Steam is coming to Chrome OS, is this bad news for Microsoft?

For some time we have been aware that there are plans to offer Steam under the Chrome OS operating system. A recent discovery shows that this launch could happen soon.

The information is signed with 9to5Google. Chrome OS offers support for Linux applications thanks to Crostini. This project runs a complete Linux distribution in a virtual machine. A similar project called Borealis could bring us Steam in its turn. When Crostini relies on Debian, the Borealis project uses the Ubuntu Linux distribution. The arrival of the Steam platform is to be hoped for since players can enjoy some titles under Chrome OS.

It is important to note that we are only at the beginning of this adventure. Therefore, we must expect limited support in the beginning.

Chrome OS compared to Windows 10

All this indicates that the landing of Steam is planned under Chrome OS. Not all Chromebooks will necessarily be able to run this gaming platform. A certain amount of power will be necessary. Google would test this support from Steam internally as “Hatch-Borealis”, where “Hatch” is the basic codename of Chromebooks running on a 10th generation Intel processor. These devices range from high-end devices like the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook to more affordable solutions like the Lenovo Flex 5.

The arrival of Steam under Chrome OS is not really good news for Microsoft. If Windows is the dominant environment in the world of PC games today, the competition will be organized. Linux, for example, has developed well in recent years. This is partly due to Valve, which has been proactive in making games on Linux a reality. Probably one of the most important contributions is the development of Proton, which helps Steam run games originally developed for Windows on Linux.