Steam Deck users have been warned about playing the #1 best-selling PC game on Steam. If you check the PC game’s Steam listing, it mentions Steam Deck compatibility is “Unknown.” That said, the game does run on Steam Deck from start to finish, but not very well. In fact, those on Steam Deck interested in checking out the game should wait for further patches, assuming patches can salvage the experience, as the reality is the PC game is simply a technical beast that the Steam Deck is always going to have some trouble running.
The best-selling game on Steam right now, outselling the likes of Slay the Spire 2, Marathon, Death Stranding 2, Resident Evil Requiem, and Ready or Not, is Crimson Desert. It’s even earning more downloads than the top-downloaded free games on the platform. Of course, there is a great temptation to play it on Steam Deck, but multiple outlets and Steam Deck specialists — such as Steam Deck Gaming and SteamDeckHQ — are advising users of the Valve handheld not to play the game for its extensive performance issues and optimization shortcomings on the machine.
Steam Deck Support in the Future?
Right now, Pearly Abyss has not said a single word about Steam Deck support regarding Crimson Desert. Not a single word, which is not promising for support being added anytime soon. More than this, the game generally has performance issues, especially on console, so this is likely to take priority over adding optimization for a more niche piece of hardware. To this end, we don’t expect Crimson Desert to be Steam Deck Verified anytime soon.
If Steam Deck Verification is coming then Pearl Abyss will need to clean the game up on the device first. Because right now, no matter how much you lower the settings, you can’t even get the vast and ambitious open-world RPG running at a stable 30 FPS on the console. Meanwhile, during the most demanding parts of the game, the frame rate on Steam Deck is dropping to the teens. Those with a very high tolerance for frame drops could power through it, but even then you are not going to get the desired resolution to enjoy the game’s beautiful open-world.
All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think, or join the conversation over on the ComicBook Forum.
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