One of SteamDeck's most important achievements in the handheld space was that it proved that developers could transform PC operating systems to provide an easy-to-use interface for small handheld consoles. Playtron hopes to build on Valve's strategy of offering a gaming-oriented operating system that supports multiple PC game stores and form factors, possibly starting with SteamDeck.
Gaming startup Playtron is developing an operating system that separates the differences between Windows, SteamOS, and Android to provide a platform-agnostic experience. Details of PlaytronOS are vague beyond a description on the Playtron website, but the company will give GDC 2024 viewers a sneak peek of the operating system.
Playtron describes its operating system as a gaming ecosystem similar to Windows, except that it's abstracted into a standalone lightweight operating system. Like SteamOS, it allows users to play PC games on a non-desktop interface, in other words, it's controller-friendly. What makes PlaytronOS different is that it supports multiple game stores, including Steam and Epic Games Store.
It's unclear how Linux-based systems will run Windows games, but Proton, the key technology behind SteamOS's broad compatibility, may well be the answer. The clip above shows Playtron running various games on the Lenovo LegionGo.
Currently, the operating system supports Arm and x86 architectures. The company plans to launch the operating system for handheld gaming PCs later this year and for 5G mobile devices in 2025. PlaytronOS will eventually expand to desktop computers, televisions, VR headsets, data centers and cars.
Playtron's roadmap remains vague, but it will likely license its portable operating system to companies like Asus, Lenovo, MSI, and GPD, which have recently released Windows-based SteamDeck competitors. While these newer Windows handheld devices are faster than SteamDeck, Windows 11's desktop-oriented design puts them in the dust.
Valve hasn't started licensing SteamOS yet, but Bazzite can clone it on a variety of devices. Microsoft says it plans to fix Windows' problems on handheld devices, but it hasn't yet explained how it plans to do so without ruining the desktop experience.
Playtron wants to target a "core casual" audience, which it claims is underserved. A Venn diagram on the company's website shows the goal is to provide a single ecosystem across PCs, consoles and mobile phones. While PlaytronOS supports multiple storefronts, the company hopes to increase the discoverability of indie games through a community-curated "PlaytronSelect" showcase.
The team developing the operating system has years of experience working with Google, Amazon, Sony, Samsung, Meta and many other companies. Additionally, the company plans to leverage the Linux community broadly through recruiting and community tools.