History of SteamOS in Timeline

SteamOS is a Linux distribution developed by Valve, based on Arch Linux. It serves as the operating system for the Steam Deck and was also used for Steam Machines. It integrates Valve's Steam storefront, providing a platform for gaming.

September 16, 2013: Gabe Newell's LinuxCon Announcement

On September 16, 2013, at LinuxCon, Valve co-founder Gabe Newell stated his belief that "Linux and open source are the future of gaming" and mentioned aiding game developers to make games compatible with Linux.

September 20, 2013: Steam Universe Expansion Teaser

On September 20, 2013, Valve teased three new announcements related to expanding the Steam Universe in 2014 to provide more ways for customers to access Steam in the living room.

October 2013: Steam Dev Days and Nvidia Collaboration Announcement

In October 2013, Valve announced Steam Dev Days, a conference for developers to test and provide feedback on SteamOS and Steam Machines. Also in October 2013, Nvidia announced its collaboration with Valve to support SteamOS with Nvidia GameWorks.

November 2013: Valve's Stance on SteamOS Exclusives

In November 2013, Valve confirmed they would not be making any exclusive games for SteamOS and discouraged other developers from doing so.

December 13, 2013: SteamOS 1.0 Beta Release

On December 13, 2013, Valve released a beta version of SteamOS (SteamOS 1.0). Valve advised users unfamiliar with Linux to wait for SteamOS 2.0 in 2014.

December 2013: Phoronix SteamOS 1.0 Beta Graphics Card Comparison

In December 2013, Phoronix compared three Nvidia graphics cards on SteamOS 1.0 beta and Windows 8.1 Pro, finding comparable performance between Nvidia's Linux and Windows drivers.

2013: SteamOS 1.0 Release

In 2013, SteamOS version 1.0 was released, based on the Debian distribution of Linux with GNOME desktop. The intent was for lightweight, upgradeable PCs, known as Steam Machines, to run SteamOS for game streaming and local play.

January 2014: GameSpot SteamOS 1.0 Beta Performance Comparison

In January 2014, GameSpot compared the performance of Dota 2, Left 4 Dead 2, and Metro: Last Light on Windows 7 x64 and SteamOS 1.0 beta. They observed lower frame rates on SteamOS with an AMD graphics card and driver issues, while Metro: Last Light ran slightly better on SteamOS with an Nvidia card.

2014: Steam Universe Expansion Teaser

In 2014 Valve teased three new announcements related to expanding the Steam Universe to provide more ways for customers to access Steam in the living room.

2014: SteamOS 2.0 Release Date Recommendation

In 2014, Valve recommended users unfamiliar with Linux to wait for the release of SteamOS 2.0.

October 2015: Netflix Support added to SteamOS

In October 2015, an update allowed Netflix and other DRM protected content to function in the native built-in browser. SteamOS 2.0 installations recommended an Intel or AMD 64-bit capable processor, at least 4 gigabytes of RAM, 200 GB on one's hard disk, either an AMD Radeon 8500 or newer or an Nvidia Fermi graphics card (GeForce 400 series and GeForce 500 series) or newer, a USB port and UEFI boot support.

October 2015: Steam Controller, Steam Link, and Alienware Steam Machines Preorders

In mid-October 2015, preorders of the Steam Controller, Steam Link, and Alienware branded Steam Machines became available.

ASUS Steam Link

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November 10, 2015: Steam Machines Official Release

November 10, 2015, marked the official release date for Steam Machines.

November 2015: Ars Technica SteamOS 2 vs Windows 10 Performance Comparison

In November 2015, Ars Technica compared the rendering performance of cross-platform games on SteamOS 2 and Windows 10, finding that games rendered between 21% and 58% slower on SteamOS 2. The article suggested that developer inexperience with OpenGL optimization may be a factor.

2015: Falcon Northwest and Origin PC's Decision on SteamOS

In 2015, Falcon Northwest and Origin PC opted not to ship SteamOS-enabled machines due to limitations compared to Windows. Falcon Northwest expressed potential future interest if performance improves.

2015: SteamOS 2.0 Release

In 2015, SteamOS version 2.0 was released, also based on the Debian distribution of Linux with GNOME desktop. Valve encouraged developers to incorporate Linux compatibility into their releases to better support Linux gaming options, including SteamOS.

July 15, 2021: Steam Deck and SteamOS 3.0 Announcement

On July 15, 2021, Valve announced the Steam Deck, a handheld PC gaming device, which would run a new version of SteamOS, version 3.0. This version is based upon Arch Linux with the KDE Plasma 5 desktop environment pre-installed.

Valve Steam Deck OLED 1TB Handheld Gaming Console

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February 2022: Steam Deck Release with SteamOS 3.0

In February 2022, Valve released the Steam Deck gaming handheld, running SteamOS version 3.0, based on Arch Linux with the KDE Plasma desktop environment pre-installed, as well as Valve's Proton compatibility layer.

Valve Steam Deck OLED 1TB Handheld Gaming Console

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March 2022: Linus Tech Tips SteamOS 3.0 vs Windows 10 Performance

In March 2022, Linus Tech Tips compared SteamOS 3.0 and Windows 10 performance on the Steam Deck using gaming benchmarks like Hitman 3, Doom Eternal, and Elden Ring, showing higher average frames per second on SteamOS.

Valve Steam Deck OLED 1TB Handheld Gaming Console

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