After months of testing, Steam has replaced Big Picture Mode with a new Steam Deck styled UI

steam-big-picture-steam-deck.jpg

It's time to pay our respects to an old friend. After over a decade, Steam has finally replaced its Big Picture Mode, a feature introduced all the way back in 2012. It was designed to offer a more console-like UI experience, for gamers using a controller and TV rather than mouse and keyboard and monitor. Valve had been looking to replace the aging UI with something more akin to the look and style of the Steam Deck's UI. It was announced in mid 2021 that Big Picture Mode would be overhauled, and after months of testing, the public release is available to everyone. A full list of changes and tweaks can be found in the patch notes from the new client update.

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Xerokard

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Using the Steam overlay seems to be a mixed bag, depending on the game, at least for me. For some games, it works as you would want it to. For other games, like Pokemon Infinite Fusion, a small window roughly 1/9 of the screen pops up, but the screen is incredibly zoomed in, making it hard to navigate. Lowering your PC's resolution to 1080P seems to help somewhat. In other games like 20XX, it doesn't pop up at all, and you can only hear it when you press the guide button. All this is using a 1080TI at 4K. I'm interested to know what other problems people are having.
 

DKAngel

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I don't think windows lost ground with windows 11, but instead people just hated windows for the longest time, but there was nowhere else to go really. But with Linux getting better software wise with things like proton and even Apple's MacBooks becoming these ultra powerful, battery sipping and somehow affordable laptops if you look at other ultrabooks, it's no wonder people are jumping ship to other oses
cant play many games on apple lol
 

Kioku

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Took long enough.. Big Picture Mode has been need an overhaul for quite some time now. This UI is pretty decent and I’ve enjoyed using it through the beta channels. Especially when streaming through moonlight.
 

LightyKD

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hey, one of the few good parts of steam os is finally available to general users now, neat

steamos and it's linux shenanigans have caused me no end to grief since i got my steam deck smh

Just install Windows to your Deck. I have been on Windows 10 with my Deck for nearly a year. As for the new UI I have also been using it for almost as long. It's a good experience.
 

Kioku

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Might be a bit out of the loop here, but what are the issues with Windows 11? I've had no issues with it at all myself, and it's probably the best mix they've done in terms of traditional Windows and tablet layout.
My biggest gripe with 11 is how they’re hiding things further into menus and UI. Like the right click menu. Overall, that’s about the worst of it though.

I don't think windows lost ground with windows 11, but instead people just hated windows for the longest time, but there was nowhere else to go really. But with Linux getting better software wise with things like proton and even Apple's MacBooks becoming these ultra powerful, battery sipping and somehow affordable laptops if you look at other ultrabooks, it's no wonder people are jumping ship to other oses
Proton is nice for gaming, but not much else. Even with WINE being as good as it is, there were applications I struggled running on Arch. Windows is here to stay; unfortunately. They’re not losing much ground, if any.
 
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Latiodile

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Just install Windows to your Deck. I have been on Windows 10 with my Deck for nearly a year. As for the new UI I have also been using it for almost as long. It's a good experience.
and lose out on the adjustable power consumption, built in rivatuner and adjustable refresh rate with just the submenu? i thought about it but realized i'd miss out on too much functionality
 

RedColoredStars

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It's starting to feel like Windows is finally losing ground in favor of other OSes and the mess they did with Windows 11.

Microsoft has more or less one last chance with Windows 12 in that if they don't take it back to it being a traditional/desktop OS, then they risk losing loyal customers who have been with them for decades. Windows 11 looks and feels like a tablet UI forced upon desktop users.

Nah. doesn't feel at all like it's losing ground and it never will. I've heard about things like Linux taking over for YEARS and YEARS and YEARS and YEARS and YEARS and YEARS and YEARS on end. Never happeneing. Windows is here to stay. I think you also have Win 11 UI confused with Windows 8. You know, the one that actually did look like a tablet UI.

