There seems to be some confusion brewing on what games will actually run on the Steam Deck, so let this serve as a reminder on keeping expectations in check. Here's a quick refresher of how things are right now.
Some of the confusion seems to appear from an IGN interview, where Valve developer Pierre-Loup Griffais mentioned how "we haven't really found something that we could throw at this device that it couldn't handle" that we covered before. Here's the thing though: even though the Steam Deck will ship by default with the Arch Linux based SteamOS 3, they have also been testing Windows 10 and they've been working with AMD to get it supported on Windows 11 too. So speaking from a hardware standpoint, yes it probably will work with the vast majority of games on a performance level.
For regular readers and regular Linux gamers, knowing that the Steam Deck won't run everything is a given and this won't be news but there's plenty of people out there seemingly expecting a bit too much from it. Part of the problem though is Valve's marketing too, with it repeatedly mentioning your entire Steam library. They obviously want every game to work but that's simply not going to be the reality - at least not for a while.
For people who stick with SteamOS 3 this is where it doesn't quite match up. There's a good number of native Linux games (those actually built for Linux) and for everything else there's Steam Play Proton to run Windows games. A big majority of games work on Linux already between native and Proton but there's caveats.
Currently, Proton does not work with games that have the likes of Easy Anti-Cheat and BattlEye which is used in some of the most popular online titles. When it comes to EAC and BattlEye, we do know that Valve are working on it as they said in the developer documentation FAQ that they're "working with BattlEye and EAC to get support for Proton ahead of launch".
Another issue is Microsoft Media Foundation for videos, it's something of a nuisance and they don't play in Proton either. Currently Valve appear to be re-encoding the videos into a playable format which downloads with your game when run through Proton. That's a lot of work though too, there's a lot of games on Steam.
Then there's certain DRM too. Valve's older CEG (custom executable-generation) DRM also doesn't work in Proton, and there's no doubt a few other DRM/anti-tamper solutions that also don't work with Proton. Launchers can be a problem too, with some developers using .NET / Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). For launchers Valve recommends that developers use something cross-platform and standalone like Qt or just skip launchers completely, which would be vastly better for gamepad/controller support too.
Compatibility will improve over time though as more developers hopefully look to support it directly and as Proton continues maturing. So even if your favourite or the latest AAA doesn't work right away, it might do later. There's still plenty of time until the Steam Deck releases and Valve has opened up requests for developer kits too. Valve also stated in their Steamworks video how "our goal is for every game to work by the time we ship Steam Deck" and that "there is a lot of work that has been done that doesn't yet affect the public version of Proton" so we are expecting the situation to improve. Until we see this special Proton release though, this article sums up the current situation.
If you're looking to try out Linux gaming and you're confused with Proton, be sure to check out our guide.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I actually believe that they will get Proton working with BattlEye and EAC ahead of the launch. Or at the very least they thoroughly believe so themselves, based on what they know and their best estimates.
I think this is one of the key priorities now, it makes every sense for it to be so.
I think this is one of the key priorities now, it makes every sense for it to be so.
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I hope all AC and DRM will be closed off in a container - closed source code that treats users like enemies and uses malware techniques (antivirus detection) is the last thing I want in my kernel. They already have the infrastructure with Soldier Runtime.
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"Something that we said earlier on is that we really want the entire library to work," developer, Lawrence Yang told us, "and if it doesn't work we see that as a bug and we want to fix it."https://www.pcgamer.com/if-the-steam-deck-doesnt-run-your-entire-library-at-launch-valve-sees-that-as-a-bug/
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Bad expectation management can kill the success of a product.
Here is a serious problem, that may kill SteamOS as a product. People will be disappointed about this shit Linux that does not run game <xyz> and install windows
I'm completely with you on that.
Yet, I wonder why the expectation management for Steam Machines and Steam Deck is so naive.
I mean, when it comes to HL3, Portal3, they are pretty clear and avoid anything leading to false hope. This must be two completely different strategies here.
