Linux passes Mac for Steam’s second-most used OS, possibly due to Steam Deck

Windows will almost certainly be the default operating system for more PC users and gamers. However, Linux seems to be slowly climbing the ranks, and it’s now the second most popular OS on Steam, which could be owing to Valve’s handheld device, the Steam Deck.

According to a report from Phoronix (as spotted by Ars Technica), Linux saw its share of the market increase by half a percent for June, giving it a 1.96% share of the operating system pie.

This means, as of now, it’s beaten macOS, which currently has a market share of 1.84%. Of course, both pale in comparison to Windows, with the anonymous Steam survey showing that the Microsoft OS dominates with a whopping 96.21% share.

Are more people turning to Linux then?

The one thing that needs to be taken into account is that much of this increase in Linux usage may well be down to the Steam Deck itself. The portable PC comes preinstalled with the SteamOS software, which is built on a custom version of Linux.

Ergo, anyone who buys a Deck to play games through their Steam account will be shown as being a Linux user. The version “SteamOS Holo” 64-bit was the most popular Linux version reported, which adds to the Steam Deck’s case. It’s also worth noting that not everyone will have taken the survey, but any discrepancies may not be significant anyway.

If anything, it kind of shows the popularity of the Steam Deck, that it’s managed to influence the operating system market in this way. While companies like ASUS are offering their own alternatives, the Valve machine is still a force to be reckoned with in terms of mobile PC gaming.