So many competitors are coming for Valve's crown when it comes to gaming on the go, but one new startup is placing a big emphasis on its operating system, and it may cause the Steam Deck some real problems. Playtron has secured $10m in funding, and it's really impressed us with an early demo of its Linux-based OS.
We consider the Valve's approach with SteamOS.
While Playtron will be releasing a handheld to directly compete with the Steam Deck, the more interesting news is the new PlaytronOS, which looks set to act as a kind of one OS to rule them all. Not only does it both x86 and Arm Us, but it also promises compatibility with "every game store". Indeed, Steam is listed as a storefront that will run on PlaytronOS according to promotional material on the website.
Basically, if PlaytronOS works as promised, then your handheld PC will no longer be restricted to just single store fronts or Windows foibles. You could easily run your Game catalog on your Steam Deck, for example. What's more, the for Arm Us could potentially make an Nvidia handheld a stronger possibility, as the company doesn't have an x86 licence but has plenty of experience producing Arm Us.
Valve openly welcomed MSI Claw.
The Playtron handheld and OS are both in early development and we won't see a dedicated handheld soon. However, PlaytronOS is set to arrive later this year, with the trailer video showing compatibility with the Lenovo Legion Go.
If you already have a Steam Deck and are looking for some new games, we've picked out seven Steam Deck games you need to play from the selection included in the Spring Sale.