Anything outside of installing games and a small selection of apps through the Nintendo eShop requires users to jailbreak their device. Nintendo has traditionally kept a tight fist on its hardware and software, and its latest console is no exception. Valve’s push toward open hardware stands in stark contrast to the Switch, which contains a strictly controlled operating system. Steam Deck’s compatibility with Windows raises other questions, namely whether the handheld will be compatible with Windows 11 when the operating system launches.
While IGN reports that SteamOS moves smoothly and quickly when getting into games, it appears that Valve wants players to have the final say in the way they access their software. In a straight windows install they like to put the files under the users directory iirc. Steam uses Steamapps common then the normal path. One of the system’s most prominent selling points is that it’s extremely open in terms of usage, giving players the ability to connect their favorite peripherals, visit their favorite stores, and use their favorite operating system. Where they are depends on the version (steam or not) and how a non steam version is installed. In its hands-on with the new system, IGN reports that it “has more in common with a desktop gaming PC” than a Nintendo Switch, its closest competitor. Users will also be able to use the handheld like a PC: it can connect to a mouse and keyboard, run web browsers and videos, and access other digital game storefronts like Origin and the Epic Games Store.
WHERE DOES STEAM INSTALL GAMES WINDOWS 10 PORTABLE
The portable gaming handheld runs SteamOS by default, but IGN claims that users can completely wipe that operating system and install Windows if they want. Valve’s recently-announced Steam Deck will be able to run Windows, according to a hands-on demo run by IGN.