Not just Proton: Getting to know Valve's new SteamOS compatibility layers
New system-level tools bring Arm chipsets, Android APKs into the Steam ecosystem.
New system-level tools bring Arm chipsets, Android APKs into the Steam ecosystem.
The short version
- To get more games running on the SteamOS-powered Steam Frame , though, Valve is relying on two additional compatibility layers that are new to the Steam architecture .
- While Proton was based on the pre-existing Wine conversion tool , Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais told The Verge last year that the company has been funding Fex lead developer Ryan Houdek since the project was just a prototype.
- This layer is especially necessary for the Steam Frame, since many of the standalone VR titles players will be running on the device were originally designed for the Android-based Quest headsets .
What happened
“They’re really VR developers who want to publish their VR content, and they’re porting a mobile VR title where they’re already familiar with how to make those APKs,” Valve engineer Jeremy Selan told The Verge last year . “They are now free to bring those to Steam, and they’ll just work on this device.” Does that mean other Android developers could throw their APKs through Lepton to get generic Android apps (and non-VR games) running on SteamOS?
Why it matters
Valve’s Lawrence Yang told The Verge: “We’ve never disinvited people from doing that” but added in practically the same breath, “We are a games company and we are focused on games.”.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.