Gaming-focused Chromebooks are in the works

It is possible that the ambitions for gaming-focused Chromebooks are close to reality. There are references to new gaming Chromebooks in the test versions of Chrome OS after years of teasing.

Two years ago, we were told that the company was working on Steam support for Chromebooks.

There are three codenames for potential gaming Chromebooks that have been spotted. The publication theorizes that HP and Lenovo could be testing Chromebooks for gaming. There is a third device, called Ripple, that appears to be a tablet with a keyboard.

A new flag has been discovered in Chrome OS that allows for keyboard support for gaming laptops. 9to5Google believes that the flag is being added specifically for the new Chromebooks. If these gaming Chromebooks are to become a reality, they will need Steam.

In lieu of compelling alternatives, Valve went on to announce its Steam Deck, a handheld Linux-based gaming device that starts shipping in late February. Thanks to Valve's Proton tech, Steam Deck could make gaming on Linux more popular than it is today. The list of supported games is growing, and it's because of the compatibility layer called Proton.

Easy Anti-Cheat and BattlEye are two of the most popular anti-cheat systems. It's still possible for developers to test and confirm their games work with anti-cheat support, but it could open up the Steam Deck and any potential gaming Chromebooks to popular titles like Fortnite, Apex, and Legends 2.