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As we get closer to the launch of the new Steam Machine and Steam Frame, Valve put out a new Steamworks SDK that brings in libraries for linuxarm64 and android.

This is of course work more specifically for the Steam Frame, since it's using an ARM64 processor and it will support running Android APKs to hopefully get developers from other VR kits to work with it. And, as confirmed previously by The Verge, Steam itself is getting Android games to go with it.

Steamworks SDK 1.63 notes:

General

  • Added libs for linuxarm64 and androidarm64.
  • ISteamMusicRemote has been removed.
ISteamController
  • Added controller action origins for Lenovo Legion Go.
  • Added controller action origins for generic controller.
ISteamInput
  • Added input action origins for Lenovo Legion Go.
  • Added input action origins for generic controller.
ISteamRemotePlay
  • Added keypad scancode values.
ISteamUser
  • GetMarketEligibility may now return new k_EMarketNotAllowedReason_TradeCooldown status code in MarketEligibilityResponse_t.

And it seems we may know what the first Android game being added to Steam is, with Walkabout Mini Golf. As noted on SteamDB (thanks to Brad Lynch on X), Android has been added to the "oslist" (operating system list) with the details noting the "WalkaboutMiniGolf.apk" executable file it will launch.

Fun times ahead. The industry is going to look quite different by the end of 2026.

Imagine if Valve actually fully rolled out running Android stuff on SteamOS as a whole via the compatibility layer Proton, and not just for the Steam Frame. That would be very interesting, and perhaps already in their plans.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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ShadowXeldron 2 hours ago
So, how's this going to work? Is it using something like Waydroid under the hood?
hardpenguin 1 hour ago
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Android ARM APK on Steam. What a time to be alive. I honestly would love to play some quality ARM games that never made their way from Android to PC before.
doragasu 1 hour ago
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The Frame is an interesting frankenstein. With Proton + FEX + whatever compatibility layer they are using for Android (like Waidroid or similar, I suppose).
hardpenguin 1 hour ago
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The Frame is an interesting frankenstein. With Proton + FEX + whatever compatibility layer they are using for Android (like Waidroid or similar, I suppose).
Tech is just stacking building blocks on each other. This case specifically is made possible thanks to the power of open source ❤️
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