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Valve has released Proton 11.0-Beta1, but this perhaps inconsequential-sounding test version comes with something revolutionary – support for Arm Linux devices. It isn’t mainstream yet; it is a beta version, of course, but folks have already shown off the Steam UI running on a Nintendo Switch. So, Steam gaming support on more open gaming devices from brands like Retroid, AYN, and Ayaneo should be far easier.
Steam Linux ARM64 beta running on Ubuntu Linux Noble Numbat on Nintendo’s popular handheld.
AAGaming, which posted the Steam on Switch demo on BlueSky, embedded above, says they have shared “a working copy of proton arm + steamrt arm that you can drop right into conpatibilitytools.d to play games with this client.”
You may like EA working to port its Javelin anti-cheat on Arm-based devices, reveals new job listing Valve adds early Steam Machine support in SteamOS 3.8 Xbox app is now available on all Arm-based Windows 11 devices You can find the official Proton 11.0-Beta1 release on Valve’s Proton GitHub , alongside some release notes. The key change, as far as Arm gamers are concerned, is flagged in a section under the heading ARM64 Builds. Not much is said, but handheld gaming enthusiasts on social media have been quick to realize the implications. The newly bundled FEX 2604 can enable Steam’s built-in x86 Windows to ARM Linux gaming compatibility on your Arm Linux device.
This also includes FEX 2604 built into itSo yes, if you have any ARM Linux devices available, you can try out Steam’s built in x86 Windows to ARM Linux built-in gaming compatibility with Steam now April 16, 2026
This new Arm Linux compatibility for Steam is thought to have been implemented now to prepare for the Arm-powered Steam Frame gaming headset, which we went hands-on with last November . That headset was described as a ‘streaming-first device’ but packs very respectable Arm mobile hardware, such as a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 backed with 16GB LPDDR5X.
During our Steam Frame hands-on, we also learned about FEX bringing Steam games to Arm and running locally. In our demo, we saw the x86 version of Hades 2 running standalone with respectable performance at 1400p. The Valve rep clarified, “It’s actually running on Linux, running on Arm,” at the time. So, now we are seeing this ability surfacing in public betas, and already being used to get Steam OS and games running on alternative Arm hardware.
Valve is building a ‘Verified’ style list for the Steam Frame Arm hardware, much like its efforts seen on Steam Deck. Thus, users will know which games will run well locally and which they might prefer to stream from their gaming PCs.
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Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/handheld-gaming/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/handheld-gaming/steam-shown-running-on-nintendo-switch-thanks-to-latest-proton-beta-fex-2604-translates-x86-to-arm-friendly-instructions-on-linux#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com
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