Bazzite Linux 44 'Deck' image launches for handhelds with SteamOS-style overhaul

A SteamOS-aligned rework for handheld devices

Bazzite Linux 44 has shipped its "Deck" image aimed at handheld gaming PCs and console-like TV PCs, an update developers described as a "huge overhaul" that brings the distribution closer in line with Valve's SteamOS. The handheld build had lagged behind the desktop release of Bazzite 44, which had already been available for some time.

New input, power and overlay stack

The Deck image introduces four major components borrowed or modeled on SteamOS. InputPlumber handles controller input, emulation and remapping, while SteamOS-Manager manages session switching and TDP control directly inside Steam. PowerStation fills in TDP and power control for devices that SteamOS-Manager does not yet support. OpenGamepadUI acts as an extendable plugin overlay for options Steam does not expose.

What users see in Steam

With the new stack in place, TDP controls and RGB changes are now surfaced inside the Steam Quick Access Menu. Developers also added a built-in notification system so devices can alert users when updates land, replacing the previous reliance on external prompts.

Known gaps and in-flight fixes

Some devices temporarily lack manual fan controls, a regression the project attributes to extra work needed for the new UI; the team noted that handhelds are designed to have sufficient cooling without manual control while the feature is rebuilt. The original Lenovo Legion Go also lost gyroscope support in the transition, with a patch for that regression already described as in development.

Desktop-wide changes that ship with the release

The same release cycle brings a raft of desktop improvements that apply to all Bazzite users: a new graphical updater, the latest Bazaar flatpak store, a rewritten Bazzite Portal, a Cardwaire app for multi-GPU setups, the new Open Gaming Collective Linux kernel, upgraded Mesa graphics drivers, and support for AMD HDMI 2.1 FRL, ALLM and VRR.

Where to get it

The new Deck image and updated desktop build are available for download from the Bazzite website, with further documentation hosted on the project's discourse group.