Home / Technology / Valve Funds Fex: PC Games Now Possible on Arm Phones
Valve Funds Fex: PC Games Now Possible on Arm Phones
3 Dec
Summary
- Valve is funding open-source technologies like Fex to run PC games on Arm.
- This enables Windows games to run on Arm chips found in phones and laptops.
- Valve aims to reduce game porting efforts, letting developers focus on creation.
Valve is investing heavily in open-source technologies, particularly the Fex emulator, to enable Windows PC games to run on Arm processors. This effort aims to make PC gaming accessible on billions of devices, including smartphones and laptops, without developers needing to port their games. Valve's strategy involves funding key developers and open-source projects, allowing games built for x86 architecture to function on Arm chips.
This technology stack, including Proton and Fex, is foundational to Valve's ambition to broaden the reach of PC gaming. It bypasses the need for extensive porting, freeing developers to concentrate on game creation rather than platform adaptation. Valve believes this approach will significantly reduce barriers for both users and developers in the evolving hardware landscape.
While Valve has not confirmed plans for a dedicated "Steam Phone," the underlying technology is available for developers to implement. This initiative suggests a future where SteamOS could be adapted for a variety of Arm devices, potentially including ultraportable laptops, new handhelds, and even desktops, significantly expanding the PC gaming ecosystem.
