Optimizing Your Game for Steam Deck: Expert Tips from Valve

The Steam Deck, a revolutionary portable gaming device from Valve, has recently become widely available for purchase. As a result, it is essential for developers to ensure their PC titles are compatible with this innovative device. At the GI Live: London event, Valve designer Alden Kroll and business development head Erik Peterson shared their expertise on optimizing games for the Steam Deck, providing developers with actionable tips to enhance the gaming experience for their players. According to Peterson, the process of optimizing games for the Steam Deck is less daunting than expected, with many games already compatible without requiring additional work. Valve categorizes Steam Deck games into four compatibility ratings: Verified, Playable, Unsupported, and Unknown. To achieve the Verified rating, games must pass all compatibility checks, allowing users to access all in-game functionality without requiring configuration work. The Verified rating is crucial, as it will likely become a key factor in the future, particularly when the Steam Deck's install base expands. Valve recommends that developers utilize the Steam Cloud to handle automatic save data transfers, ensuring a seamless gaming experience for players switching between devices. The company also advises against syncing game configuration settings, as this may cause issues when switching between devices. Furthermore, Valve emphasizes the importance of controller support, as the Steam Deck is designed with console-style controls in mind. Developers should ensure that all in-game functionality is accessible via the default controller configuration, and consider creating a controller configuration for games that do not natively support controllers. Additionally, Valve recommends using the SetGameLauncherMode API to translate controller input to keyboard and mouse, and provides guides on how to do this on the Steam partner site. To ensure a smooth gaming experience, developers should test their games and offline content without online connectivity, as the Steam Deck's portable nature means that a stable internet connection cannot be guaranteed. When it comes to text, Valve recommends ensuring that it is legible and visible, particularly at the 800 x 600 resolution. The company also requires games to automatically bring up an onscreen keyboard whenever players are required to enter text, and provides two onscreen keypower APIs: ShowFloatingGamepadTextInput and ShowGamepadTextInput. By following these expert tips from Valve, developers can optimize their games for the Steam Deck, providing players with an exceptional gaming experience and increasing the chances of achieving the coveted Verified rating.