Valve adds gamepad support and Intel compatibility to SteamOS on new handhelds

Valve released SteamOS 3.8.25 Beta, which now offers initial gamepad support for a select group of recent handheld consoles such as MSI's high-end Claw 8 EX AI+ and Ayaneo's Pocket S2. The update further extends compatibility to the Windows-focused Konkr Fit and enhances support for legacy MSI Claw devices and the OneXPlayer line. Intel-based handhelds, previously only in beta, receive dedicated attention, indicating Valve's continued effort to include Intel chips.

The beta also refines controller handling for the built-in inputs of these devices. Beyond handhelds, Valve upgraded the Linux driver that powers the Steam Controller, allowing it to function with native controller apps without the Steam client running. These changes follow earlier improvements announced in June’s SteamOS 3.8 update, which targeted recent Intel and AMD platforms.