This new functionality is still in the works

May 22, 2015 14:08 GMT  ·  By

A developer has put together some tools (still under construction) that would allow users to use SteamOS to play Netflix. It's in its early stages, but the developer has made something that Valve hasn't even thought about until now.

SteamOS is an operating system based on Debian that will power the upcoming SteamMachines, a console / PC hybrid. Users basically get a Linux distribution that boots straight to Steam Big Picture, which is optimized to work with controllers and on big screens.

Linux users can already use Netflix in their browsers, but it's a long way from browser windows to Steam. This is where the SteamOS-Tools from ProfessorKaos64 comes into play. Steam can add third-party titles to the games library, and the developer exploited this feature.

This feature will probably land in SteamOS by default

Until Valve makes a push to integrate Netflix by default in SteamOS, as is the case of Xbox One and PS4, where it's already present, users will have to rely on this kind of solutions. There are a couple requirements, such as access to the SteamOS desktop and a sudo password already defined.

What basically happens is that Netflix gets added as a third-party "game," and users can play movies and TV shows with the help of Google Chrome, which already supports it.

"Be advised this is a work in progress. Netflix will launch via google-chrome-stable and connect to netflix in --kiosk mode. A default users config directory for Google chrome is copied over, so that the 'unexpected shutdown' message is avoided (since for now, you must use the center Xbox 360 controller / PS3 controller to exit.). I am currently working on creating some snap in script code to add Hulu, Youtube, and so forth. I need to gather the images and test those sites first though," writes ProfessorKaos64 on Reddit.

Please understand that this is still in development and bugs will be present.