Steam Deck ratings, explained
Valve tests Steam games on its handheld and gives each one a label. The label is the single most useful fact before buying a game to play on a Deck.
The four labels
- Verified. Everything works with the Deck's own controls and screen: text is readable, on-screen prompts match the Deck's buttons and nothing needs a keyboard or mouse.
- Playable. The game works, but you may need to tweak something: squint at small text, use the touchscreen for a launcher, or pick a controller layout yourself.
- Unsupported. Some or all of the game does not work on the Deck at the moment.
- Unknown. Valve has not tested it yet. Plenty of these run; you are simply on your own.
Ratings can change in both directions after updates, so the date at the top of this note matters. Your Steam library shows the current label on each game's page.
Why online shooters are the problem
The Deck runs SteamOS, which is Linux, and plays Windows games through Valve's compatibility layer, Proton. Most single-player games do not care. The sticking point is anti-cheat: the popular systems can work on Proton, but each developer has to switch that support on, and some have chosen not to or have switched it off again. Anti-cheat that runs at the heart of Windows cannot run on Linux at all.
Games that are not sold on Steam add another layer: they need their own launcher installed in the Deck's desktop mode, which is outside what Valve rates and outside what we can promise.
Our twelve on Steam Deck
| Game | Status | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Baldur's Gate 3 | Verified | Verified, and since September 2025 a native Steam Deck build installs automatically, using less power and loading faster. |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | Verified | Valve rates it Verified: controls, on-screen prompts, text size and default settings all pass. |
| Elden Ring | Verified | Valve rates it Verified: default controls, on-screen prompts, text and settings all pass its checks. |
| Stardew Valley | Verified | Valve rates it Verified. |
| Dota 2 | Playable | Valve rates it Playable: controls work, but some text is small and a few prompts show keyboard icons. |
| Final Fantasy XIV | Playable | Valve rates the Steam version Playable: the launcher may need the touchscreen, the controller has to be switched on in settings, and default graphics need lowering. |
| Helldivers 2 | Playable | Valve rates it Playable: some text is small, but its anti-cheat does work on the Deck. |
| Marvel Rivals | Playable | Valve rates it Playable: the default controls need adjusting and some text is small. |
| Minecraft | Not on Steam | Not sold on Steam, so there is no Valve rating. Java Edition's official Linux launcher can be installed in desktop mode, unsupported. |
| Apex Legends | Unsupported | Unsupported: EA blocked Linux and Steam Deck in October 2024 because of cheating. |
| Fortnite | Not supported | Epic says it cannot be played on Steam Deck directly: its anti-cheat is not enabled for Linux. Epic suggests Xbox cloud streaming in a browser instead. |
| VALORANT | Not supported | Not on Steam, and Vanguard cannot run on Linux. |