Valve’s Steam Deck developer kits have been out in the wild for less than a day. Yet, according to a tweet by SteamDB’s creator, Pavel Djundik, the portable rig’s operating system has already leaked. Better still, enthusiasts have apparently managed to get it running on other handheld gaming PCs.
In case you’re unaware, Valve’s upcoming handheld will come equipped with SteamOS 3.0, a new version of the company’s Linux-based platform. While SteamOS shares similarities with the Windows desktop app, the former was originally designed to be a proprietary platform. Put it this way; if you remember the phrase ‘Steam Machines’, you’ll remember what Valve was originally aiming for.
As a prelude to claims about the Steam Deck’s software leak, Djundik also shared screenshots of the handheld’s operating system while stating that the storefront part of the software is currently inaccessible. Of course, the programmer is quick to note that these images are nothing new, as Valve’s previous press releases haven’t been shy about the device’s UI.
Unfortunately, Djundik’s tweet doesn’t include any visual examples, so we’re uncertain which handhelds have been bestowed with SteamOS 3.0. However, the market is already full of potential Steam Deck alternatives, like the Onexplayer, Aya Neo, and GPD Win, so it’s easy to imagine what the results could be.
An image of SteamOS 3 leaked and people are already getting it running on other portable consoles.
Steam itself is just the same Linux client with a different view (it's JavaScript).
— Pavel Djundik (@thexpaw) September 15, 2021
That said, until we actually get to see evidence of the OS running on another device, there’s no telling how well it actually works.