Tech May 1, 2026 2 min read Ars Technica EN

The RAMpocalypse has bought Microsoft valuable time in the fight against SteamOS

As the SteamOS ecosystem gains traction, Valve's aggressive push into the gaming market has inadvertently created a temporary reprieve for Microsoft, allowing the tech giant to regroup and reassess its strategy in the face of declining Windows gaming market share, which has dropped by 12% since 2020, a trend that may be temporarily arrested by the RAM-intensive requirements of SteamOS. The shift towards more demanding games has slowed adoption of the Linux-based operating system, buying Microsoft crucial time to adapt and innovate.

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Op-ed: Valve has made a dent in Windows' gaming share, but can it keep going?

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