Yeah not only does it feel too touchscreen-oriented, but Windows is also becoming too much of an "OS as a service" with each new revision. Last I checked Microsoft doesn't even allow for local accounts in Windows 11, and that's a dealbreaker for me.

Doesn't feel touchscreen-oriented at all to me. As stated above, that was Win8. The last statement is not true at all. Windows 11 100% allows local accounts.

My biggest gripe with 11 is how they’re hiding things further into menus and UI. Like the right click menu. Overall, that’s about the worst of it though.


Proton is nice for gaming, but not much else. Even with WINE being as good as it is, there were applications I struggled running on Arch. Windows is here to stay; unfortunately. They’re not losing much ground, if any.

Agree here. The only actual gripe I have with 11 is the menus and settings, both of which can be very easily fixed. The full right click menu can be enabled with a registry edit and a lot of the traditional style settings can be found via the old school "Control Panel", which I have pinned in my Start Menu.
 
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Marc_LFD

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Might be a bit out of the loop here, but what are the issues with Windows 11? I've had no issues with it at all myself, and it's probably the best mix they've done in terms of traditional Windows and tablet layout.
Too many to list.

Just watch this video if you want:


I don't think windows lost ground with windows 11, but instead people just hated windows for the longest time, but there was nowhere else to go really. But with Linux getting better software wise with things like proton and even Apple's MacBooks becoming these ultra powerful, battery sipping and somehow affordable laptops if you look at other ultrabooks, it's no wonder people are jumping ship to other oses
Windows 7 was essentially the best version of Windows there was, and since then Microsoft has been trying to get us to get used to a tablet-like OS even though we use a keyboard and mouse rather than touchscreen so it's frustrating that Windows 8, 8.1 (they gave it a Start Menu except it just redirected to the tablet menu), Windows 10 (commercial versions are filled with bloatware and annoying updates that could ruin work if left unsaved), and Windows 11 just keeps on getting progressively worse for what used to be a traditional OS.

If I were to use a tablet OS, then I'd rather it be Android.
Nah. doesn't feel at all like it's losing ground and it never will. I've heard about things like Linux taking over for YEARS and YEARS and YEARS and YEARS and YEARS and YEARS and YEARS on end. Never happeneing. Windows is here to stay. I think you also have Win 11 UI confused with Windows 8. You know, the one that actually did look like a tablet UI.
What a weird comment with caps locks. Calm down, dude.

The Windows 11 Start Menu looks more like the default/stock menu of an Android or iOS app menu, the Settings are more app-friendly, Microsoft has their own crappy app store to try and compete with the other ones out there, ads on file explorer (they went back on this and said it wasn't intended for the public.. wonder why), can't make a local offline account unless it's the "Pro" version, etc.

You like 11? Good for you. I don't, so I'm sticking with Windows 10 LTSC until 2029.
 
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RedColoredStars

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Too many to list.

Just watch this video if you want:



Windows 7 was essentially the best version of Windows there was, and since then Microsoft has been trying to get us to get used to a tablet-like OS even though we use a keyboard and mouse rather than touchscreen so it's frustrating that Windows 8, 8.1 (they gave it a Start Menu except it just redirected to the tablet menu), Windows 10 (commercial versions are filled with bloatware and annoying updates that could ruin work if left unsaved), and Windows 11 just keeps on getting progressively worse for what used to be a traditional OS.

If I were to use a tablet OS, then I'd rather it be Android.

What a weird comment with caps locks. Calm down, dude.

The Windows 11 Start Menu looks more like the default/stock menu of an Android or iOS app menu, the Settings are more app-friendly, Microsoft has their own crappy app store to try and compete with the other ones out there, ads on file explorer (they went back on this and said it wasn't intended for the public.. wonder why), can't make a local offline account unless it's the "Pro" version, etc.

You like 11? Good for you. I don't, so I'm sticking with Windows 10 LTSC until 2029.


