I've seen the client itself (not any game) open /dev/snd/* for use with web browser videos, youtube and the like. However when it finishes and the page is browsed away from the sound devices remain open by Steam. This locks them out of other uses. The only solution is to close Steam.
I run Steam as its own user so it can't share the sound with other applications.
I have seen some distros slip dmix into the default config to counter this general behavior, this is only a steam issue by proximity to a long standing design choice in alsa.
I've seen the client itself (not any game) open /dev/snd/* for use with web browser videos, youtube and the like. However when it finishes and the page is browsed away from the sound devices remain open by Steam. This locks them out of other uses. The only solution is to close Steam.
I run Steam as its own user so it can't share the sound with other applications.
No pulseaudio in use here.