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Philadelphus Sep 9, 2021
Hmm, I wonder if ProtonDB will add some sort of "tested on Steam Deck" option to reports. That could be a fantastic extra bit of information for gauging compatibility. (Sure, you could guess from the hardware, but it might be useful to highlight that in some way.)
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Bad expectation management can kill the success of a product.
Here is a serious problem, that may kill SteamOS as a product. People will be disappointed about this shit Linux that does not run game <xyz> and install windows
I'm completely with you on that.
Yet, I wonder why the expectation management for Steam Machines and Steam Deck is so naive.
I mean, when it comes to HL3, Portal3, they are pretty clear and avoid anything leading to false hope. This must be two completely different strategies here.
Installing Windows on it will be painful. AMD and Valve are currently working on getting W11 to run at all.
Most people won't care about that at all. The TOP 100 games will run. You have people there who have never installed an OS before or who are coming from the Mac or another console.
What matters is whether the Steam Deck works and convinces as a gaming console. Then no one cares if some niche title runs on it right away. We are very concerned about that, but ordinary people don't care.
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Sharing the link to the source story that is being referred to by most mainstream gaming sites but oddly enough not GOL.That "source story" is not used in any form in the article. Plus, BS is junk and I want nothing to do with them.
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Sharing the link to the source story that is being referred to by most mainstream gaming sites but oddly enough not GOL.That "source story" is not used in any form in the article. Plus, BS is junk and I want nothing to do with them.
If you think BS is junk, why you then just acknowledge what absolutely is not clear. You are an important source and could do much better.
As I already said: James Ramey stated himself that he was not part of the deck development. Pierre was not the only one stating that the whole library will be playable. For example Tucker Spofford clearly said: "It's your whole steam library. It's the whole steam store. It's not a limitation or like a slim down version oi it". And in that IGN video the topic is SteamOS 3.0: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJoUs0pM4GU&t=34s
As I saw your headline, I really hoped, that you clear things up. In the first place: Facing those clickbaiting, "fact-presenting" of an interpretation of James Ramey. A lot of sites currently presenting this "Watch out: Steam Deck cannot play your entire library! You will need to install Windows!"-Sh**
Please take your oppotunity and clear things up to the facts, which means that in my opinion the statements where crystal clear (James interpretation is so constructed, sorry...). There is a fork of Proton which we all haven't seen yet. Means: We cannot be 100 percent sure until SteamOS 3 will be released to the public.
Sorry for my rude words, but I did listen to the podcast and then saw how it went false into certain articles of certain pages and magazines. Most of them simply don't know better due to lack of knowledge. But you Liam would be the voice which knows what he's talking about.
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If you think BS is junk, why you then just acknowledge what absolutely is not clear. You are an important source and could do much better.I've no idea at this point what you're trying to say. My article does not use BS and so it does not link to it. This was a refresher article to go over the current known state of things.
Edit: I have included the note on the Steamworks video. Even though we already covered it (as I commented previously), it's worth mentioning again in this article to sum it up for expectations.
Last edited by Liam Dawe on 9 September 2021 at 10:59 am UTC
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rustybroomhandle Sep 9, 2021
I made a throwaway comment earlier about Windows not even guaranteeing 100% compatibility. In the PC Gamer comments some users have pointed out the same thing and named 4 games that do not work in Windows any more. The irony is that all 4 of these seem to work in Proton.
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If you think BS is junk, why you then just acknowledge what absolutely is not clear. You are an important source and could do much better.I've no idea at this point what you're trying to say. My article does not use BS and so it does not link to it. This was a refresher article to go over the current known state of things.
Edit: I have included the note on the Steamworks video. Even though we already covered it (as I commented previously), it's worth mentioning again in this article to sum it up for expectations.
