Game Compatibility
Ongoing coverage on Game Compatibility.
Latest coverage
"Alyx was a far, far more useful target for us" - Valve's struggle to get existing titles working on Steam Frame's ARM processor is why it's bundled with a six-year-old game, and I bet this isn't the last we'll hear of these chips causing difficulties
Valve's new Steam Frame headset bundles Half-Life: Alyx due to difficulties in getting existing titles to run natively on its ARM processor. Developers focused on overall Steam catalogue compatibility, highlighting the challenges of adapting games for ARM architecture, which prioritizes efficiency but requires significant conversion effort. This suggests future VR hardware may face similar hurdles with ARM processors.
30,000 games are either Steam Deck verified or at least 'playable' on Valve's handheld
Valve's Steam Deck now boasts 30,000 games that are either 'Verified' or 'Playable,' a significant increase since its launch. While 'Verified' titles run flawlessly, 'Playable' games may require minor adjustments. Some games, like For Honor, are being removed from Linux platforms, impacting Steam Deck availability.
Steam Machine Verified medals appear on games' store pages overnight, as if left by the Compatibility Fairy
Valve has enabled the display of Steam Machine game compatibility ratings on store pages, mirroring the system used for the Steam Deck. Games like Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Palworld have received 'Verified' status, while Dota 2 is marked as 'Playable' due to minor issues. This update aims to clarify how Windows games will perform on Valve's SteamOS hardware.
Steam Machine review - it's all about the games you play
The Steam Machine offers a premium hardware design with a slick SteamOS interface ideal for living room gaming, but its high price and performance limitations hinder its appeal. While capable of 1080p gaming and some 4K upscaling, it struggles with demanding titles and ray tracing, making it a niche product for specific game types and users.
Steam Deck verification criteria continues to confuse as Masters of Albion is marked Unsupported, despite devs considering it 'fully optimised for handheld'
Masters of Albion, a new god game from Fable creator Peter Molyneux's studio 22cans, has been marked as 'Unsupported' on Steam Deck despite the developers' claims of full optimization and handheld features. While the game is playable and considered fully optimized by the studio, it does not currently meet Valve's performance thresholds for an official compatibility badge.
Proton 11 Beta arrives to bring enhanced gaming compatibility to Linux / SteamOS
Valve has released Proton 11 Beta, an update to their compatibility layer for running Windows games on Linux and SteamOS. This version is based on Wine 11 and includes enhancements like NTSync for potential performance improvements, alongside an ARM64 build. The update brings numerous game-specific fixes and improvements, including better video playback, text-to-speech accessibility, and controller support for many titles.
Crimson Desert is finally playable on Intel Arc GPUs after driver update — but there's still plenty of work…
Crimson Desert is now playable on Intel Arc GPUs following a recent driver update, though visual glitches persist. The game previously lacked official support, leading to user frustration and refund requests. Pearl Abyss and Intel are expected to release further updates to fully resolve compatibility and visual issues.
New Set of PS5 Development Kit Updates Indicate PS6 is “Not Many Years Away” – Rumor
New leaks suggest Sony's PlayStation 6 is not many years away, with updates to the PlayStation 5's development kit and Power Saver mode indicating preparations for the next-generation console. These changes reportedly aim to ensure game compatibility and streamline development, potentially including a new feature called PlayGo for managing game versions.
Windows 11 Gamers Score Major Victory With DIY Graphics Fix
PC gamers have developed a community-driven fix for graphics compatibility issues on Windows 11, specifically addressing problems with the legacy DirectDraw API. This grassroots solution, shared widely on Steam, allows older games to run more reliably on the latest Windows operating system, highlighting the proactive nature of the gaming community in overcoming technical hurdles.
Proton Experimental brings fixes for REDLauncher, HELLDIVERS 2, Atelier Yumia, KILLER INN and more
Valve has released an update for Proton Experimental, bringing numerous fixes for games on Linux. Key improvements include resolving crashes in HELLDIVERS 2 during high enemy counts, fixing REDLauncher exit issues for games like Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3, and addressing video playback crashes in Atelier Ryza 3. The update also includes fixes for KILLER INN and DLSS support in Monster Hunter Stories 3.
