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==Positives==
==Positives==


==='''Contributing to the Wine compatibility layer (''2018.08.21 - Present'')'''===
===Contributions to open-source (''2018 - Present'')===
On 21 August 2018, '''Valve''' released the first version of the {{Wplink|Proton (software)|Proton}} compatibility layer,<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Dawe |first=Liam |date=2018-08-21 |title=Valve officially confirm a new version of 'Steam Play' which includes a modified version of Wine |url=https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2018/08/valve-officially-confirm-a-new-version-of-steam-play-which-includes-a-modified-version-of-wine/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-27 |website=GamingOnLinux}}</ref> which was developed in partnership with {{Wplink|CodeWeavers}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schmid |first=Jana |date=2022-02-25 |title=CODEWEAVERS’ PROTON SOFTWARE SAUCE POWERS STEAM DECK |url=https://www.codeweavers.com/about/news/press/20220225 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=CodeWeavers}}</ref> Proton is the fork of the {{Wplink|Wine (software)|Wine}}<ref name=":4" /> compatibility layer that allows [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] programs to run on {{Wplink|POSIX}}-compliant {{Wplink|operating systems}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Run Windows applications on Linux, BSD, Solaris and macOS |url=https://www.winehq.org/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=WineHQ}}</ref> Proton's primary focus is to improve performance and compatibility of Windows games running on {{Wplink|Linux}} operating systems.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GitHub - ValveSoftware/Proton: Compatibility tool for Steam Play based on Wine and additional components |url=https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=Github}}</ref> It works by translating Windows specific {{Wplink|DirectX}} API calls to {{Wplink|Vulkan}}.{{Citation needed}}
Valve has made several noteworthy open-source contributions advance software [[interoperability]], which improved gaming on Linux an macOS, and running {{Wplink|x86}} software on {{Wplink|ARM}} processors.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7" />


As an effect of developing Proton, '''Valve''' and CodeWeavers have upstreamed a lot of upgrades and fixes to Wine.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Larabel |first=Michael |date=2019-03-27 |title=A Lot Of Valve's Proton Work Is Landing Back In Upstream Wine |url=https://www.phoronix.com/news/Proton-Work-Back-In-Wine-4.2 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=Phoronix}}</ref>
==== Wine compatibility layer ====
On 21 August 2018, Valve released the first version of the {{Wplink|Proton (software)|Proton}} compatibility layer,<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Dawe |first=Liam |date=2018-08-21 |title=Valve officially confirm a new version of 'Steam Play' which includes a modified version of Wine |url=https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2018/08/valve-officially-confirm-a-new-version-of-steam-play-which-includes-a-modified-version-of-wine/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-27 |website=GamingOnLinux}}</ref> which was developed in partnership with {{Wplink|CodeWeavers}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schmid |first=Jana |date=2022-02-25 |title=CODEWEAVERS’ PROTON SOFTWARE SAUCE POWERS STEAM DECK |url=https://www.codeweavers.com/about/news/press/20220225 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=CodeWeavers}}</ref> Proton is the fork of the {{Wplink|Wine (software)|Wine}}<ref name=":4" /> compatibility layer that allows [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] programs to run on {{Wplink|POSIX}}-compliant {{Wplink|operating systems}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Run Windows applications on Linux, BSD, Solaris and macOS |url=https://www.winehq.org/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=WineHQ}}</ref> Proton's primary focus is to improve performance and compatibility of Windows games running on {{Wplink|Linux}} operating systems.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GitHub - ValveSoftware/Proton: Compatibility tool for Steam Play based on Wine and additional components |url=https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=Github}}</ref> It works by translating Windows specific {{Wplink|DirectX}} API calls to {{Wplink|Vulkan}}.{{Citation needed}}


===Contributing to the FEX emulation layer (''2018 - Present'')===
As an effect of developing Proton, Valve and CodeWeavers have upstreamed a lot of upgrades and fixes to Wine.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Larabel |first=Michael |date=2019-03-27 |title=A Lot Of Valve's Proton Work Is Landing Back In Upstream Wine |url=https://www.phoronix.com/news/Proton-Work-Back-In-Wine-4.2 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=Phoronix}}</ref>
On 12 November 2025, '''Valve''' announced the Steam Frame, an ARM based VR headset which will be running {{Wplink|SteamOS}}.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Burke |first=Steve |last2=Lathan |first2=Patrick |last3=Makhnovets |first3=Vitalii |last4=Phetdara |first4=Tim |last5=Thang |first5=Jimmy |date=2025-11-14 |title=Valve Steam Machine, Desktop SteamOS, Steam Frame VR, & Controller {{!}} ft. Engineering Discussion |url=https://gamersnexus.net/news-pre-built-pc/valve-steam-machine-desktop-steamos-steam-frame-vr-controller-ft-engineering |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=Gamers Nexus}}</ref> In order to to be compatible with most Windows {{Wplink|x86}} games, '''Valve''' will be using the FEX-Emu emulation layer alongside Proton.<ref name=":5" /> In an anniversary blog post, the FEX lead dev stated: <blockquote>I want to thank the people from Valve for being here from the start and allowing me to kickstart this project. They trusted me with the responsibility of designing and frameworking the project in a way that it can work long-term; not only for their use cases but also keeping it an open project that anyone can adapt for their own use cases.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Houdek |first=Ryan |date=2025-11-28 |title=FEX seven year anniversary! |url=https://fex-emu.com/FEXiversary/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=FEX-Emu}}</ref></blockquote>FEX works by emulating x86 specific instructions to ARM64.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FEX-Emu – A fast linux usermode x86 and x86-64 emulator |url=https://fex-emu.com/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=FEX-Emu}}</ref>
 
==== FEX emulation layer ====
On 12 November 2025, Valve announced the Steam Frame, an ARM based VR headset which will be running {{Wplink|SteamOS}}.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Burke |first=Steve |last2=Lathan |first2=Patrick |last3=Makhnovets |first3=Vitalii |last4=Phetdara |first4=Tim |last5=Thang |first5=Jimmy |date=2025-11-14 |title=Valve Steam Machine, Desktop SteamOS, Steam Frame VR, & Controller {{!}} ft. Engineering Discussion |url=https://gamersnexus.net/news-pre-built-pc/valve-steam-machine-desktop-steamos-steam-frame-vr-controller-ft-engineering |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=Gamers Nexus}}</ref> In order to to be compatible with most Windows x86 games, Valve will be using the FEX-Emu emulation layer alongside Proton.<ref name=":5" /> In an anniversary blog post, the FEX lead dev stated: <blockquote>I want to thank the people from Valve for being here from the start and allowing me to kickstart this project. They trusted me with the responsibility of designing and frameworking the project in a way that it can work long-term; not only for their use cases but also keeping it an open project that anyone can adapt for their own use cases.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Houdek |first=Ryan |date=2025-11-28 |title=FEX seven year anniversary! |url=https://fex-emu.com/FEXiversary/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=FEX-Emu}}</ref></blockquote>FEX works by emulating x86 specific instructions to ARM64.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FEX-Emu – A fast linux usermode x86 and x86-64 emulator |url=https://fex-emu.com/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-26 |website=FEX-Emu}}</ref>


==Incidents==
==Incidents==