I read the refresher article again and have to apologize. Before I read it like a told-you-so and I was obviously too emotional at that point
However, I'm really holding on to the expectations that the Valve-Designers were spreading. It has been repeated so often (and clear IMHO), that the whole library is playable and I'm sure they did all their testings with SteamOS and not with RedmondOS. There are now blogs and podcasts out there which are fabulating about the upcoming generations of the Deck will be shipped as Dual-Boot or directly with Windows. And these are based on a quick review of protondb or podcasts like BS
We all know that the Steam Deck is a great opportunity to show average users the advantages of free systems. I expect a lot of stuff will be written for this device by the community for extending it easily with emulators and alternative game sources without the need of a windows installation.
So hopefully there's much work upcoming for you Liam
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Bruh, you got it all backwards, if people literally make the Steam Machines connection they will immediately have lower-expectations to begin with which will lead to pleasant surprise when it kicks ass.(assuming you intended to quote me)
I'm talking about the SteamOS part, where Steam Deck will have capable hardware to run the game but limited by software. If the solution for those cases are "Just install windows on it" then it's pretty much similar to steam machines.
I hope all AC and DRM will be closed off in a container - closed source code that treats users like enemies and uses malware techniques (antivirus detection) is the last thing I want in my kernel.I doubt it
For a client-side AC to be effective, it need to have permission to make sure you're not running some cheat software (there's the risk part). Running AC inside a container will require a specific version for it (not the windows one through Proton) and could open a breach for people to use cheat outside the container.
You can expect something like kernel / hardware level to be "effective", maybe the AC inside the container "talking" to the AC in the host system for example.
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Yes. Mind you, plenty of things ship with lots of bugs . . ."Something that we said earlier on is that we really want the entire library to work," developer, Lawrence Yang told us, "and if it doesn't work we see that as a bug and we want to fix it."https://www.pcgamer.com/if-the-steam-deck-doesnt-run-your-entire-library-at-launch-valve-sees-that-as-a-bug/
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I think it's right to temper expectations, but I do believe Valve have an internal build of Proton with DRM & Anticheat support for more titles that they haven't released yet. Once those big stumbling blocks are out of the way, we will jump almost immediately to over 90% of games supported. The focus can be then on knocking out the weird edge cases. Also expect developers/publishers to give the steam deck some love and update some of their games to work well with Proton which could really help us get closer to that "100%".
I think way too many people on here are being doom and gloom after seeing the failure of the steam machines. We are light years away from those days and I actually expect some rapid progress in compatibility and performance over the next 12 months. It's an exciting time to be a Linux gamer.
I think way too many people on here are being doom and gloom after seeing the failure of the steam machines. We are light years away from those days and I actually expect some rapid progress in compatibility and performance over the next 12 months. It's an exciting time to be a Linux gamer.
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I think it's right to temper expectations, but I do believe Valve have an internal build of Proton with DRM & Anticheat support for more titles that they haven't released yet. Once those big stumbling blocks are out of the way, we will jump almost immediately to over 90% of games supported. The focus can be then on knocking out the weird edge cases. Also expect developers/publishers to give the steam deck some love and update some of their games to work well with Proton which could really help us get closer to that "100%".
I think way too many people on here are being doom and gloom after seeing the failure of the steam machines. We are light years away from those days and I actually expect some rapid progress in compatibility and performance over the next 12 months. It's an exciting time to be a Linux gamer.
If they have an internal build with DRM & Anticheat than they should get it out for alpha/beta testing soon, imho. It's mid September already. Better test that stuff in the field.
I have a really bad feeling about reception of the Deck.
The hardware is great, I have no doubt about that.
But mind you, like with Steam Machines, there are influential people out there just waiting to goof off the Deck. And to me it looks like Valve again makes the Deck an easy target to them by raising too high expectations on what Proton can deliver.
We should see this from the POV of a non-Linux user.
For us Proton is great for what it achieves. We see the progress and what has been done already.
That's great and promising. But it's not there yet to make such bold claims as in the initial presentation of the Deck, imho.
And people outside Linux won't appreciate all those accomplishments so far, they complain until forums spill over and we'll probably see a shitstorm with no comparison.
