news
Valnet Articles on GNU/Linux Games/Gaming
-
XDA ☛ Linux gaming works without touching the terminal, and that matters more than any benchmark
There's been a lot of talk about Linux gaming in recent months, and even some comparisons have been thrown around showing that, in some circumstances, Linux gaming can actually have better performance than Windows, even though games are usually made for Windows first and foremost.
But even in situations where Linux performs slightly worse or equal to Windows, there's one big factor that tends to be underappreciated: Linux gaming works, and it doesn't take a genius anymore. I can install Bazzite on a gaming handheld that shipped with Windows and just play my games without ever touching the terminal. And that alone is an achievement for Linux.
-
XDA ☛ Steam’s gaming UI on Bazzite is the console experience Microsoft's Xbox mode wishes it was
Microsoft is finally making it easier to use your PC as a console, but Bazzite has nailed the experience, and it's still the better option.
-
HowTo Geek ☛ Valve's Steam Machine is available now—but you won't like the price
Several months after its November 2025 introduction, you can finally order Valve's Steam Machine. However, you'll have to brace yourself for the high price — while expected, it's not the bargain living room PC some were hoping for.
The new system is available today starting at $1,049 for a model with 512GB of storage, and $1,349 for a 2TB version with two extra faceplates. You can buy either variant bundled with the new Steam Controller for an additional $79.
-
HowTo Geek ☛ I fed Claude my Steam game configs and found performance tweaks I didn't know existed
Up until a recent research project/experiment, I never used LLMs much. I also wasn't much of a Steam user until earlier this year when I got my hands on a few titles for that particular platform. Most of my game library leans toward the retro side of things, but there are absolutely some performance issues here and there, like lag and frequent crashing on some titles.
-
HowTo Geek ☛ Valve, Intel, and Nvidia will bring SteamOS to more PCs—including handhelds
Valve made clear SteamOS was coming to more devices when it started taking Steam Machine orders, and now it's clear just how broad that support will be. The company has confirmed discussions with Intel and Nvidia to expand support for its Linux-based platform beyond AMD hardware.
The companies haven't said how far along they are in statements to The Verge. However, the newly released SteamOS 3.8 adds "initial firmware for upcoming Intel handhelds" as well as controller support for Intel-powered MSI Claw systems. Users have already had success using SteamOS with an Intel Arc B580 GPU, but only with major workarounds.