It can run games natively that have been developed for Linux and purchased from the Steam store. SteamOS is designed primarily for playing video games away from a PC (such as from the couch in one's living room) by providing a console-like experience using generic PC hardware that can connect directly to a television. SteamOS 3 is based on the Arch Linux distribution with KDE Plasma 5. In February 2022, Valve released the handheld gaming computer Steam Deck running SteamOS 3.0.

With SteamOS, Valve encouraged developers to incorporate Linux compatibility into their releases to better support Linux gaming options. SteamOS versions 1.0, released in December 2013, and 2.0 were based on the Debian distribution of Linux with GNOME desktop. SteamOS was originally built to support streaming of video games from one personal computer to the one running SteamOS within the same network, although the operating system can support standalone systems and was intended to be used as part of Valve's Steam Machine platform. SteamOS is open source with some closed source components. It incorporates Valve's popular namesake Steam video game storefront and is the primary operating system for Steam Machines and the Steam Deck. The same streaming features that Steam Link offers were already possible through the full Steam app for macOS, GeForce Now has a Mac client, and Mac users have long enjoyed the ability to stream PlayStation games with a barebones app.SteamOS is a Linux distribution developed by Valve. Game streaming has had a somewhat tumultuous history on Apple's mobile platforms, but it's been a little rosier on the macOS side. (The full version of Steam is offered as a web download, not an App Store app.) Valve has also previously offered a Steam Link app for iOS and iPadOS, but this is the first time the company has released software through Apple's macOS App Store. In contrast, the Steam Link app has a minimalist interface that appears to be designed with game controller peripherals in mind. Valve already offered a full Steam app for macOS, but it takes up 1GB of space and has a reputation for being clunky. Further Reading Apple allows streaming games on iOS, but there’s a catch Steam Link allows users to stream games from a gaming PC to a supported device on the same local network and to play those games with a MFI or Steam controller.

Steam link linux