Microsoft has explained why Halo Infinite isn’t supported on Valve’s new handheld. Many have been anticipating the release of the Steam Deck so they can play some of their favorite PC games and although a lot of notable titles are supported, there are a handful of interesting exemptions. In some cases, the games are even playable but aren’t specifically optimized for Steam Deck, resulting in performance issues and problems with controls. Developers are expected to continue to help expand the list of optimized Steam Deck titles, but some games may never come to the platform.
Xbox confirmed a handful of its games won’t be supported on Steam Deck. Titles like Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Gears 5, and Halo Infinite are unplayable on Steam Deck due to their anti-cheat. Sadly, not even the campaign modes are exempt from this problem. Less competitive online titles like Forza Horizon 5 and Sea of Thieves are playable, but not Steam Deck verified, so players may encounter issues with these games. It can probably be expected that a lot of other massive online titles with competitive gameplay will also skip out on Steam Deck, but perhaps developers will find a way to support it later if the demand is there. Bungie stated that playing Destiny 2 isn’t just unsupported by Steam Deck, but will also result in a banย from the game if players attempt to play it on Valve’s new device.ย
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It is a bit of a bummer that one of the biggest games of 2021 isn’t playable on Steam Deck in any capacity. Given the new handheld device is more of a mini-computer than it is a traditional console, it’s understandable that developers are wary. Players are given a lot of freedom to use the machine however they want and until there’s a clearly defined way to prevent cheating on Steam Deck, developers won’t want to take any chances.
Some players have already received their Steam Deck, but some pre-orders won’t ship until later in 2022. What do you think about some online games being restricted on Steam Deck? Let me know in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.
[H/T Eurogamer]
