Valve's new open-source tool is bringing Android games to Linux and Steam

Steam Frame, Steam Machine, and Steam ControllerCredit: Valve Published Sep 18, 2026, 12:21 PM EDT Jon is a seasoned journalist who has written definitive coverage of consumer tech at publications like Engadget, Android Authority, and BetaKit. He's an expert on making tech accessible ranging from mobile and PCs to emerging platforms like wearables. When he's not writing, he's going on adventures with ihis family and is an avid photographer. Sign in to your How-To Geek account You could soon see more mobile games on Steam. Valve has released Lepton, an open-source tool that brings Android games to Linux and, of course, Steam. The repository code is meant to help game developers port VR Android games to the newly available Steam Frame headset, which can run the titles independent of a PC. Valve notes Lepton isn't limited to VR or other purposes, but that they "were not the focus of development and may lack polish." You can't use the tool to run Android itself, as it only includes the "bare minimum" features needed to launch games, according to Valve. The company adds that everyday people should use Lepton built into the Steam client itself. The Steam Frame is available starting at $1,059 for a 265GB model, although there's now a waitlist due to initial demand. What does Lepton mean for Android games on Linux? You might see games previously unavailable on PCs The early uses of Lepton center around VR, including people making Meta Quest games available on the Steam Frame. You might not have to wait for official ports of your favorite immersive games if you've decided a previous headset is too limiting. In theory, however, this also streamlines the process of bringing any Android game to Linux and Steam. This doesn't guarantee a flood of Android releases, but you could see mobile-first studios using this to reach PC players beyond Windows (where Google Play for PC is already available). For non-gaming, the best approach may be to run tools like scrcpy that mirror your Android phone's screen on Linux. It won't be as flexible as a port, but should work if you need to quickly launch an Android app and don't want to reach into your pocket. And if you want to primarily run Android, there's a clear answer: Google and partners are close to releasing the first Googlebooks based on a version of Android for PCs. Preorders start on September 21 and will be followed by a "celebration event" on October 5, so you won't have to wait long if you're a mobile gaming fan who just wants the creature comforts of a laptop.