Valve continues to enhance SteamOS with new beta versions, while the EU considers age verification measures for online games.
This mid-week stretch presents a curious mix of developments in PC gaming, with significant attention on Valve’s ongoing work with SteamOS and the European Commission’s latest legislative proposals.
Valve’s Continued Support for SteamOS
Valve remains committed to refining the Linux-based SteamOS with new updates released. According to GamingOnLinux, the company launched two new testing builds: SteamOS 3.8.27 Beta and the SteamOS 3.9.1 Preview. These updates continue Valve’s push to integrate better NVIDIA support, which has been a longstanding challenge given the hardware’s dominance in the gaming industry. Alongside this, the Heroic Games Launcher has received a hotfix in version 2.22.2, further improving compatibility with platforms like Rockstar and Ubisoft, as noted by GamingOnLinux. For those interested in VR, Valve has also extended support for Half-Life: Alyx to ARM64 for the Steam Frame, enhancing the game’s accessibility on a wider range of devices.
EU Kids Act and Video Game Age Verification
Moving to regulatory matters, the European Commission is considering new legislation dubbed the EU Kids Act. Detailed by Rock Paper Shotgun, this proposal seeks to impose stricter age verification measures for online games and other digital services accessible to those under 15. Similar to the UK’s Online Safety Act, this could lead to significant operational changes for gaming companies targeting younger audiences within the EU. The implications include potential shifts in how user accounts are managed and verified, likely affecting a broad range of online services.
New and Evolving Game Titles
In terms of new game releases and evolutions, Paradox’s upcoming game, “Afterworld”, is generating buzz for its unique replayability factor. As Rock Paper Shotgun reports, this grand strategy title rewrites history with each playthrough, promising a fresh narrative twist every time you start a new campaign. Meanwhile, new trademarks filed by Neowiz hint at “Wonders of O”, a potential sequel to the intriguing “Lies of P”, with speculation pointing to a Wizard of Oz-themed direction as described by Rock Paper Shotgun.
Overall, today’s news highlights significant strides in both regulatory considerations and technical improvements on gaming platforms, signaling potential changes and advancements within the industry to look out for in the coming months.
