Valve is preparing a new stage: Steam smartphones will soon appear to run full-fledged PC games

Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffet has announced that the company is actively working on creating Steam smartphones that can run full-fledged PC games without modification. The development involves the Fex emulator, which converts traditional x86 code to ARM code for mobile devices. This will create a new ecosystem where your favorite games from your library are always available.

The future of a single format: how does it work?

Valve has always sought to erase the boundaries between different platforms, and soon, the game experience across computers, portable consoles, and smartphones may become homogeneous.

The key point in this transformation will be the introduction of new hardware solutions and software. Griffe noted that testing of new technologies is already underway:

“Our new VR helmet, Steam Frame, operates on an ARM chip running SteamOS and can run games autonomously thanks to the Fex emulator, which translates x86 commands into ARM.”

In fact, Fex acts as a “translator” that allows mobile processors to understand commands intended for classic computers.

Steam Deck in your pocket: the next step is smartphones

A successful experiment with a VR helmet paves the way for even larger projects. Valve is actively investing in Fex development, aiming to create a platform where games are not tied to specific devices.

According to the engineer, the next step will be:

“Smartphones on SteamOS that can run PC games with light optimizations, similar to the Steam Deck.”

This promises that, in the near future, users will be able to download and play their favorite games on smartphones just as on a portable Steam Deck, eliminating the need to wait for special mobile versions.

A revolution in mobile gaming

If Valve can realize this idea, it will be a real revolution in the world of gaming. Imagine that AAA games that require a powerful graphics card will become available on ordinary smartphones.

This will not only provide convenience for players but also serve as a powerful incentive for developers, as they will not have to rewrite all the code for mobile platforms. Valve is bringing us closer to the time when your phone can turn into a real gaming station.