SteamOS Makes Its Grand Entrance on Third-Party Handheld Devices

Images by Lenovo / Valve

SteamOS is officially expanding beyond the Steam Deck with the introduction of the Lenovo Legion Go S.

The Legion Go S was revealed at CES 2025 and will soon become the first officially licensed third-party handheld to utilize Valve’s operating system.

Importantly, Valve has committed to fully support the software to “enhance compatibility with other handhelds.” This may lead to a beta version of SteamOS that could also be compatible with other handheld devices ahead of the Legion Go S release in May 2025.

This is excellent news for those eager to start experimenting with the operating system on third-party devices. “The same efforts we are undertaking for the Lenovo Legion Go S will enhance compatibility with other handhelds,” stated Valve.

“Before the Legion Go S is available, we will launch a beta version of SteamOS which should enhance the experience on other handhelds, and users can download and test this themselves. And naturally, we will continue to add support and optimize the experience with future updates.”

Valve promotes a ‘seamless experience’ across third-party devices

Valve expressed its intention for SteamOS to “deliver the same seamless experience that customers anticipate” across various hardware. Currently, the OS only officially operates on the Steam Deck, but Valve is dedicated to extending support.

The operating system is based on Linux and according to Valve “runs the vast majority of the Steam library” due to a Proton compatibility layer. “This enables developers to release games for Windows without the hassle of porting to Linux, and titles will work seamlessly on SteamOS,” added the company.

Games that perform well on SteamOS receive a ‘Deck Verified’ badge from Valve, allowing Steam Deck users to understand what type of experience they can expect before making a purchase.

The Steam Deck has sold “multiple millions” of units as of November 2023.

This vague statistic was provided by Valve, which hasn’t disclosed precise sales figures but has boasted about increasing production over the years. It has also diversified the Steam Deck lineup with the launch of an OLED model.

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