Valve's New Steam Machine Will Make 2026 A Massive Year For Linux

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ZDNET cardinal takeaways

• Valve is group to merchandise a caller gaming console successful 2026.
• The Steam Machine will tally nan Linux OS.
• The console besides doubles arsenic a PC.

According to Gaming On Linux, nan marketplace stock for Steam connected Linux deed a precocious of 3% successful 2025. Although that sounds paltry to some, for nan Linux community, it was a awesome milestone because it proved that Linux is gaining crushed successful nan gaming world.

I consciousness almost silly celebrating specified a debased number, but fixed really agelong I've been covering Linux, I've seen that number beneath 1%. It's been a slow climb up a very ample hill.

When I first started pinch Linux, playing games was constricted to a scant few, mostly on nan lines of solitaire. A fewer years later saw nan emergence of games for illustration Frozen Bubble (which I really enjoyed). Then came Wine, which opened up a full caller world of gaming connected Linux.

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In those early years, moving games connected Wine was not only a situation but besides very deed and miss. Some games would work, immoderate would partially work, but astir wouldn't activity astatine all.

Now, according to Tom's Hardware, astir 90% of Windows games tally connected Linux. Wow. I wasn't judge I'd ever spot that number.

Things get steamy

If we spell backmost successful time, 2003 to beryllium specific, a definite institution released a definite gaming platform. That institution is Valve, and nan level is Steam. As nan years progressed, it became evident that Valve was superior astir gaming connected Linux. Very serious.

Steam made it easy to tally Windows games connected Linux.

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As I spot it, there's 1 problem Steam connected PCs faces: not each personification wants to play games connected their PC. As of 2024, conscionable complete half of gamers for illustration to crippled connected their PCs. However, that shows a majority, which leaves almost half of gamers who for illustration consoles.

That's not insignificant. I, for one, ne'er play games connected my PC. Why? I activity astatine my PC and don't want to equate activity pinch specified activities. I want that world to beryllium separate.

There's a amended reason: gaming connected consoles is conscionable easier. That's 1 of nan reasons why astir half of gamers for illustration consoles.

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That's bully news for Linux because Valve announced a caller console, nan Steam Machine, that will beryllium released successful 2026. The Steam Machine will beryllium powered by Linux and nan KDE Plasma desktop environment.

Not only will nan Steam Machine let you to easy play each types of games connected Linux, but it will besides service arsenic a regular PC. This is going to alteration nan scenery of gaming -- particularly connected nan Linux broadside of things.

Linux will person a monolithic 2026

Because of nan Steam Machine, I foretell we'll spot that 3% skyrocket successful nan coming year. My conjecture is that Linux will break into nan double-digit realm for gaming, which will besides thrust Linux usage.

Say, for example, Valve sells 100,000 Steam Machines very quickly. That's an instant bump of 100,000 caller Linux users. If nan Steam Machine gains popularity, that number will proceed to rise, which could lead to Linux having its champion twelvemonth ever.

I would spell truthful acold arsenic to opportunity that Linux will person a monolithic 2026, acknowledgment to nan Steam Machine.

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That emergence successful fame will not beryllium constricted to nan Steam Machine. I believe, arsenic much and much users bargain into nan caller device, they'll beryllium utilizing nan desktop constituent and yet observe conscionable really powerful and easy Linux is. People will each of a abrupt cognize astir Linux, and nan much they usage it, nan much they'll want to usage it.

Suffice it to say, nan Steam Machine is going to do wonders for Linux. I spot this caller gaming console arsenic a gateway to nan open-source operating system, and it's going to person a very affirmative impact.

I've been staking nan "year of Linux" declare for a very agelong time, but I deliberation I tin yet opportunity (with a measurement of confidence) that 2026 will beryllium nan twelvemonth of Linux.

Thank you, Valve

I'll surely beryllium purchasing a Steam Machine and cannot hold to spot KDE Plasma connected my television. I dream nan upcoming console sells retired quickly to beryllium to Valve that Linux can, successful fact, powerfulness conscionable astir anything.

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As of now, location has only been speculation connected nan value of nan Steam Machine. I've seen anyplace betwixt $500 and $1,000 arsenic a unit price, but I would conjecture it'll onshore location successful nan $600 to $800 range. Valve will astir apt settee connected a value that's comparable to nan existent harvest of gaming consoles.

Thank you, Valve, for knowing nan powerfulness and elasticity that is Linux.