Steam Deck Game Compatibility: What Can It Really Play?

The biggest problem with the Steam Deck is that it simply ain’t as plug-and-play as other consoles. It uses SteamOS, which is an OS built on Linux, and since most Steam games are designed for Windows PCs, this means game compatibility is a sore pain in the butt sometimes. To counteract this, Valve employs the use of Proton, a compatibility layer to essentially “convert” games and run them on the Steam Deck. What this translates to practically is; some games work perfectly out of the box, others need some tweaks, and a few just don’t run at all. The Steam Deck can play plenty of your Steam backlog (still growing, I know), but understanding compatibility and how it works is essential to the overall experience. So we’re taking a deep dive into Steam Deck compatibility, breaking down some of the most popular games, & showing you exactly if they’ll work.

The Steam Decks’ Tech Specs

Before getting to the games, let’s first break down the Steam Decks’ tech specs to get a better idea of what kind of performance you’re gettin’. This is important to gauge the “kind” of games you can play on the Steam Deck:

Steam Deck OLED

• 6nm AMD APU (4-15W)
• CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t (2.4-3.5GHz)
• GPU: 8 RDNA 2 CUs (1.6GHz)
• RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
• Storage: 512GB/1TB NVMe SSD
• Display Resolution: 1280 x 800

Steam Deck (Original LCD Version)

• 7nm AMD APU (4-15W)
• CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t (2.4-3.5GHz)
• GPU: 8 RDNA 2 CUs (1.6GHz)
• RAM: 16GB LPDDR5
• Storage: 64/256/512GB
• Display Resolution: 1280 x 800

What These Specs Actually Mean

On paper, the Steam Deck has pretty modest hardware for modern PC standards, but that’s to be expected considering the form factor and nature of “handheld” gaming PCs.

Compared to those, the Steam Deck doesn’t lag too far behind. Well, save for the latest & greatest released in the last year or two (I.e., the Lenovo Legion Go 2, ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X).

Both the OLED and OG LCD versions of the Steam Deck have a custom AMD APU, built on Zen 2 CPU cores and RDNA 2 graphics. What this gets you is a seemingly measly range of 4 to 15W power output, super limited for the latest modern AAA titles.

In more practical terms, this means the Steam Deck is kind of like a low – mid range gaming laptop from the last couple of years.

The Zen 2 CPU is still pretty capable for gaming in 2025, and that’s mainly thanks to the Deck’s 1280p resolution which lets games like indie darlings, older AAA titles, and even a fair share of newer releases run without obvious CPU bottlenecks.

But when you start diving into games that really needs higher settings or frame rates, and are chugging your CPU/GPU with the nature of the title, that’s where the Deck starts to fall behind.

Where the Steam Deck really saves itself is the screen.

At just 1280 x 800 display resolution, many games can still hit 30 to 40 FPS on medium settings, with lighter & more optimized titles reaching up to 60 or 90 FPS at higher settings.

All of this combined puts the Steam Deck at a “good enough” level for 2025, as long as your expectations are managed.

AAA & Popular Games

Can Steam Deck Run Elden Ring?

Elden Ring is a prime example of a game that takes full advantage of the Steam Decks’ modest spec sheet. The game runs smooth, and gets up to an admirable 30-40 FPS at medium graphics settings.

Not to mention Elden Ring is also one of the prestigious “Verified” for Steam Deck games, so it’s definitely got stable, smooth performance on the handheld!

Does the Elden Ring Co-Op Mod Work on Steam Deck?

The good new is yes, the Elden Ring Seamless Co-Up mod works on the Steam Deck. The bad news is to get the mod up and running, there are quite a few extra steps.

First, you’ve gotta get to the Steam Deck’s desktop mode, download the mod on NexusMods, place the files in the correct Elden Ring directory, adding the game to Steam as a non-Steam game, then forcing compatibility with the correct Proton version.

It’s not “seamless” to set up but it does run great once everything’s done!

Can You Play Call of Duty on Steam Deck?

Call of Duty is kinda weird on the Steam Deck. In theory, yes, you can play it, but it’s definitely not supported in any straightforward way. The problem isn’t the hardware either, it’s the anti-cheat. Modern Call of Duty games use Windows-only anti-cheat systems, especially for online multiplayer.

Since SteamOS runs on Linux, that anti-cheat just doesn’t play nice. If you’re still hankering for CoD on the Steam Deck, you’re basically left with two real options: stream it through something like Xbox Game Pass, or install Windows 11 to curb anti-cheat systems.

Can You Play Warzone on Steam Deck?

Warzone uses the same anti-cheat systems (that’s only on Windows) as mainline Call of Duty titles. So while you can play it on the Steam Deck, you’re gonna need to do some tweaking. Or just stream it via a cloud gaming platform to make your life a whole lot easier.

Can You Play Fortnite on Steam Deck?

Nope, unfortunately, you can’t play Fortnite on the Steam Deck. Well, natively at the very least since Fortnite is only available on the Epic Games Store.

However, if you use an app like the Heroic Launcher to access the Epic Games Store, then you can run and play Fortnite on your Steam Deck. That said, this does require additional steps and installing Windows.

Alternatively, use a cloud streaming service like Nvidia GeForce Now or Xbox Cloud Gaming!

