Chromebook: Google gives a shock to PC gamers! This popular service is going to be discontinued from 2026..

The era of Steam gaming on Chromebooks is coming to an end. Google has announced that Steam's beta program will end on January 1, 2026. After this, the games installed under the beta will not run on Chromebooks.

Chromebook users will know this announcement when they try to install Steam. The pop-up notice will clearly state that the games will not be accessible after the beta program expires.

The beta program started in 2022

Steam's Chromebook beta was launched in March 2022. It ran on ChromeOS's Linux-based system and supported Windows games through Valve's compatibility layer. However, its game list was limited, and only a few games ran smoothly in it.

The problem is not just software.
Experts believe that the real reason for the closure of this program is the low-power hardware of Chromebooks. Most Chromebooks are not powerful enough to run heavy PC games. Despite having the option to install Steam, this lack of hardware was becoming the biggest hurdle.

Cloud gaming took the lead.
Today, platforms like GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming offer a large game library and a better experience, provided the internet connection is fast. In comparison, the list of local Steam games on Chromebooks was very small. Google's cloud gaming platform Stadia is also shutting down in 2023.

After the beta program ends, local PC gaming on Chromebooks will be almost impossible. In such a situation, budget gamers will either resort to cloud gaming or they will have to adopt high-end hardware.