What? The Steam snap is evolving! (UPDATED)
It’s been six months since we announced the launch of the early access Steam Snap and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response. Over this time we’ve had more than 75 thousand downloads and a tonne of helpful feedback on the Ubuntu Discourse as we get it ready for a full release.
By packaging Steam as a snap we’ve ensured that all of the dependencies required for gaming are included in the application. This means no messing around adding and maintaining PPAs and no issues with 32-bit libraries. Everything you need is included and isolated from the rest of your OS, regardless of the distro you’re running.
UPDATE
-
Steam Just Got Better on Linux
Steam is the most popular platform for PC games, and there’s more work than ever going into Linux support with the arrival of the Steam Deck. Now there’s an upgraded version of the Snap package for Steam, aiming to make desktop Linux gaming even easier.
Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu Linux, partnered with Valve earlier this year to create a containerized ‘Snap’ package for Steam. The Snap package bundles Steam with all required graphics and API libraries in one easy download for any Linux distribution that supports Snap — including Ubuntu, KDE Neon, Debian, Fedora, Pop!_OS, and others.
-
The easier way to install Steam on Linux gets bleeding-edge graphics support
Installing Steam on a Linux system just got a little easier, at least if you can install a Snap package. Ubuntu-maker Canonical announced today that its Steam Snap supports "bleeding edge" Mesa graphics APIs, with more improvements coming soon.
Snaps are self-contained packages that are easier for users to install without command lines and also contain the other programs and libraries they rely on, preventing conflicts between the versions of installed software applications (i.e., dependency hell). They're theoretically easier to update through a store app and are sandboxed from the rest of the system. They're also not universally appreciated in the greater Linux community, as they're pushed primarily by Canonical through its Snap Store and can reduce the performance of some apps.
Canonical worked with Steam-creator Valve to create the Steam Snap in "Early Access" in March. It bakes in the Mesa drivers and Proton and Wine wrappers needed for some Windows-via-Linux games, resolves the 32-bit/64-bit discrepancies for certain libraries, and handles the other necessary items that users would typically be pulling in via command-line and private repositories.
The latest Steam Snaps add support for removable media, high-DPI displays, and localization. Canonical states that the app also benefits from a migration to Core 22 and LZO compression. (Snaps were originally developed for Ubuntu's mobile OS and embedded/Internet of Things platform. It's complicated.)
At the moment, installing the Steam Snap pulls in the very latest Mesa drivers from Oibaf's PPA repository. In the near future, Canonical wants to let Snap installers customize their install if they wish, choosing "fresh" or "turtle" Mesa drivers for the latest point release or stable releases, respectively.
Very belated coverage by Rishabh Moharir:
-
Canonical's Adding a Neat Ability to the Steam Snap App for Gamers
Gaming on Linux is getting popular and evolving every year, with Valve and the Steam Deck playing a significant part.
According to the Steam Hardware and Software survey, Ubuntu remains one of the most popular Linux distros for gaming.