protonscr

youtube video's won't play via Library => Game => Community Content

steamopen Distro Family: ArchWeb Component
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#12412 · opened 2025-10-30 by DanielR-I · updated 2026-03-30 · 4 comments · github
DDanielR-I 2025-10-30 github

Your system information

  • Steam client version (build number or date): 1761786974 (Oct 29, 2025)
  • Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Manjaro (Arch Based)
  • Opted into Steam client beta?: Yes
  • Have you checked for system updates?: Yes
  • Steam Logs: [generate by running this command in a terminal tar -zcvf ~/Desktop/steam-logs.tar.gz ~/.steam/steam/logs]
  • GPU: AMD

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

Describe what you expected should happen and what did happen. Please link any large code pastes as a Github Gist

For my Steam workflow, I am always in the Library view, select/highlight the game I want to play there, and before hitting the PLAY button will sometimes scroll down to see what updates might be listed or "Community Content" might look interesting like youtube videos... all youtube play buttons clicked via this workflow fail to start/play, and instead blank the video thumbnail and replace it with a dead "Watch Youtube Video" link that also does nothing.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

  1. Choose the Library View
  2. Select a game from the left panel... like Wasteland 3 or Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines (not BL 2)
  3. Scroll down to the "Community Content" section
  4. Identify a youtube video you want to play and click the play button on the thumbnail
  5. Note that the video does not start, the thumbnail disappears, and an equally dead text link is shown

Steps to workaround this issue:

Scenario 1

  1. repeat steps 1-2 of reproducing issue steps
  2. Click on "Community Hub" (menu below PLAY button, 3rd option from left)
  3. Scroll down the list until you find a video you want to play
  4. Note that when you click this video a popup opens where the video can be played successfully

Scenario 2

  1. repeat steps 1-3 of reproducing issue steps
  2. Identify a screenshot you'd like to open
  3. note that when you click the screenshot that a popup with the image and discussion options opens
  4. close this popup and identify a video you'd like to watch
  5. instead of clicking the video play button, select the DISCUSSION button that appears while hovering the mouse over the video... right most button of the 4 buttons
  6. note that this does not launch a popup like the screenshot, but does take you to the specific community thread for the video where is can be watched successfully
Nnotpentadactyl 2025-10-30 github

edit: now it works for me.

DDanielR-I 2025-10-31 github

added a second "more optimal" workaround.... in that it follows the video you wanted to watch in the first place instead of hunting for it in scenario 1's list

DDanielR-I 2025-11-18 github

Found another scenario where youtube links do nothing (again in the Library tab/section)

  1. Switch to Library
  2. Inspect the "What's New" shelf
  3. I had news for Titan Quest 2 introducing their new Forge Mastery
  4. Click it and a new "popup" section opens with the news details
  5. scroll down to where there are 4 youtube links showcasing aspects of the new mastery
  6. Click one of the youtube links... and note that nothing happens
  7. Take a hint from Workaound No.2 and click the discussion button along the bottom of the news article
  8. You'll be switched to the Community tab related to the news article
  9. Click the link inside the Community page's "news article" summary (similar to a quote box)
  10. A "popup" similar to Step 4 opens, but within the Community section
  11. Scroll down to the four links and click one
  12. The entire Community page contents is replaced by a youtube page with the video that plays

Note: Steam Version 1763422420 (Nov 17)

Eeternal-sorrow 2026-03-30 github

Why Steam cannot open youtube links in the external browser and opens them in the steam client itself instead?

Nothing extracted yet.