How to Install Steam on Ubuntu? [SOLVED]


Ubuntu

Author: Omer Cakmak
Reviewer: Deepak Prasad

Steam is a popular platform for buying, downloading, and playing video games on a computer. It has a vast library of games that can be enjoyed by gamers of all levels and interests. For Linux users, Steam provides a great opportunity to play games without the need for a dedicated gaming console. In this article, we will discuss how to install Steam on Ubuntu, a popular Linux-based operating system.

Installing Steam on Ubuntu is a simple process, but it does require some preparation and attention to detail. We will walk through the necessary steps to download and install Steam, as well as some common troubleshooting tips. With Steam installed on Ubuntu, users can enjoy a wide variety of games and expand their gaming experiences without the need for additional hardware or software.

 

Pre-requisites

Check Ubuntu version:

Steam requires Ubuntu 12.04 or later. To check the Ubuntu version installed on the system, run the following command:

lsb_release -a

If the Ubuntu version is not compatible with Steam, consider upgrading to a compatible version.

Graphics card drivers:

Steam requires a graphics card with OpenGL support and up-to-date drivers. To check if the graphics card drivers are installed and up to date, run the following command:

# lspci -k | grep -A 2 -i "VGA"
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GP104 [GeForce GTX 1080] (rev a1)
        Subsystem: Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. [MSI] GP104 [GeForce GTX 1080]
        Kernel driver in use: nvidia

This command will display the graphics card details along with the driver information. Ensure that the drivers are up to date to support the OpenGL graphics library.

32-bit compatibility libraries:

Steam requires 32-bit compatibility libraries to run on a 64-bit Ubuntu system. To install these libraries, run the following command:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install libc6:i386 libgl1-mesa-dri:i386 libgl1-mesa-glx:i386 libgudev-1.0-0:i386 libxtst6:i386 libudev1:i386 libpulse0:i386 libdbus-1-3:i386 libnm-glib4:i386 libnm-util2:i386 libnotify4:i386 libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0:i386 libtinfo5:i386 libglu1-mesa:i386

This command will install all necessary 32-bit compatibility libraries required for Steam to run on a 64-bit Ubuntu system.

System updates:

Ensure that the Ubuntu system is up to date with the latest updates and security patches. To update the system, run the following apt command:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Internet connectivity:

Steam requires an active internet connection to download and install games. Ensure that the system has a stable and reliable internet connection before installing Steam.

 

 

Different methods to install Steam on Ubuntu

Steam can be installed on Ubuntu in 3 different ways. There is a steam package in the Ubuntu repositories, you can install from the repository. You can also download and install the steam.deb package. In these methods, many packages packaged for the i386 architecture are also installed on the system. The other method is to install Steam from the Snap store. Review the setups and choose the method that works for you.

 

Method-1: Install From Repository

Check what version of Steam you have in your Ubuntu repository:

$ sudo apt search steam
...
steam/jammy 1:1.0.0.74-1ubuntu2 i386
  Valve's Steam digital software delivery system
...

Then issue the install command:

$ sudo apt install steam

 

Method-2: Install From Snap Store

In this method, you can install both in the terminal and from the Snap store with Ubuntu Software. First install the snap package:

$ sudo apt install snap

There are 3 different versions in Snap store:

  • snap install --candidate steam
  • snap install --beta steam
  • snap install --edge steam

Do your selection and start the installation:

$ sudo snap install --candidate steam
steam (candidate) 1.0.0.75 from Canonical✓ installed

Installation completed successfully. If you want to do this with GUI, open Ubuntu Software and type steam. Select the version you want to install from the 3 different steam versions listed on the screen and click the Install button. Installation will take place shortly.

