Valve appears to be actively testing ARM64 support for a selection of games, according to a recent SteamDB leak. This development and hints of Android app compatibility have fueled speculation about Valve's potential plans for future hardware. There are rumors that Steam is going past regular PC limitations.
The leak shows that many popular titles, like Left 4 Dead 2, Garry's Mod, Kerbal Space Program, and Shadow of Mordor, have been tagged with "proton-arm64" and related identifiers in SteamDB. Proton, a compatibility layer developed by Valve and CodeWeavers, lets Windows games run on Linux-based systems like the Steam Deck. These tags suggest that Valve is working on an ARM64-optimized version of Proton, which would potentially pave the way for PC games to run on ARM-based devices, specifically smartphones, tablets, VR headsets, and Windows on ARM laptops.
In addition to ARM64 support, references to Waydroid, a tool that allows Android apps to run on Linux, suggest that Valve may be exploring ways to integrate Android compatibility into its ecosystem. This move would be huge for the mobile gaming space. It would broaden the range of software available on Steam, including productivity apps, entertainment services, and even mobile games.
The combination of ARM64 support and Android compatibility brings questions about Valve's potential hardware roadmap. One possibility is a standalone VR headset from Valve that could leverage the power efficiency of ARM processors to deliver immersive virtual reality experiences without being tethered to a PC. This would be a contender against the Meta Quest 3. Another possibility is an ARM64-based version of the Steam Deck, which could offer an improved battery life and an expanded selection of compatible mobile apps. This is all just speculation based on what could be tests, but if true, this could mean Valve could become a major player outside of computer gaming.
Source: NoteBookCheck