Can You Run Rust on Steam Deck?

Technically, yes, you can play Rust on the Steam Deck.

However, since Rust uses Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC), which is only available on Windows, you can’t join any servers. Similarly to CoD, install Windows or use a cloud gaming service to play Rust on the Steam Deck.

Can You Play Helldivers 2 on Steam Deck?

If you use Proton to force compatibility, Helldivers 2 does work on the Steam Deck. It’s not officially supported and performance is sorely lacking, but hey, it works.

Can You Play Monster Hunter Wilds on Steam Deck?

While MHW ain’t officially “Verified” for the Deck, it does technically run. Though don’t be surprised that its performance is very poor, especially considering it’s notorious performance on PC.

Expect low frame rates and instability, even on the lowest settings.

Can You Play NCAA 25 on Steam Deck?

Of all the games on the list, NCAA 25 is the only one you can’t play at all on the Steam Deck. If you were OOTL, NCAA 25 is a console-exclusive release, so you’ll need to either play it from a streaming service, or just remote play it from your PS5/Xbox Series S|X console.

Online/Service/Social Games

Can You Play Minecraft on Steam Deck?

Yes! You can play Minecraft on the Steam Deck; however, you can’t play it directly from Steam since it isn’t available on the store.

Instead, you can either play the Java Edition of Minecraft by using software like Prism Launcher or Minecraft Bedrock Launcher from the Discover store for the Bedrock Edition!

Can You Play Roblox on Steam Deck?

While you can’t play Roblox directly from Steam, you can use the unofficial Linux port, Sober, to run Roblox on SteamOS. This is mainly because Roblox has its own launcher and anti-cheat system, and while it can run on the Steam Deck, you may face stability issues and performance dips.

Can You Play Sims 4 on Steam Deck?

Yes, you can play Sims 4 on the Steam Deck. Sims 4 requires you to use Proton to force compatibility, but in general, the game runs well with decent performance. Sims 4 is also available on the Steam store, which should make the installation experience easier!

Can You Play World of Warcraft on Steam Deck?

Yes, World of Warcraft can be played on the Steam Deck, but with major caveats. First, you’ll need to install Windows and get the Battle.net launcher on your Steam Deck via Desktop mode. You’ll also need to configure controller settings to map a keyboard/mouse, using an addon like ConsolePort.

Can You Play Wuthering Waves on Steam Deck?

Yes, Wuthering Waves can be played on the Steam Deck thanks to a new update earlier in 2025. It’s not officially ‘verified’ for Steam Deck, so you might need to install it via Desktop mode, but you can get pretty decent performance, ranging from 30-45 FPS at medium settings!

New Competitive Titles

Can You Play Marvel Rivals on Steam Deck?

Officially, Marvel Rivals isn’t available on Linux or macOS devices, but it does run on the Steam Deck. Recently, the devs confirmed Linux compatibility, so the hero-shooter runs pretty well on SteamOS!

Is Marvel Rivals Good on Steam Deck?

Performance is playable but limited. Marvel Rivals runs best at low settings, where you can expect roughly 30 to 45 FPS.

Platform & Store Compatibility

Can You Play Xbox Games on Steam Deck?

Yes, you can play Xbox games on the Steam Deck, just not in a native, download-it-and-go way on SteamOS. Instead, most people end up using Xbox Cloud Gaming, or streaming games straight from their own Xbox console using Remote Play.

 

If you want full access without relying on streaming, there’s also the option of installing Windows on the Steam Deck and running Xbox Game Pass that way. It works, but like most non-Steam setups on the Deck, it takes a bit of setup before everything clicks.

Can You Join Remote Play on Steam Deck?

As long as you get Windows, the Steam Deck can pretty much use any of the major consoles' Remote Play features like on the Xbox and PlayStation.

Natively though is where things get interesting; Steam's Remote Play Together & Remote Play streaming from your main gaming PC is awesome, and is great for playing more intensive titles, while still handheld!

Can You Play Epic Games on Steam Deck?

Yes, you can play your Epic Games Store library on the Steam Deck. You’ll need to first install a third-party tool, like the Heroic Games Launcher from the Discover store in Desktop Mode. Then, log in to your Epic Games account, install games, and add them to your Steam library to play!

Modding Support

Can You Use Mods on Steam Deck?

Yes, while mods aren’t “officially” supported by the Steam Deck, you can run Nexus Mods or use the Steam Workshop. You could also go to Desktop Mode and put the mods in the game’s install directory manually.

Can You Play Modded Games on Steam Deck?

Yes! Mods work and are actually one of the better ways to play games on the Deck. However, note that with the Steam Deck’s power limitations, using too many, or too resource-intensive mods could result in lesser performance, crashes, and other potential issues with stability.

Conclusion

The good news is everything (well, mostly) we’ve mentioned here can be played on the Steam Deck! Which just goes to show that the Steam Deck is a pretty capable beast, even for 2025’s lofty standards.

Though most of em’ will require some workarounds, with YouTube tutorials and a quick Google search, you’ve got all the answers you need!

To make things a bit easier, though, Steam does have a handy resource you can refer to. Check here to see which games work best on the Steam Deck, which are playable, which are unsupported, and which haven’t been tested.