The recent mention of the Asus ROG Ally in the latest Steam Deck beta channel may suggest that SteamOS will be available on additional devices.
The Steam Deck is accustomed to receiving frequent updates. The most recent beta client update implemented a new feature that allows your friends on Steam to see when you are using your reliable Valve handheld.
On August 8, the handheld received yet another beta channel update. Despite the numerous bug fixes included, the Asus ROG Ally was unexpectedly mentioned.
Valve has officially shared the release notes for the SteamOS 3.6.9 “Megafixer”update, which mentions the Windows-based competitor.
As reported by GamingOnLinux, who initially discovered it, Valve has included support for additional ROG Ally keys in their recent update for the Steam Deck beta. This update also features a list of input fixes, including added compatibility for the Asus ROG Raikiri Pro controller.
It is not completely clear what this refers to, as SteamOS is currently only accessible on the Steam Deck.
The inclusion of support for Asus ROG Ally keys may suggest that Valve is finally preparing to release SteamOS on other portable devices, such as the ROG Ally from Asus or the ROG Ally X.
Since the beta channel update is usually still in the testing phase, it is possible that a general fix for Steam input was accidentally included in the update. However, this is not uncommon as Valve usually creates separate posts for any changes or enhancements to Steam as a whole.
Despite the lack of any official announcement from Valve or Asus, it appears unlikely that SteamOS will be expanding to other devices in the near future. It is understandable that Valve would want to retain control of SteamOS for the time being.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Asus’s involvement, the most recent beta channel update has also introduced enhancements for recovering from potential corruption of the Steam installation on the handheld device.
The release of the Jackbox Megapicker game launcher reportedly caused Steam Decks to become unusable, prompting the creation of this new fix.
To receive the beta channel updates, navigate to Settings > System > System Update Channel on the Steam Deck. The complete patch notes for the official SteamOS 3.6.9 Beta: Megafixer can be found on the Steam website.
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