Valve is set to take a significant step in expanding its SteamOS ecosystem beyond its own Steam Deck handheld console. In an interview, Pierre-Loup Griffais, one of the lead designers on the Steam Deck and SteamOS, revealed that a beta version of SteamOS for other handheld devices is slated to ship after March, with a potential release as early as April.

This move marks a significant shift in Valve's strategy, as it opens up the SteamOS platform to a wider range of devices. The company has already confirmed that Lenovo will ship the first third-party SteamOS handheld, the Legion Go S, in May. However, with the upcoming beta release, users will be able to install SteamOS on other handheld devices, potentially improving their gaming experience.

Griffais hinted that users might discover their Windows handheld devices start working properly after the beta release, although he did not confirm which specific devices would be compatible. The company has previously confirmed that it has been adding support for the Asus ROG Ally's controls, and it's likely that other devices will also be compatible.

The Linux gaming community has already made significant progress in getting SteamOS to work on other devices, with projects like Bazzite, a fork of Valve's Steam Deck experience, showing promising results. In fact, Valve seems to be flattered by the community's efforts, with Griffais praising Bazzite as a "great community project that delivers a lot of value to people that want a similar experience on devices right now."

However, Valve is keen to emphasize that Bazzite is not yet ready for hardware manufacturers to preload on their devices. The company wants to ensure that SteamOS remains a single, unified platform, rather than a fragmented one. To achieve this, Valve requires hardware manufacturers to partner with them and meet certain standards, including firmware updates and BIOS compatibility.

Currently, Valve is only partnered with Lenovo to officially ship SteamOS on other devices, although the company is open to collaborating with other manufacturers. Griffais emphasized that Valve wants to work with partners to ensure a standardized approach to firmware updates, boot managers, and BIOS compatibility.

While Valve is not making any promises about which Windows handheld devices will run SteamOS perfectly, the company is confident that the beta release will improve the experience on other devices. Users will be able to download and test the beta version themselves, and Valve is open to exploring partnerships with manufacturers to bring SteamOS to other form factors, such as living room boxes.

In related news, Valve also hinted at the possibility of more Steam Input compatible controllers in the future, although the company remained tight-lipped about rumors of a Steam Controller 2, VR headset with wands, and a living room box.

Overall, Valve's decision to open up SteamOS to other handheld devices marks a significant shift in the company's strategy, and could potentially expand the Steam ecosystem beyond its current boundaries. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Valve's move impacts the market and what opportunities arise from this new development.