Google announced that it will discontinue support for Steam on Chromebooks starting from the year 2026.
Chromebook users who enjoy playing PC-quality games will have to adapt to new alternatives as the Steam Beta support ends on these devices in January 2026. With the termination of native Steam gaming, cloud gaming services and Android games are set to become the main avenues for PC-quality gaming on Chromebooks.
The decision to end native Steam support is largely due to Chromebooks' low-power hardware and Google's strategic shift away from local Steam support. As a result, platforms like NVIDIA GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud Gaming (Game Pass Ultimate), and Amazon Luna are poised to take centre stage. These cloud gaming services allow users to stream high-quality PC games to their Chromebooks without relying on local hardware performance.
Moreover, Chromebooks' support for Android apps from the Google Play Store offers access to a wide array of mobile games and many high-quality Android titles that run natively on Chromebook hardware. However, it's important to note that Linux Steam can still be installed in the Chromebook’s Linux subsystem (Crostini), though it lacks GPU acceleration and relies on CPU-based software rendering, resulting in poor performance unsuitable for most modern games.
Google has hinted at future gaming innovations potentially involving deeper Android and ChromeOS integration, but no specific replacement for Steam gaming has been announced yet. As we move towards 2026, Chromebook users wanting PC-quality gaming will mostly rely on cloud gaming services or Android games.
| Alternative | Description | Pros | Cons | |---------------------------|------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| | NVIDIA GeForce Now | Cloud streaming of PC games | Large game library, no local hardware needed | Requires strong, stable internet | | Xbox Cloud Gaming | Cloud gaming through Xbox ecosystem | Access to Game Pass library | Same as above | | Amazon Luna | Cloud gaming subscription service | Variety of games | Same as above | | Android Games | Native Android apps from Google Play Store | Runs locally, large mobile game library | Limited to Android titles only | | Linux Steam (Crostini) | Linux Steam client in ChromeOS Linux VM | Native Steam client on Linux | No GPU acceleration, poor game performance|
The end of Steam on Chromebooks means that gaming on these devices will revert to its pre-2022 state, offering light, casual games better suited to short breaks. However, users can look forward to exploring new options such as cloud gaming services, which can stream games to Chromebooks, provided they have a solid internet connection and a paid subscription.
For those who enjoyed having bigger games without the heavy hardware, this change might feel like a step backwards. Yet, for others, the shift towards mobile games or cloud gaming might not be a significant adjustment. It remains to be seen how many people were regularly using Steam on Chromebooks, but those who were will notice the difference the first time they log in and see it's gone.
In the wake of the Steam Beta support cessation on Chromebooks, cloud gaming services like NVIDIA GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud Gaming (Game Pass Ultimate), and Amazon Luna are anticipated to become the forefront of PC-quality gaming on these devices, offering high-quality game streaming without relying on local hardware performance. Additionally, the wide array of Android games available on the Google Play Store become a viable alternative for Chromebook users, though only Android titles are accessible.