What a weird comment. It's called shift, and the caps were used for emphasis. Calm down, dude. Stop acting like the entire post was in all caps.

And the video you linked to? Nitpicky bullshit. The only thing he complains about is the layout of the settings. Which as I already stated, and that he even shows in the video, can be avoided if one chooses by using the classic Control Panel. Even then, how much time do you spend in Windows "Settings"? If you click on "All Apps" in the 11 Start Menu, you also get what basically amounts to the classic Start Menu.

Everything being complained about has an incredibly simple fix. And the app store? You seriouly look to the MS Store for UWP installs on a PC rather than the standard installers from whatever programs official site? That's on you, and actually quite comical. I've also not seen a single ad in explorer, and stop with the lies about not being able to make an offline account unless it's the Pro version. You're the second one to say that and it's not true.

You don't like 11? Good for you. I do. But stop with the overexaggerated shortcomings.

Edit: Forgot to mention that MS also disabled creating a local account in the Windows 10 Home setup, and although it's bypassable like with Windows 11, it makes your 10 vs 11 comparison in that aspect completely invalid.
 
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K3Nv2

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I wonder if plug in apps like Decky is going to also be supported makes things so much easier changing thumbnails and adjusting contrast on the fly. I don't know if you'll still have access to kernal with this mode however.
 

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I wonder if plug in apps like Decky is going to also be supported makes things so much easier changing thumbnails and adjusting contrast on the fly. I don't know if you'll still have access to kernal with this mode however.
i'd be happy with just css loader on the windows version, the rest of the plugins i have are extremely steam deck hardware and steamos reliant
 

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Goodbye, to a different time, when Valve was trying crazy stuff, like a controller with two touch pads, a remote streaming device for your home, and a dedicated OS machine to replace Windows. For what it was of this period, I bought the Steam controller when it was discounted down to $5 as it was discontinued, and all these years later I wish I bought more than one. Not the most useful controller for most things, but for the things it was good for it was amazing. And even the Steam Link, as the app that most TVs have cannot compare to the latency of the sole Steam Link.

Good on Valve for trying new things, but all things have a chance to succeed or fail, and sadly the cards just didn't work out for them.
 

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Excellent, despite having my PC hooked up to both a monitor and TV, I haven't opened big picture mode (on purpose) for years. One step closer to ditching Windows altogether now that Deck's gaming mode is scalable to larger displays.
I tell myself I'm gonna ditch Windows every year, but there's always 1 or 2 things I need I can't run through WINE (usually due to DRM).
 
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CrAzYLiFe

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Too many to list.

Just watch this video if you want:



Windows 7 was essentially the best version of Windows there was, and since then Microsoft has been trying to get us to get used to a tablet-like OS even though we use a keyboard and mouse rather than touchscreen so it's frustrating that Windows 8, 8.1 (they gave it a Start Menu except it just redirected to the tablet menu), Windows 10 (commercial versions are filled with bloatware and annoying updates that could ruin work if left unsaved), and Windows 11 just keeps on getting progressively worse for what used to be a traditional OS.

If I were to use a tablet OS, then I'd rather it be Android.

What a weird comment with caps locks. Calm down, dude.

The Windows 11 Start Menu looks more like the default/stock menu of an Android or iOS app menu, the Settings are more app-friendly, Microsoft has their own crappy app store to try and compete with the other ones out there, ads on file explorer (they went back on this and said it wasn't intended for the public.. wonder why), can't make a local offline account unless it's the "Pro" version, etc.

You like 11? Good for you. I don't, so I'm sticking with Windows 10 LTSC until 2029.

Windows 98se and xp were leaps and bounds better then 7.
 

Xerokard

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So, let's talk about the new Steam UI and how we're adapting to changes. I'm disappointed that there is no longer an option to change controls for BPM (even though that config can still be accessed from Desktop mode, they don't actually function) and I have to hold the guide button to move my mouse.
 

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