from the quality only Valve (unfortunately) seems to be able to produce makes me think I’m not in rush. Just like hand tracking or WebXR we can hope for surprises but it mostly shows it’s considered a thin terminal for Steam, nothing more, and I have already few of these (thanks to Alvr, Wivr, CloudXR, but also just Steam streaming).
I’m anxious for those features too. I still have to get started in VR, but I’ve been following the scene relatively closely for the last few years after trying it out.
Thanks for the link, that’s too bad to hear. I hear you that you don’t need this one if you already have other headsets. I’m in the opposite position. I have yet to get my first. I had been considering the Meta Quest 3, but Meta. The Valve Frame will very likely be my first. For someone like me, it’s nearly perfect.
yet to get my first. I had been considering the Meta Quest 3, but Meta.
Perfect then
Absolutely!
I’m a bit surprised that Quallcom doesn’t have a custom XR3 chip yet and Valve used the Snapgdragon8 Gen3
