Steam’s Linux client just moved to 64-bit, and Valve changed how it runs
Valve has released a Steam client update that makes the Linux version of the app 64-bit and moves it into a Steam Runtime container. The November 11 update also fixes Linux crashes after suspend and when creating certain multiplayer lobbies.
The move is intended to make the client behave more consistently across Linux distributions, according to Valve’s release notes. Valve says it uses the same container technology already used for Steam games.
This is a change to the Steam application itself. It does not mean a player’s existing games have all become 64-bit, or that the update changes the operating system installed on their computer.
Valve has also introduced Achievement Sets in the Steam client update. Image: Valve
What changes for Linux players
Linux distributions package and update system software differently. Running the client inside a Steam Runtime container gives Valve a more consistent software environment for the app across those distributions. Valve describes that consistency as the aim, rather than promising a specific performance improvement.
The update also restyles the Steam updater and fixes an issue that could prevent the updater window from appearing. Another fix targets a crash when the computer resumes from suspend.
For multiplayer, Valve says it fixed a crash that could happen while creating a lobby in games using its ISteamNetworking interface. It gives Sons of the Forest as an example. That is a particular lobby-creation fix, not a blanket promise that every networking issue is resolved.
Steam Deck runs Valve’s Linux-based SteamOS. Image: Valve
Remote Play gets an HDR update too
The same release brings changes for players who stream games. HDR capture is now supported when using PipeWire on desktop Linux and when streaming from macOS, Valve says. HDR is also enabled again on Steam Deck OLED.
A new streaming display-style setting lets players stretch or zoom the picture when the stream and client display use different aspect ratios. There is also a brightness control in the streaming overlay and an advanced HDR setting with automatic, on and off options.
Outside Linux-specific changes, Valve has introduced Achievement Sets, allowing developers to group base-game and downloadable-content achievements. Adding a new set will not undo completion of an earlier one, though it is up to games to use the feature.
Valve says the client update downloads automatically. The company’s notes do not claim that a 64-bit client alone makes games faster; the practical gain it highlights is a more consistent client experience across distributions.
