This was already true for x86 handhelds, companies like Ayaneo and GPD have been around for quite some time. However, removing Windows from the equation and the huge resource overhead it causes, and making Linux a viable alternative with their work on Proton, has absolutely shaken the industry up. It looks like Microsoft is going to try and release a hybrid Windows/Xbox OS for OEMs. I did try out Win11 on my Lenovo Legion Go for an hour or so and it was just awful compared to Bazzite (that uses the Steam Deck UI). So all up it's a pretty exciting time for handheld and low power gaming!

With the exception of fortnite (fuck you, it's fun in no build mode) I do almost all of my gaming for the past few years on my steam deck. The control making and gyro is insanely customizable and the instant suspend/resume is a massive boon to my lifestyle as an adult that often has limited time windows.

Well the year of the Linux desktop will have to wait a few years considering Valve time.

Samsungs hardware is not crap, their locked down UI might be but apple and Samsung hardware are among the best. Also fuck Samsung and Apple.

-sent from my Galaxy S23 Ultra.

The same fallacy of someone buying a $200 android, complaining it sucks, then getting a $700 IPhone, to confirm in their mind that all androids are cheap crap. Ignorant consumers are gonna ignorantly consume.

I don't think that'll be much of a problem. Nobody thinks Windows is shit because there are cheap low powered laptops.

The rating is only about whether SteamOS will run the game and its middleware. Its not about how well the game runs on the hardware or with the inputs for the device.

Its basically like saying its compatible with Windows or MacOS - it will work with SteamOS if its SteamOS verified. It is an OS compatibility rating; slightly more than it just working with proton or linux to include "game functionality, launcher functionality and anto-cheat support" according to the steam announcement.

Whereas Deck Verified means it specifically works with the Deck hardware too, including satisfactory performance and inputs.

https://steamcommunity.com/groups/steamworks/announcements/detail/532097310616717411

It's only about whether the game runs on SteamOS, handhelds and screen size, input and performance thereof don't matter for the rating like it does for Deck Verified.

It already show if controller are fully/partially/not supported

And they also show which controllers are supported or if you need the steam input to translate the commands

Steaminput means they all work, even when they don't.

You can make pretty much anything control the mouse.

Touchscreen is about same

Some like it, others don't. It's more important that consumers have options rather than absolutely everyone being forced to agree on one way being best.

this philosophy applies to many things, not just controller layout.

Valve and Sony are the only ones that did symmetrical. Symmetrical was actually first with the DualShock for the PS1, but the 360 controller being popular and commonly used for PC apparently made googly sticks more common. The Switch at least has a justification in that the joycons can be removed and used by themselves, necessitating the stick placement.