While other vendors continually push out new handheld pc models, sticking similar internals into different shell designs and gradually bumping up RAM or the Processor, the Steam Deck just keeps selling like hot tasty cakes.
Thats hardly the big thing because it also restricts what can play on the deck. The user experience is nice, for the 50% of the games that might run on it.
It’s “most steam games” to be specific. You can’t play gamepass games, epic launcher games (unless available on steam as well), or Blizzard games on the deck in steamOS. We’re talking about PC gaming here, not just steam gaming, right?
And I love steamOS and it’s UI BTW, the deck jiat doesn’t fot as a perfect handheld to me, and it’s not even the OS that’s the issue, it’s the APU power being an older device. First item that was on my list.
I can’t speak for Epic Launcher games (I know that Heroic Games Launcher exists but I’ve not personally tried it with Epic games) however Blizzard games absolutely can be played in SteamOS - you can utilize something like Bottles or Lutris to install the Blizzard launcher, and then download the games from it as normal and run them. It is how I originally played Diablo 4 on my Deck before I picked it up again on Steam. I swear I remember both Bottles and Lutris even having an “Add to Steam” option to integrate shortcuts directly into Steam (and thus, coming up in the Gaming Mode UI) but don’t quote me on that one.
Blizzard games are actually some of the earliest non-Linux-native games that I remember running very well back in the days where we just had Wine (before Proton, DXVK, etc) which is something that always impressed me.
This is just my experience, but I have had next to zero issues running games on the Deck that were related to the platform. Most problems I’ve encountered are along the lines of the game being KBM-centric and it being difficult to play with the controller inputs.
The only Linux-specific issues I can’t think of are related to trying to install or mod games outside of Steam (Skyrim in particular is far more difficult to mod on Linux than I expected).
There are easy ways to install and integrate epic games for play into the steam UI (on steam deck). I am playing remnant from ashes multiplayer on it everyday.
The number of games that won’t start on deck because it uses Linux is incredibly small. If a game won’t run well it has little to do with the deck using Linux instead of Windows.
Thats hardly the big thing because it also restricts what can play on the deck. The user experience is nice, for the 50% of the games that might run on it.
Oof, bad take.
It’s almost everything. You can play most games on Linux. You can’t bolt-on the quality of life features that Valve has on Windows.
There’s a reason most Steam Deck users don’t install Windows on it, even though you can.
It’s “most steam games” to be specific. You can’t play gamepass games, epic launcher games (unless available on steam as well), or Blizzard games on the deck in steamOS. We’re talking about PC gaming here, not just steam gaming, right?
And I love steamOS and it’s UI BTW, the deck jiat doesn’t fot as a perfect handheld to me, and it’s not even the OS that’s the issue, it’s the APU power being an older device. First item that was on my list.
I can’t speak for Epic Launcher games (I know that Heroic Games Launcher exists but I’ve not personally tried it with Epic games) however Blizzard games absolutely can be played in SteamOS - you can utilize something like Bottles or Lutris to install the Blizzard launcher, and then download the games from it as normal and run them. It is how I originally played Diablo 4 on my Deck before I picked it up again on Steam. I swear I remember both Bottles and Lutris even having an “Add to Steam” option to integrate shortcuts directly into Steam (and thus, coming up in the Gaming Mode UI) but don’t quote me on that one.
Blizzard games are actually some of the earliest non-Linux-native games that I remember running very well back in the days where we just had Wine (before Proton, DXVK, etc) which is something that always impressed me.
You can play Epic Games too, but then it becomes a chore to setup.
This is just my experience, but I have had next to zero issues running games on the Deck that were related to the platform. Most problems I’ve encountered are along the lines of the game being KBM-centric and it being difficult to play with the controller inputs.
The only Linux-specific issues I can’t think of are related to trying to install or mod games outside of Steam (Skyrim in particular is far more difficult to mod on Linux than I expected).
Like, can you run gamepass games on there and Blizzard games right from steamOS? What about games from the Epic launcher?
This is what I’m referring to when is say it restricts games you can play. Steam games mostly run pretty well.
There are easy ways to install and integrate epic games for play into the steam UI (on steam deck). I am playing remnant from ashes multiplayer on it everyday.
The number of games that won’t start on deck because it uses Linux is incredibly small. If a game won’t run well it has little to do with the deck using Linux instead of Windows.