Mind you, how many people work: It's not a small startup. It's Valve making those bold claims. And as I see, there are many people who love to see big fishes fail and *punish* them with a shitstorm.
Don't get me wrong.
I want to see that thing succeed!
The HW looks like it's a fantastic thing to get.
But I have doubts there PR as of now is helpful.
Just my 2 cents.
Last edited by sub on 9 September 2021 at 8:40 pm UTC
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If they have an internal build with DRM & Anticheat than they should get it out for alpha/beta testing soon, imho. It's mid September already. Better test that stuff in the field.
I have a really bad feeling about reception of the Deck.
That might not be so easy with this voodoo AC stuff. We already know that Rust (EAC) is very likely to run. But guaranteed only for the Deck. Normal Linux PCs are officially left out.
I have a really bad feeling about reception of the Deck.
I always think about how the Steam Deck will be received by children and teenagers. I think it's going to be a bomb there if it's noticed. They don't even know what a PC is anymore. But all the Linux PCs I've given away so far have been loved by the kids. And those were often old used desktop machines.
I might give a Steam Deck to my niece. She currently uses an older Linux laptop. She mainly plays Minecraft with it. She could play my library on the Steam Deck via Family Share. And she can play Minecraft with it anyway.
This device already has so many options that are so easy to use. The Steam Deck is actually the perfect PC for today's youngsters. I don't know if I'll use it that often. But it is a very interesting device for children and teenagers. And the money is well spent, because the children also own a PC. The only thing missing is the docking station and a screen.
Last edited by 1xok on 9 September 2021 at 9:52 pm UTC
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I personally have a LOT of games that use Uplay and Lutris and i also use the xbox app so i don't have to rebuy all my games all the time. Personally i hate to say this but i will probably tweak out W11 or 10 and put it on here.
I'm not buying this with my hard earned money for charity and i know a LOT of people doing the same thing.
This and i use Netflix and Hulu in 4K and this will MOST likely work for that makes me happy thinking i can use this for a PC and a gaming machine and a HTPC all in one.
I'm not buying this with my hard earned money for charity and i know a LOT of people doing the same thing.
This and i use Netflix and Hulu in 4K and this will MOST likely work for that makes me happy thinking i can use this for a PC and a gaming machine and a HTPC all in one.
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I'm just going to be overly optimistic here and say that there are more games that work for me now with Proton than there were the last time I tried running a Windows machine. From what I see online, that situation hasn't exactly improved on Windows with regards to backwards compatibility.
In the eyes of the average consumer - assuming the upcoming AC work from Valve actually works - I think the Steam Deck is likely to work with the expected amount of games, which will likely read as "100%" to the average consumer.
In the eyes of the average consumer - assuming the upcoming AC work from Valve actually works - I think the Steam Deck is likely to work with the expected amount of games, which will likely read as "100%" to the average consumer.
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"More windows games run on linux now than on windows itself"
That headline will be awesome to read when it comes :)
It will still not be 100% and it will tell us more about old games than new ones, but it will stillbe awesome and will have its sway factor too.
That headline will be awesome to read when it comes :)
It will still not be 100% and it will tell us more about old games than new ones, but it will stillbe awesome and will have its sway factor too.
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gardotd426 Sep 19, 2021
I interpreted that initial comment as saying 100% of games would work with Proton, and I was definitely skeptical of Valve pulling that off before December, unless they're sitting on a ton of improvements they haven't released yet. This interpretation makes a lot more sense. Thankfully it doesn't make a difference to me, but I can see this being a turn-off for Windows gamers. Hopefully Valves pulls off enough Proton improvements by December to get enough of the popular games working that Windows gamers are willing to wait for further improvements.
Valve themselves have explicitly said that they want 100% compatibility with PROTON. So even though Pierre's quote was referring to hardware, Valve have also said that every game will be able to run on the Steam Deck from a software/compatibility standpoint as well.
Source: https://youtu.be/5Q_C5KVJbUw?t=134
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