Valve looks to be testing Steam and select games on ARM-based devices

Valve's recent updates to a test app have unveiled someone at the company is testing various games with a new Proton compatibility layer for ARM64 devices.

The introduction of an ARM64 version of Proton, labelled “proton-arm64ec-4” (via SteamDB), has led to some wondering where Valve is planning to make use of this, with suggestions ranging from a Valve-designed ARM64 handheld to playing Steam games on Android. While an official statement from Valve is pending, the emphasis on ARM64 support aligns with the company's overarching commitment to enhancing gaming on Linux. Moreover, it reflects an industry trend as efforts to improve gaming on Windows for ARM gain traction.

References to Waydroid hint at the potential expansion of Proton support to Android ARM devices, which would significantly expand Steam's gaming audience. Speculation has also arisen regarding the possibility of Valve developing its own ARM devices, potentially as a more affordable alternative to the Steam Deck. However, this seems unlikely, given the Steam Deck is already relatively cheap compared to its rivals.

Valve's push for ARM support is consistent with its history of advocating for the Linux gaming community. The long-term implications of this move are particularly intriguing, especially for high-end ARM devices. If successful, Valve's work on Proton for ARM could potentially elevate the Linux ARM gaming experience above that of Windows for ARM, much to the delight of Linux enthusiasts. The SteamDB updates already indicate a substantial number of titles being tested by Valve for Windows for ARM, hinting at the company's ambitions in this space.

KitGuru says: How do you think Valve will take advantage of the ARM64 Proton compatibility layer?

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