Google and Valve Conclude Steam for Chromebooks Experiment

Starting January 1, 2026, Google and Valve will discontinue support for the ChromeOS version of Steam, marking an end to the experimental initiative launched a few years ago. Initially released as an alpha early in 2022, this version of Steam was limited to newer and high-spec Chromebooks.

The decision affects users who have been playing games via Steam on Chromebooks, and a notification announcing the end of support is now displayed on devices.

The beta version, which came later in 2022, had broader compatibility, supporting AMD CPUs and allowing more users with varied hardware configurations to access games. Despite accommodating the Proton compatibility layer, which aids in running Windows games on SteamOS, hardware limitations proved to be a consistent issue.

This initiative was part of a broader "gaming Chromebook" campaign by Google in 2022 and 2023, which also introduced laptops featuring advanced hardware and high-refresh rates, along with optimized versions of cloud gaming services such as GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Despite efforts, the limited game compatibility and performance constraints, primarily due to the slower processors in most Chromebooks, hampered the project's success. These processors struggle to support graphically demanding games, restricting the catalog to primarily older titles and less-demanding 2D games.

The cessation of the Steam project aligns with Google's broader strategic realignment, which may include merging ChromeOS with Android as part of a cleanup of its various initiatives.

While this marks a step back for local gaming on Chromebooks, cloud-based gaming services are expected to continue developing as the mainstay solution for Chromebook users.