Valve has launched Proton 11.0-Beta1, however this maybe inconsequential-sounding take a look at model comes with one thing revolutionary – assist for Arm Linux units. It isn’t mainstream but; it’s a beta model, after all, however of us have already proven off the Steam UI operating on a Nintendo Switch. So, Steam gaming assist on extra open gaming units from manufacturers like Retroid, AYN, and Ayaneo needs to be far simpler.
Steam Linux ARM64 beta on Switch
— @aagaming.me (@aagaming.me.bsky.social) 2026-04-17T11:10:52.424Z
Steam Linux ARM64 beta operating on Ubuntu Linux Noble Numbat on Nintendo’s in style handheld.
AAGaming, which posted the Steam on Switch demo on BlueSky, embedded above, says they’ve shared “a working copy of proton arm + steamrt arm that you can drop right into conpatibilitytools.d to play games with this client.”
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You can discover the official Proton 11.0-Beta1 launch on Valve’s Proton GitHub, alongside some launch notes. The key change, so far as Arm avid gamers are involved, is flagged in a bit beneath the heading ARM64 Builds. Not a lot is alleged, however handheld gaming fanatics on social media have been fast to comprehend the implications. The newly bundled FEX 2604 can allow Steam’s built-in x86 Windows to ARM Linux gaming compatibility in your Arm Linux system.
This new Arm Linux compatibility for Steam is believed to have been applied now to arrange for the Arm-powered Steam Frame gaming headset, which we went hands-on with final November. That headset was described as a ‘streaming-first device’ however packs very respectable Arm cell {hardware}, equivalent to a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 backed with 16GB LPDDR5X.
During our Steam Frame hands-on, we additionally discovered about FEX bringing Steam video games to Arm and operating domestically. In our demo, we noticed the x86 model of Hades 2 operating standalone with respectable efficiency at 1400p. The Valve rep clarified, “It’s actually running on Linux, running on Arm,” on the time. So, now we’re seeing this capability surfacing in public betas, and already getting used to get Steam OS and video games operating on various Arm {hardware}.
Valve is constructing a ‘Verified’ fashion listing for the Steam Frame Arm {hardware}, very like its efforts seen on Steam Deck. Thus, customers will know which video games will run nicely domestically and which they could favor to stream from their gaming PCs.
Not inquisitive about Arm? There’s extra…
In addition to the juicy Arm/Linux compatibility information, the brand new Proton 11 Beta contains goodies for present Steam OS avid gamers. There’s a bunch of latest licensed playable titles for customers, equivalent to titles from the Resident Evil and Dino Crisis stables, plus Warhammer: Vermintide 2, SHOGUN: Total War, Breath of Fire IV, and extra.
Numerous bug fixes are applied within the launch, too. For instance, Valve has mounted Steam Overlay not working appropriately with many EA video games, and obtained the intro video playback in Crimson Desert to work correctly.
Getting Proton 11 is simpler if you have already got a Steam OS system just like the Deck. Just seek for the replace within the Steam Library.
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