Valve has officially confirmed that Steam will cease to exist on Chromebooks. While hardly shocking, the decision was foreshadowed by the lack of updates and the fact that the store never left its beta stage.

Valve has decided to remove Steam from all Chromebook devices. In other words, the gaming platform will no longer be supported on these systems, meaning Chromebook owners will lose access to its library. Few will be surprised, as multiple signs pointed to the end of the ChromeOS experiment.

According to 9TOGoogle, installing Steam on such systems now displays this notice alongside the usual process: “The Steam for Chromebook Beta program will end on January 1, 2026. After this date, games installed as part of the Beta will no longer be available to play on your device. We appreciate your participation and contributing to the lessons learned from the beta program, which will inform the future of Chromebook gaming.”

Valve never truly committed to releasing a full 1.0 version for Chromebooks. Google’s gaming push began in 2022 with the launch of gaming laptops, followed weeks later by a Steam alpha. That same year, Chromebook users gained access to a stripped-down beta designed to make digital games more accessible on low-spec hardware. But with little progress toward a final release, pulling the plug was inevitable.

Steam’s Censorship Targets Adult Content

Beyond this failed venture, Valve is also facing backlash over new restrictions on adult-themed games that violate the rules of payment processors and ISPs. This crackdown, initiated by Australian group Collective Shout, has already removed multiple titles involving sexual violence and incest. The ban has even reached other PC storefronts like itch.io.

Unsurprisingly, players are upset. Critics warn that although the current policy only targets adult content, it could easily expand to include violent games or those with LGBT+ themes. The IGDA (International Game Developers Association) has urged developers to be aware of the risks, and Valve has even clashed with Mastercard over the enforcement of these bans on its platform.

Source: 3djuegos