Playing non-Steam games could be a $139 add-on for Steam Deck
Get ready to buy a Windows 10 license
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Valve’s recently-announced handheld console theSteam Deckhas a lot of gamers excited, but you might want to start tempering your expectations. That’s because some of the most popularPC gamesmight not be playable on the platform unless you’re willing to put in a lot of effort and pay extra for the privilege.
While Valve is selling theSteamDeck as a handheld gaming PC, it won’t be what a lot of us are used to. We don’t just mean because of itsNintendo Switch-like form factor, but because the Stream Deck runs using aLinux-based operating system rather than Windows.
This won’t be a problem for Valve’s ownSteamstorefront, but for pretty much every other digital platform you’ll likely need to put in a bit of effort to get them working. Specifically, you’re going to need to buy and installWindows 10on your Steam Deck.
Unless you happen to have a spareWindows 10 Home licenselying around or can snag a good deal, this means you’ll have to shell out $139 / £119.99 / AU$225 if you want to play non-Steam games likeFortnite,League of LegendsandWorld of Warcraft.
Thankfully, Valve promises that this kind of customization will be possible on the Steam Deck, but we can’t imagine everything will run as smoothly as the specially designed SteamOS. We’ll have to wait and see how this shapes out but we could be headed for anotherhandheld disappointment.
Not quite full Steam ahead
The trouble doesn’t stop with games that aren’t on Steam though, even titles on the Valve platform might not work on their own handheld. We’ll have to get the device in our own hands to know for sure, but four of Steam’s most popular games (Destiny 2,Apex Legends, PUBG, and Rainbow Six Siege) might be blocked off, as well as others.
Once again it would be down to the Steam Deck’s Linuxoperating system, but for slightly different reasons than before. All of these games use anti-cheat software that is required to be able to play in their multiplayer servers, software that might not work on SteamOS.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Valvehas since said that it is currently “improving Proton’s game compatibility and support for anti-cheat solutions by working directly with the vendors” but when and if these solutions will be implemented is yet to be seen.
Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.
Valve is bringing much more than an “incrementally better” update to the Steam Deck - here’s what we know about the handheld’s huge tech upgrade
Amazon Prime member? Then hurry and download these 40+ free games on your Steam Deck
This Dyson vacuum cleaner just got ridiculously cheap for Black Friday
