Google is working to bring Steam support to Chrome OS

There are a lot of benefits to owning a Chromebook. They are typically affordable, lightweight, have good battery life, and Chrome OS has just enough functionality for most people. However, one reason you might not want a Chromebook is if you intend to do a lot of gaming on the go. According to a new report, Google is working with Valve to bring official Steam support to Chrome OS.

This report comes from Android Police’s David Ruddock, who cites a meeting with Kan Liu, director of product management for Chrome OS, at CES 2020. Ruddock says Steam for Chrome OS would be enabled by Chrome OS’ Linux compatibility. Though Liu would not directly confirm it, Ruddock says he implied Google was working in direct cooperation with Valve on this project.

It’s possible right now to run the Steam Linux client on Chrome OS using Crostini, but official support would have much-improved performance and reliability. Getting games to play on the current setup is not super easy. Which brings up the question of what games would be possible with official Steam support. Most Chromebooks on the market have low-end CPUs and limited 3D acceleration. Liu said we could expect that to change with AMD Chromebooks coming in the future.

“Premium” Chromebooks with high-end specifications are rare, but we’ve been seeing more of them in recent years. Last week at CES, for example, Samsung announced the Galaxy Chromebook with Intel’s 10th Gen Core processors and Intel UHD Graphics. Official Steam support may not be enough for people to consider Chromebooks as “gaming laptops,” but it would certainly open up many more gaming opportunities. Unfortunately, Ruddock says it could be years before this project becomes a reality.

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Source: Android Police

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