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Polaris v1.4.2

Stability update, matched with Nova v1.4.2. Existing settings and paired devices keep working.

New

  • Pick the encoder per game from Nova. Auto can fall back, an explicit choice never switches on you.
  • Doctor and the launch log tell you when a gamescope session helper is stale or shadowed.

Fixed

  • SteamOS: the nested gamescope session no longer gets killed by gamescope’s file capability.
  • Distro packages no longer wedge every launch after one failed session start.
  • Manual (scripts/install) hosts can start nested sessions again.
  • No more eight-second wait on hosts without a private portal.
  • Vulkan Video no longer crashes when the client disconnects.
  • Launches work on hosts with a comma decimal locale.
  • Failed Flatpak and Heroic launches leave evidence instead of a guess.

Heads up

  • The SteamOS fix still needs a field retest on real hardware.
  • Steam Input stays manual and read-only.
  • Verified with Nova v1.4.2 on a Retroid Pocket 6.
Install (Fedora 44, Arch / CachyOS, Ubuntu 24.04, SteamOS 3.8)

Fedora 44

Section titled “Fedora 44”
Terminal window
wget --output-document=./Polaris-fedora44-x86_64.rpm https://github.com/papi-ux/polaris/releases/download/v1.4.2/Polaris-fedora44-x86_64.rpm &&
sudo dnf install "./Polaris-fedora44-x86_64.rpm" &&
sudo -H polaris --setup-host &&
systemctl --user restart polaris

Arch Linux / CachyOS

Section titled “Arch Linux / CachyOS”
Terminal window
wget --output-document=./Polaris-arch-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst https://github.com/papi-ux/polaris/releases/download/v1.4.2/Polaris-arch-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst &&
sudo pacman -U ./Polaris-arch-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst &&
sudo -H polaris --setup-host &&
systemctl --user restart polaris

Ubuntu 24.04

Section titled “Ubuntu 24.04”
Terminal window
wget --output-document=./Polaris-ubuntu24.04-x86_64.deb https://github.com/papi-ux/polaris/releases/download/v1.4.2/Polaris-ubuntu24.04-x86_64.deb &&
sudo apt install ./Polaris-ubuntu24.04-x86_64.deb &&
sudo -H polaris --setup-host &&
systemctl --user restart polaris

SteamOS 3.8

Section titled “SteamOS 3.8”

Run this in Desktop Mode. It sets up the package keyring when needed and restores the read-only root before starting Polaris.

Terminal window
wget --output-document=./Polaris-steamos3.8-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst https://github.com/papi-ux/polaris/releases/download/v1.4.2/Polaris-steamos3.8-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst &&
(
set -e
trap 'sudo steamos-readonly enable' EXIT
sudo steamos-readonly disable || exit $?
sudo pacman-key --init || exit $?
sudo pacman-key --populate || exit $?
sudo pacman -Sy || exit $?
sudo pacman -U ./Polaris-steamos3.8-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst || exit $?
sudo -H polaris --setup-host || exit $?
sudo steamos-readonly enable || exit $?
trap - EXIT
) &&
systemctl --user enable --now polaris

Bazzite users should follow the Bazzite guide. SteamOS 3.8 users should follow the SteamOS guide; SteamOS remains experimental Desktop Mode support rather than certified Game Mode support.

Assets: Polaris-fedora44-x86_64.rpm · Polaris-arch-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst · Polaris-ubuntu24.04-x86_64.deb · Polaris-steamos3.8-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst