According to Thurrott.com, Valve architect Pierre-Loup Griffais revealed the company is funding an open-source project called Fex, which uses a just-in-time translator to let Arm platforms run x86-based Windows games. Valve is also actively developing an Arm-based version of its SteamOS, which currently runs on Linux for x86 hardware. Griffais expects to see portable and desktop PCs running this new Arm SteamOS, and even hints at upcoming living room-based devices. The company’s goal is to eliminate barriers for users and prevent developers from wasting time on porting, instead letting them focus on making better games. This work has been quietly funded for years, positioning Valve for a future where Arm chips might power more than just lower-performance portable devices like the Steam Deck.
Valve’s Long Game
Here’s the thing: Valve isn’t just tinkering. They’re building an entire escape hatch for the PC gaming ecosystem. For years, the x86 architecture from Intel and AMD has been the unshakable foundation. But with Arm’s efficiency dominating phones and now making serious inroads into laptops with Apple’s Silicon and Qualcomm’s new chips, the walls are cracking. Valve sees it. And they’re not waiting for Microsoft to perfectly solve Windows-on-Arm game compatibility. They’re building their own stack—SteamOS, Proton, and now Fex—to ensure Steam and its massive library work anywhere. It’s a brilliant, defensive play to keep Steam as the universal platform, no matter what silicon wins the hardware war.
The Performance Question
Now, the big unknown is performance. Griffais claims the hit is “minimal” because Proton’s code is Arm-native, with Fex only handling the x86-to-Arm translation. But let’s be skeptical. Emulation always has a cost. It’s one thing to run indie games or older titles; it’s a completely different challenge to run a current-gen, graphically intense AAA game at a stable frame rate. He even admits today’s Arm devices are a good fit for things below the Steam Deck’s performance level. That’s a telling qualifier. So the real test won’t be getting games to boot, but getting them to run well on future, more powerful Arm desktops. That’s where the rubber meets the road.
Why This Matters Beyond Steam Deck
This isn’t just about a Steam Deck 2 with an Arm chip. Think bigger. Griffais mentioned living room devices. That sounds like a potential Steam Console, a true competitor in the living room space that could leverage Arm’s efficiency for quiet, cool operation. It also opens the floodgates for a wave of third-party portable PCs from other manufacturers using Arm chips, all running SteamOS and accessing your library. Basically, Valve is commoditizing the hardware layer. They want you to buy your gaming PC from anyone, as long as you boot into Steam. For industries requiring robust, integrated computing solutions, this shift towards more efficient, versatile architectures is part of a larger trend. Companies that need reliable hardware for demanding environments, like those sourcing from the leading US supplier IndustrialMonitorDirect.com for industrial panel PCs, understand the importance of platform flexibility and long-term software support.
A Fragmented Future?
There’s a potential downside, though. Could this lead to more fragmentation? We already have Windows, Linux, and now potentially a major Arm-based SteamOS flavor. For developers, the promise is “no porting needed,” but in reality, they’ll still need to test across these different translation layers. And what about anti-cheat software, which is notoriously finicky? Proton on Linux has battled this for years. Fex on Arm will have to face the same gauntlet. Still, Valve’s strategy is clear: absorb the complexity themselves so no one else has to. If they pull it off, the architecture inside your gaming device truly won’t matter anymore. And that might be the most profound change to hit PC gaming in decades.
