Valve Brings SteamOS to ROG Ally Handhelds: A New Era for Handheld Gaming

In a recent interview with The Verge, Valve designer Lawrence Yang confirmed that the company will support Asus’ ROG Ally gaming handhelds, allowing users to take advantage of SteamOS. This move marks a significant milestone for handheld gaming, as it brings the popular Steam platform to a new range of devices.

A New Partnership

The news of SteamOS support on ROG Ally handhelds first emerged when a line in Valve’s recent SteamOS release notes was discovered. At the time, it was unclear what the “extra” ROG Ally keys referred to, but Yang has since shed light on the situation. According to Yang, the note is related to third-party device support for SteamOS, and the team is working on adding support for additional handhelds.

SteamOS is coming to ROG Ally handhelds

What This Means for Users

Asus currently ships its ROG Ally and ROG Ally X handhelds with Windows 11 as the default OS. While Yang’s comments suggest that this won’t change in the future, users will still be able to install SteamOS themselves and turn their Windows-based handheld into a dual-boot system. This will give users the flexibility to choose between Windows and SteamOS, depending on their gaming needs.

A Priority for Valve

Yang also mentioned that Valve is preparing to make the remaining Windows drivers for Steam Deck OLED available. While there is no update on the timing for dual-boot support, Yang emphasized that it remains a priority for the company.

 The ROG Ally X handheld

Conclusion

The news of SteamOS support on ROG Ally handhelds is a significant development for handheld gaming. With Valve’s commitment to supporting additional handhelds, it’s clear that the company is dedicated to expanding the Steam ecosystem. As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, it will be exciting to see how this partnership between Valve and Asus shapes the future of handheld gaming.