Steam Link app will let users play on their Android phones (Update: Beta out now, works OK!)

Update 5/17/2018 at 2:38 P.M. EST: Originally slated to land next week, you can download a beta version of the Steam Link app for Android right now. Just head to the Google Play Store to download and install.

I gave it a whirl on my OnePlus 5 running Android 8.1 Oreo and things went fine. I had to shut down and update my Steam client on my PC in order to connect it to my phone, but other than that things went as expected. I connected a PlayStation 4 controller, and within a few minutes was playing a Steam game on my phone.

Notably, I also own a Steam Link standalone device. I wondered if that would have any effect on the use of the app, but it didn’t. As far as I can tell, the app doesn’t even look to see if there’s a Steam Link on your network.

Give it a try yourself and see how it works for you!

Original Article: Valve’s in-home streaming tech will soon be available for Android devices in the form of the Steam Link app.

The app works much like the standalone Steam Link device, as well as the Steam Link feature already offered through PC and Mac. The Steam Link app lets you access a Steam title on your Android device from your PC or Mac either over a 5GHz wireless network or wired ethernet connection.

Ethernet might be the way to go for a consistent playing experience, especially if you are like me and live in an apartment with thick walls. You can somewhat mitigate that with a robust home network, but unless you live in a home or apartment with thin walls, just use an ethernet cable.

Regardless of how you use the Steam Link app, it will support the Steam Controller, MFi controllers, and other input methods. In addition to phones and tablets, the app will also be available for Android TV.

Not to be left out, iOS users can also use the Steam Link app on their iPhones, iPads, and Apple TV devices.

Whether the Steam Link app makes the Steam Link device redundant depends on how you use the latter. The Steam Link device supports mouse and keyboard, easily outputs to your TV, does not need recharges, and supports ethernet.

Then again, folks might prioritize the convenience of their phones or tablets over something stationary. Also, as cheap as the Steam Link device might be nowadays, you still have to pay some amount of money for it. The Steam Link app, meanwhile, is a free download.

In related news, Valve also announced the Steam Video app for Android and iOS. The app lets you stream Steam’s library of movies and TV shows and download content for offline viewing.

The Steam Link app will be available the week of May 21, with the Android version initially offered in beta. The Steam Video app will be available sometime this summer.