In 2025, the Steam Deck will be three years old. Although many games still work well on this portable PC, it is becoming increasingly clear that newer, more demanding games are putting a strain on the device. It may be time for an upgrade.
The Steam Deck, launched by Valve in 2022, has been a game-changer in the industry, making it easier for gamers to enjoy a wide range of PC games on the go. However, as we move into 2024, it seems that some of the biggest games of the year are not running smoothly on the aging Steam Deck.
For instance, the recently released Silent Hill 2 remaster is labeled as “Unsupported” on Steam Deck. While you can still play the game on the device, you may need to lower settings and deal with performance issues in certain areas. Other games like Space Marine 2, Hellblade 2, and Dragon’s Dogma 2 are also marked as “Unsupported” on Steam Deck, while some games like Helldivers 2 and Tekken 8 are labeled as “Playable.”
Some of these games struggle to run on the Steam Deck, even with settings turned down to the minimum. For example, Space Marine 2 struggles to reach 30 FPS, while Hellblade 2 looks awful even at low settings. Dragon’s Dogma 2, known for its demanding nature, also performs poorly on the Steam Deck.
While some games can be tweaked to run better on the device, many Steam Deck owners may not want to deal with adjusting settings and configurations just to play a new game. The reality is that the Steam Deck is aging, and its capabilities are being tested by newer, more demanding games.
Although there are still plenty of games that run well on the Steam Deck, particularly indie titles and older games, the promise of being able to play “most games” on the device is no longer a guarantee. The question now is when Valve will release a more powerful version of the Steam Deck that can handle these larger games without sacrificing performance or battery life.