SteamOS, the Linux-based operating system at the heart of the Steam Deck and Steam Machine, is growing ever more popular. It’s even coming to some Intel hardware, mostly on the strength of the appeal for those snazzy new handhelds. But it doesn’t work so well with Nvidia GPUs, which have an effective monopoly on the desktop side of things. Valve is working on that, according to a new interview.
Pierre-Loup Griffais, a member of Valve’s software engineering team, told The Verge that the company is working directly with Nvidia to get driver support for SteamOS. That’s a good thing if you’re a gamer who wants something with a little more oomph than integrated graphics or the 8GB AMD card built into the Steam Machine.
But I wouldn’t hold my breath. Griffais also said that it’s something “we’re working on in the background,” and even an initial SteamOS Nvidia driver might not come by the end of 2026. Oof.
Nvidia drivers for Linux have always been a bit of a sore spot, being much more touchy and proprietary than AMD and Intel drivers, and causing a lot of problems with the multitude of distros available. So if Valve wants SteamOS to “just work” on hardware with Nvidia cards, it’s going to need a lot of help. Things are getting better on that front, though, as Nvidia seems to be more actively supporting Linux with new high-profile hires and official support for the GeForce Now streaming platform.
I’ve long speculated that Valve hopes SteamOS can be an alternative to Windows, at least for PC gaming, possibly transitioning into a more holistic platform. It’s certainly raising the profile of Linux gaming based almost entirely on the strength of the Steam Deck handheld. But desktop PC gamers still overwhelmingly prefer Nvidia graphics, for better or worse. Nvidia is also expanding into Arm-based laptops.
If Valve wants to expand SteamOS beyond the hardware it sells—or occasionally partners with—then it’ll have to deal with the green-tinted dragon at some point. Looks like that’s now the plan.