How to Install Steam on Ubuntu? [SOLVED]

 

Method-3: Install From .deb Package

If you want to download and install a specific version of steam, you can visit the steam archivee page. In this method, the steam.deb package is downloaded from the official address and installed on the system. Pull the steam.deb file with wget:

$ wget -O ~/steam.deb http://media.steampowered.com/client/installer/steam.deb
--2023-03-26 09:21:06--  http://media.steampowered.com/client/installer/steam.deb
Resolving media.steampowered.com (media.steampowered.com)... 195.175.181.9, 195.175.180.226, 195.175.180.235, ...
Connecting to media.steampowered.com (media.steampowered.com)|195.175.181.9|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 301 Moved Permanently
Location: https://repo.steampowered.com/steam/archive/precise/steam_latest.deb [following]
--2023-03-26 09:21:06--  https://repo.steampowered.com/steam/archive/precise/steam_latest.deb
Resolving repo.steampowered.com (repo.steampowered.com)... 104.17.141.86, 104.17.152.86, 2606:4700::6811:8d56, ...
Connecting to repo.steampowered.com (repo.steampowered.com)|104.17.141.86|:443... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 3597932 (3.4M) [application/octet-stream]
Saving to: ‘/home/foc/steam.deb’

/home/foc/steam.d 100%[=============>]   3.43M  2.62MB/s    in 1.3s    

2023-03-26 09:21:08 (2.62 MB/s) - ‘/home/foc/steam.deb’ saved [3597932/3597932]

Then the installation of the steam package to the system is started with all its dependencies:

$ sudo apt install ./steam.deb

In this method, packages with i386 architecture are installed on the system. In addition, the steam storage address is created in the system:

$ cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/steam.list 
deb [arch=amd64,i386] https://repo.steampowered.com/steam/ stable steam
deb-src [arch=amd64,i386] https://repo.steampowered.com/steam/ stable steam

# Uncomment these lines to try the beta version of the Steam launcher
#deb [arch=amd64,i386] https://repo.steampowered.com/steam/ beta steam
#deb-src [arch=amd64,i386] https://repo.steampowered.com/steam/ beta steam

This repository will be used for update and upgrade processes. After installation, you can access the application by opening Steam from Activities.

 

Launching Steam

After installation, call the application from the Activities menu:

How to Install Steam on Ubuntu? [SOLVED]

 

In a few minutes your steam login screen meets. Continue by entering your username and password.

Install Steam on Ubuntu

 

Post-Installation (Install games)

Once Steam is launched, users can browse and install games from the Steam Store. To install a game, click on its icon or search for it in the search bar, and click the "Install" button. Steam will download and install the game on the system, and users can launch it from the "Library" section of the Steam client.

For example, to install the game "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive," users can search for it in the Steam Store, click on its icon, and click the "Install" button. Steam will download and install the game on the system, and it can be launched from the "Library" section of the Steam client.

 

Summary

In summary, installing Steam on Ubuntu requires fulfilling a few prerequisites, including checking the Ubuntu version, ensuring that the graphics card drivers are up to date, installing 32-bit compatibility libraries on a 64-bit Ubuntu system, updating the system, and ensuring a stable internet connection. Once these prerequisites are fulfilled, users can proceed with installing Steam by running a single command in the terminal. Steam can then be launched from the terminal, application menu, or Ubuntu Dash, and users can browse and install games from the Steam Store.

Overall, the installation process is straightforward, and with a few basic commands, users can have access to a vast library of games on Ubuntu. It is essential to keep the system up to date and to ensure that the graphics card drivers are compatible with Steam's OpenGL graphics library for optimal performance. By following these steps, Ubuntu users can enjoy gaming on their system with Steam.

 

In this article, we have explained the installation of Steam on the Ubuntu operating system with 3 different methods. The choice is yours.

Feel free to comment on any problems you encounter during installation.

 

References

askubuntu.com - How to install steam on Ubuntu 20.04
repo.steampowered.com - Steam for Linux - launcher

 

Omer Cakmak

Omer Cakmak

He is highly skilled at managing Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS, Oracle Linux, and Red Hat servers. Proficient in bash scripting, Ansible, and AWX central server management, he handles server operations on OpenStack, KVM, Proxmox, and VMware. You can connect with him on his LinkedIn profile.

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