Boiling Steam in the Press

As Linux gaming has grown, especially with the release of the Steam Deck, more mainstream sites are paying attention to the few Linux gaming sites. Here are stories and news we have covered that were later picked up by other major outlets or podcasts.

In 2026:

• PCGamer: Steam Deck sales are estimated to have plummeted by around 80% since the massive price hikes earlier this year, back of the napkin maths suggests
• TechRader: New estimate suggests Valve’s Steam Deck sales have decreased by 82%, and the reason shouldn’t be a surprise
• TheGamer: https://www.thegamer.com/steam-deck-sales-drop-80-percent/
• IGN: The Steam Deck’s Demand Has Reportedly Cratered
• Kotaku: New Report Suggests Valve’s Steam Deck Sales Have Plummeted 82 Percent Since Price Hikes
• Wccftech: Steam Deck Sales Reportedly Crater 82% After Valve’s Price Hike, Slipping From 5th To 14th On Steam
• Techspot: Steam Deck price hike has completely destroyed sales, new data suggests
• Gizmodo: Valve’s Steam Hardware Isn’t Selling Too Hot. Does it Matter?
• Notebookcheck: “The Great Steam Deck Crash”: Analysis shows how much revenue Valve may have lost
• Ars Technica: Sales of Valve’s Steam Deck crater after recent price hike
• SteamDeck HQ: Steam Deck Sales May Have Fallen by More Than 75% Since The Price Increase
• Techspot: iValve’s Steam Machine may be selling between 12,000 and 15,000 units per week despite its high price
• XDA: Valve is selling between 12,000 and 15,000 Steam Machines a week, claims Boiling Steam
• 3Dnews.ru: Steam Machine sales proved better than expected, reaching up to 15k units per week (RU)
• Pause Hardware: Steam Machine : Valve écoulerait déjà 12 000 à 15 000 unités par semainei (FR)
• cnBeta.COM (超极本): Strong Steam Machine sales performance: estimated average weekly sales reach 12,000 to 15,000 units
• 新浪 (Sina): Third-party estimate: Valve Steam Machine weekly sales between 12,000 and 15,000 units (CN)
• SteamDeck HQ: The Steam Machine is Potentially Selling Around 12k Units Per Week Right Now
• Tech4Gamers: Valve Reportedly Sells Only Up To 15K Steam Machine Units Every Week, Report Reveals
• Notebookcheck: Valve’s Steam Machine is reportedly off to a healthy start despite its premium price
• Hacker News: Steam Machine: Between 12k and 15k Units Sold per week: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48956852
• Hacker News: iFramework Laptop 13 Pro: Major Upgrades and Linux Front and Center: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47902816
• XDA: CachyOS dethrones Arch as the top desktop distro for Linux gamers on ProtonDB

In 2025:

• Hacker News (Box64 Expands into Risc-V and LoongArch territory): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46751460
• Adafruit: (Orange Pi 6 Plus Review): https://blog.adafruit.com/2025/12/29/the-orangepi-6-plus-single-board-computer-a-review/
• Hacker News: (Orange Pi 6 Plus Review): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46401499
• The Register: https://www.theregister.com/2025/11/04/steam_on_linux_numbers_up/
• Brodie Robertson: 90% Of Windows Games Work On Linux… Sort Of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvANZbDhO3Q
• Gry-online.pl: https://www.gry-online.pl/newsroom/90-gier-z-windowsa-dziala-na-linuxie-i-coraz-wiecej-nie-wymaga-in/zf2f4c0
• Golem.de: https://www.golem.de/news/protondb-fast-90-prozent-der-games-funktionieren-auf-linux-2510-201548.html
• Der Standart: https://www.derstandard.at/story/3000000294207/90-prozent-aller-windows-spiele-laufen-mittlerweile-auch-unter-linux
• Techradar: https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/new-data-shows-most-windows-games-now-work-on-linux-and-i-hope-the-same-will-soon-apply-to-anti-cheat-titles
• Techspot: https://www.techspot.com/news/110047-nine-out-ten-windows-games-can-now-run.html
• Pcgameshardware DE: https://www.pcgameshardware.de/Linux-Software-26761/News/90-Prozent-der-Windows-Spiele-laufen-unter-Linux-1485280/
• Techpowerup: https://www.techpowerup.com/342337/almost-90-of-windows-games-run-on-linux-notes-report
• Tomshardware: https://www.tomshardware.com/software/linux/nearly-90-percent-of-windows-games-now-run-on-linux-latest-data-shows-as-windows-10-dies-gaming-on-linux-is-more-viable-than-ever
• Hacker News: (Orange Pi 5 Ultra Review: a ARM64 SBC Powerhouse): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45347089
• Hacker News: (Linux Distros for Gaming: CachyOS Takes Over, According to ProtonDB): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44633758
• Hacker News: (Lenovo Legion Go S: Windows 11 vs. SteamOS Performance, and General Availability): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44560913

In 2024:

• Hacker News (Nintendo Kills Ryujinx After Yuzu): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41758082
• The Verge (Nintendo has reportedly shut down Ryujinx, the Switch emulator that was supposedly immune): https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/1/24259791/nintendo-ryujinx-switch-emulator-gdkchan-removed-downloads-github
• Hacker News (A Surprising Discovery Inside the Steam Deck’s APU): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38977983
• Gardiner Bryant: https://youtu.be/YPd0TWHvqfM?feature=shared&t=319

In 2023:

• PCGamer: https://www.pcgamer.com/76-of-the-top-100-most-played-games-on-steam-are-playable-on-a-steam-deck/
• Hacker News: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35437070
• Hacker News: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35387191
• The Linux Experiment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH5-Y37s88o

In 2022:

• PCGamer: https://www.pcgamer.com/over-50-of-steams-top-100-games-work-on-steam-deck/
• Kotaku: https://kotaku.com/valve-steam-deck-compatibility-verified-playable-games-1848871240
• Itsfoss: https://www.itsfoss.net/ubuntu-linux-the-number-one-linux-distro-for-gaming-every-time-less/
• Gamerant: https://gamerant.com/steam-deck-2500-playable-games/
• Techradar: https://www.techradar.com/news/majority-of-the-best-pc-games-now-work-well-on-steam-deck
• Tomshardware: https://www.tomshardware.com/news/36-out-of-top50-steam-games-run-on-linux
• ruanyifeng
• Techspot: https://www.techspot.com/news/94453-valve-has-verified-almost-1300-games-run-steam.html
• Pcgameshardware DE: https://www.pcgameshardware.de/Steam-Deck-Hardware-277668/News/Entwickler-beantwortet-Fragen-Akku-haelt-2-bis-5-Stunden-durch-1387244/
• Lunduke’s substack: https://lunduke.substack.com/p/the-lunduke-journal-podcast-april-2a7 and https://lunduke.substack.com/p/ubuntu-market-share-is-in-a-nosedive

In 2021:

• Kotaku: https://www.kotaku.com.au/2021/09/steam-deck-proton-pc-game-library/
• Rock Paper Shotgun: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-steam-deck-wont-actually-run-your-entire-steam-library-proton-president-reminds-everyone
• Gamespot: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/steam-deck-wont-play-all-your-steam-games-at-launch-warns-proton-co-developer/1100-6496021/
• Chrome Unboxed: https://chromeunboxed.com/steam-chromebooks-borealis-2021-launch-could-happen/
• OSNews: https://www.osnews.com/story/133130/proton-has-enabled-7000-windows-games-to-run-on-linux/
• Hacker News: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28895878