If you always thought it was strange that Android handheld consoles couldn’t properly run Steam games, that might finally be starting to change. A new breakthrough shows it’s now possible to run Steam games on some of these devices, as long as you install a Linux system on top. The idea is simple but powerful. Instead of relying only on Android, these handhelds can use tools that allow them to run PC games. The secret lies in combining Linux with technologies like Proton, which basically translates Windows-based games so they can run on other systems. That’s the same tech behind the Steam Deck being able to play PC titles on a portable console. Now this approach is making its way to Android handhelds, especially those powered by ARM chips. With tools like FEX, these devices can translate instructions from traditional PC games and run them locally. It’s not perfect yet, but it already works. In practice, this opens up a pretty interesting scenario. Devices that were once limited to emulators and mobile games can now access a massive library of PC titles. Steam can basically fit in your pocket, even on hardware that wasn’t originally built for it. Of course, there are still limitations. Not every game runs well, the setup can be a bit tricky, and performance varies a lot depending on the hardware. But the bigger picture is what matters. The line between Android and Linux on handheld devices is getting blurrier. And that could completely reshape the future of portable gaming. Source: https://liliputing.com/now-you-can-run-steam-games-in-linux-on-some-handhelds-that-ship-with-android/