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Valve Embraces Android: Steam Opens its Doors to Mobile Games

Published

4 months ago

November 12, 2025

Valve is welcoming Android games into Steam

Valve has recently announced the Steam Frame, a wireless VR headset for PC that can also be likened to a Steam Deck for the face. This move marks Valve’s entry into the mobile realm, as the Frame not only runs Windows games on its Arm-based Qualcomm Snapdragon chip but also supports and encourages developers to bring their Android apps to Steam.

According to Valve engineer Jeremy Selan, the goal is to make the transition seamless for users. Developers can use the same Android APKs they use for phones and Android-based VR headsets like the Meta Quest to bring their apps to Steam. Valve is also launching a developer kit program to facilitate this process.

Valve is particularly interested in attracting Meta VR game developers to bring their VR content to Steam. Selan explains that these developers are familiar with creating APKs for mobile VR titles and can easily port them to Steam for the Frame.

In terms of performance, Selan assures that the experience should be excellent as the code runs natively on the Arm processor. Unlike SteamOS, which requires a compatibility layer, the Arm code can run directly on the processor without translation.

Valve is looking beyond just Android-based VR games for the Steam Frame. There are hints that Google may open up Android to alternative app stores soon, allowing Steam to sell games on phones similar to its rival Epic. Additionally, users will be able to sideload Android APKs onto the Steam Frame.

Pierre-Loup Griffais from Valve suggests that the Steam Frame could pave the way for SteamOS to work on a wider range of Arm devices, including laptops and future handhelds.

Valve’s long-term plans seem to extend beyond gaming, with the possibility of rich browser integration, allowing users to access a variety of apps and websites seamlessly on the Steam Frame.

Overall, Valve’s foray into the mobile realm with the Steam Frame represents a significant step towards expanding its ecosystem and making PC gaming more accessible and versatile.