Valve has just announced that it's introducing another compatibility check system for gaming handhelds, this time to whether third-party machines running Steam Deck OS can still run certain games. The move comes as the Steam Deck compatibility system comes under fire for ing games that barely run on the handheld, while new SteamOS handhelds, such as the Lenovo Legion Go S, are waiting in the wings.
Despite hefty competition, the Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on Steam Deck getting full Verified status, despite rarely being able to hit 30fps on the Deck, and with extremely long loading times too.
This new SteamOS compatibility rating will work alongside the existing Steam Deck compatibility system, with both ratings visible on the Steam Store's game pages. If you own a Valve Steam Deck, then you check the Steam Deck rating – if you own another SteamOS device, such as the new Lenovo Legion Go S, then you check the SteamOS rating instead. Valve says the compatibility check will cover anti-cheat systems, launchers, and other in-game features, as well as the game itself, to ensure it will run on SteamOS.
Handily for Valve, the system also sidesteps any potential criticism for performance and input compatibility with every SteamOS device, with Valve sating that "this rating does not include testing results for performance and input, since we will not know (and have not tested) how all titles will run on all potential hardware." Basically, the system will just tell you whether the game will fundamentally work on your SteamOS machine, but not how well it will run with your specific hardware.
Valve says it expects over 18,000 games to be awarded SteamOS compatible status when the system is rolled out over the next few weeks, meaning the Lenovo Legion Go S is going to get a pretty good game catalog when it launches, at least in of titles that work on the OS. In my Lenovo Legion Go S test at CES earlier in 2025, I was really impressed by the new device, which is comfortable to hold, looks great with its iridescent chassis, and is also more powerful than the Steam Deck, thanks to its AMD Ryzen Z2 Go U.
If you're looking to buy a new handheld now, check out our Asus Steam Deck OLED review, where we put two of the best new portable gaming devices through their paces.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. In addition, we have a vibrant community Discord server, where you can chat about this story with of the team and fellow readers.