There is no denying the fact that Valve’s Steam Deck is the reason for the resurgence of handheld consoles in the market. Major OEMs, such as Asus, Lenovo, and MSI followed suit with their offerings, namely ROG Ally, Legion GO, and MSI Claw.

However, all of these above-mentioned consoles have a major issue, which is their reliance on the Windows operating system. Aside from being designed for large-screen desktops and laptops, Windows also has many other problems like software conflicts, which means that multiple programs and overlays can clash for resources, leading to a less stable gaming experience.

A new startup named Playtron has now emerged, with a vision of freeing gaming consoles from their reliance on Windows and other operating systems like Valve’s SteamOS.

Playtron Lenovo Legion Go Demo
PlaytronOS Demo on Lenovo Legion Go
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1. What is PlaytronOS?

PlaytronOS is an open-source Linux-based gaming operating system created by Playtron, that aims to challenge existing systems like SteamOS and Windows for gaming handhelds. It offers compatibility for both x86 and ARM architectures, which means that PlaytronOS is compatible with both PC processors (Intel, AMD) as well as mobile processors (Snapdragon, etc.).

Compared to Windows, PlaytronOS is a lightweight operating system that plans to offer a streamlined gaming experience when it comes to interface and functionality, without any unnecessary software. What it means is that Playtron is aiming for something similar to Valve’s SteamOS, which is easy to control and operate, even on devices with small screens or non-traditional input methods, prioritizing user-friendly interactions.

2. What games are on PlaytronOS?

Currently, PlaytronOS does not offer its own game store, however, it is designed to be a cross-vendor and cross-platform gaming OS, supporting game libraries like Steam, Epic Games Launcher, and potentially other launchers, offering users more flexibility in choosing where to purchase and play games.

As for what games are currently playable on PlaytronOS, the company has mentioned that games like Death Stranding, Dave the Diver, and Baltaro are currently performing comparably to the native Steam Deck during testing. It’s worth mentioning that the operating system is currently in its early alpha phase, so it will get optimized for more games as it matures.

A quote by Playtron from an article by The Verge reads “We don’t care about running the hundred thousand games that are on Steam… we’re going to focus on the top games.” So it’s likely that Playtron will be more focused on optimizing popular titles with mass appeal and large player bases.

3. When will PlaytronOS be available for users?

PlaytronOS is expected to be available for users in 2025, with Playtron aiming to have Playtron-native devices shipping worldwide by that time. While this is the general timeline, the company’s CEO Kirt McMaster has said that Ayaneo plans to ship a native Playtron handheld by the end of 2024.

The startup is working hard to achieve these deadlines after recently receiving $10 million in funding from investors like Samsung Next, Polychain, Alumni Ventures, Mysten Labs, and others.

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