THE CRUNCH
Valve has confirmed it is adding native support for NVIDIA graphics cards to SteamOS, the operating system powering the Steam Deck and Steam Machines. Valve software developer Pierre-Loup Griffais told IGN that the driver has been enabled in the main SteamOS code tree, allowing certain GPU generations to work, though performance is still catching up to the latest Windows drivers. This move aims to let users build a '
This move aims to let users build a 'Steam Machine' on non-AMD hardware, expanding the platform's reach beyond the company's own custom silicon. While most Linux distributions support NVIDIA, they often lag behind the latest driver releases. Valve's use of Arch Linux as a base means its upstreaming efforts could eventually benefit all NVIDIA users on Linux, even those not running SteamOS.
The development is a significant step for Linux gaming, which has long struggled with driver support and performance parity compared to Windows. Valve's push for better open-source and proprietary driver integration could help close the gap, making the platform more attractive to mainstream gamers. This aligns with Valve's broader strategy to make SteamOS a viable alternative to Windows for gaming, reducing reliance on a single hardware vendor.