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Games: GNU/Linux, Steam, SteamOS, and More
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Neowin ☛ New Steam Client Beta for GNU/Linux fixes sluggish update installations
Valve has rolled out a new Steam Client Beta update aimed at fixing slow update installation speeds, cutting the process from minutes to just seconds in some cases.
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Extreme Tech ☛ Linux Share on Steam Reaches Highest in Years in May 2025
The Linux user share on Steam has continued its steady upward trend and reached 2.69% in May 2025. This is the highest percentage recorded since at least 2018, according to data from the GamingOnLinux.com Steam Tracker. The increase of 0.42% from the previous month comes as Steam's total users continue to grow, which means the number of Linux users is also rising, thanks in part to the popularity of the Steam Deck.
Windows remains the main operating system among Steam users, with 95.45%, though it saw a drop of 0.65%. macOS also saw an increase, now at 1.85%. For Linux, the growth is not only in percentage but also in real numbers, with an estimated 3.55 million monthly active users now gaming on Linux through Steam.
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XDA ☛ Gaming on Linux is no joke: it just hit a record high on Steam, and it's not just SteamOS doing all the legwork
I remember when "gaming" and "Linux" were words that never gelled well in a sentence together. It was pretty much Windows or bust if you wanted to play games. There were some valiant efforts to get Linux users gaming, but it was mostly when (or if) a developer made a version that worked on Linux. If they didn't, you were out of luck.
These days, things are far different. Not only can you game on Linux, but one of the best-selling gaming handhelds on the market uses it. This has helped with the adoption rates for Linux on Steam as people give something other than Windows a try, and surprisingly, it's not just SteamOS doing all of the work.
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SteamOS: Analysis From a YouTuber Outlines That the Linux-Based Operating System Can Outperform Windows 11 on the Same Hardware
In a recent comparison, YouTuber Dave2D tested two Lenovo Legion Go S handhelds, one running Windows 11 and the other using Valve’s Linux-based SteamOS. Despite identical hardware, the SteamOS version delivered better gaming performance, longer battery life, and a smoother user experience.