Steam stuck at Switching to Desktop when launched in big picture mode using gamescope

[anmolsekhon590]

Your system information

• Steam client version (build number or date): 1.0.0.81
• Distribution: Arch Linux
• Opted into Steam client beta?: No
• Have you checked for system updates?: Yes
• Steam Logs: steam-logs.tar.gz
• GPU: Nvidia RTX 3080ti using nvidia-dkms driver version 570.86.16

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

I'm launching steam in big picture mode using gamescope on my Arch Linux device. When I select the option to switch back to desktop, nothing happens and it freezes on message "Switching back to Desktop". I'm using ly display manager: https://github.com/fairyglade/ly

For a workaround I have created a Non-Steam game shortcut which runs a script "pkill -9 gamescope" that kills the gamescope wayland session.

I request you to kindly fix this issue or provide an inbuilt way to kill the session. Please refer to the screenshots attached.

System Info:

OS: Arch Linux x86_64
Host: 21CGS38800 (ThinkPad T14 Gen 3)
Kernel: Linux 6.13.1-1-cachyos
Uptime: 1 hour, 16 mins
Packages: 1292 (pacman)
Shell: bash 5.2.37
Display (LEN403D): 1920x1200 @ 60 Hz (as 1280x800) in 14" [Built-in]
Terminal: foot 1.20.2
Terminal Font: FiraCode Nerd Font Mono (10pt)
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U (16) @ 4.77 GHz
GPU: AMD Radeon 680M [Integrated]
Memory: 2.99 GiB / 14.40 GiB (21%)
Swap: 382.04 MiB / 4.00 GiB (9%)
Disk (/): 182.05 GiB / 463.92 GiB (39%) - ext4
Local IP (wlp2s0): 10.0.0.189/24
Battery (LNV-5B10W51866@: 49% [Discharging]
Locale: C.UTF-8

Steps for reproducing this issue:

1. create file: /usr/share/wayland-sessions/gamescope.desktop
   with contents:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Gamescope
Comment=Start Steam in Big Picture Mode
Exec=/usr/local/bin/gamescope -e -- /usr/bin/steam -tenfoot
Type=Application
DesktopNames=Gamescope
Keywords=wayland;compositor;

2. restart ly display manager to reload the change using
   sudo systemctl restart ly (assuming you enabled it before - or started it)

3. now Gamescope should appear as a wayland session option in ly.

4. type password and press enter. This should start steam in big picture mode using gamescope.

5. now open the side menu to switch back to desktop.

6. It should prompt "Switching to Desktop" and get stuck there. So, I have to go to another tty session and kill gamescope

[matte-schwartz]

sounds the same as #11241

[bpopejoy]

I have a similar issue, running Bazzite in gaming mode (steamos launch). Connected to two monitors, works normally. I added a environment.d/gamescope-session.conf and it launches correctly but hangs on switching to desktop. @anmolsekhon590 I don't know if arch is set up the same way and you have a gamescope config file, but if you do, maybe try moving the file somewhere else temporarily to see if you can switch to desktop. (I did this from a different distro dual boot.)

[jas3333]

Create a script called steamos-session-select. Add the following to it:

#!/bin/bash

steam -shutdown

Change permissions: chmod 755 steamos-session-select.

Drop the script in /usr/bin

Switch to desktop should now close steam.

[hphilm]

@jas3333 that might only work when you start the gamescope session with additional -steamos3 flag.

[flying-sheep]

@kisak-valve definitely a duplicate of #11241. Which (as said there) has a 1 line fix detailed in the original report by @yuv420p10le, so this should be a quick fix if a developer takes a look!

[hphilm]

Seems the workaround found here flathub/com.valvesoftware.Steam#1072 (comment) is not working with Steam-Client stable update of 2026-03-13 anymore ... Seems something had changed.