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Check compatibility in layers rather than trusting a single label. On Steam Deck, read the title’s Steam Deck Compatibility result; on a Linux PC, inspect the Steam system requirements and Linux availability. If the game is Windows-only, test its Proton status and compare recent ProtonDB reports with your hardware. Then verify that your PC meets the game’s requirements and that online anti-cheat or other middleware is supported.
This process distinguishes four different questions: whether Valve has tested the game on Deck, whether it has a native Linux build, whether Proton can run the Windows build, and whether your particular hardware and multiplayer setup are suitable.
What “works” can mean
A game can be compatible in one sense and unsuitable in another. A native Linux build may run without Proton but still exceed your GPU’s capabilities. A Windows game may launch through Proton yet fail its online anti-cheat check. A Steam Deck rating describes Valve’s testing target, not every Linux computer.
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- Steam Deck status: Valve’s tested category for the Deck version of the title.
- Operating-system support: whether Steam lists a native Linux build or another supported operating system.
- Proton compatibility: whether the Windows build can run through Steam Play on Linux.
- Hardware fit: whether your processor, graphics, memory, storage and display setup meet the game’s requirements.
- Online functionality: whether anti-cheat and other middleware work in the title’s Proton configuration.
No single check replaces the others. Work through the relevant sections before buying, installing or troubleshooting.
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Understand Steam Deck’s four compatibility labels
Steam shows a Steam Deck Compatibility section on a game’s Store page and in the Library. It uses four labels:
| Label | What it tells you | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Verified | Valve says the game works great on Steam Deck by default and meets its tested criteria. | Usually the lowest-friction choice. Still check the game’s requirements and current online features. |
| Playable | The game runs, but one or more Verified criteria are not met automatically. | Read the specific unmet criteria. You may need a manual setting, an on-screen keyboard, a magnifier, or another adjustment. |
| Unsupported | Valve’s testing found that the title does not meet the Deck criteria. | Do not treat it as a normal plug-and-play purchase. Read the displayed reason and look for current title-specific reports before experimenting. |
| Unknown | Valve has not tested the game. | This is an absence of a Valve test, not proof that the game fails. Use ProtonDB and other current evidence if you want to try it. |
For a Playable or Unsupported result, open the details rather than relying on the headline. Steam can identify which Verified criteria were not met, giving you a more useful explanation than the category alone.
Check a game on Steam Deck before installing
- Open the title’s Steam Store page. Find the Steam Deck Compatibility section near the game’s purchase and platform information. If you already own the game, open its entry in the Steam Deck Library and view the same compatibility information there.
- Record the category exactly. Note Verified, Playable, Unsupported or Unknown. Do not translate Unknown into “incompatible”; it means Valve has not tested that title.
- Read the criteria details. For Playable and Unsupported games, inspect the explanation of the unmet criterion. This tells you whether the issue is text legibility, controller input, launcher behavior, a compatibility problem or another tested condition.
- Check the game’s system requirements. A Deck rating does not remove the need to meet the game’s processor, graphics, memory and storage requirements. Steam’s compatibility information and the game’s requirements answer different questions.
- For online games, verify multiplayer support separately. A title can appear to run while a particular anti-cheat or middleware configuration prevents online play. Read the current game-specific information before assuming that every mode works.
- Recheck after major updates. Compatibility labels, Proton versions, game patches and anti-cheat configurations can change. Treat the Store or Library entry as the current Valve status for the title.
Check native Linux support on a Linux PC
On a conventional Linux desktop or laptop, start with Steam’s own platform information rather than a third-party list.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute- Open the game’s Steam Store page. Locate System Requirements and look for a supported operating-system entry for Linux. A Linux requirement indicates a native build is listed; it does not by itself prove that your hardware can run it well.
- Compare every hardware requirement. Check the stated processor, graphics hardware or API, system memory and available storage against your machine. Steam specifically advises checking hardware in addition to the operating system.
- Use the SteamOS + Linux store filter. Steam provides a filter for games downloadable by the Steam for Linux client. This is more reliable than manually searching for Linux-supported titles; Steam cautions that a manual search may not return correct results.
- Distinguish native Linux from Windows-through-Proton. If Linux is not listed, the title may still be playable through Proton, but that is a different compatibility path with different risks, especially for launchers and multiplayer middleware.
A native Linux listing tells you that a Linux build is offered through Steam. It does not guarantee identical performance across distributions, desktop environments, graphics drivers or hardware generations.
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Run a Windows-only game with Proton
Steam Play can run some Windows-only games on Linux by using Proton, Valve’s compatibility-tool approach. Proton availability is a possibility, not a certification: a game may launch, show graphical defects, lose features or fail online checks.
Force Proton for one game
- Open Library in the Steam client.
- Right-click the game, or open its gear menu, and choose Properties.
- Select Compatibility.
- Enable the option to force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool.
- Choose a Proton version. Steam Support recommends trying the latest Proton version when troubleshooting a Windows title on Linux.
- Close the Properties window and launch the game. Test the functions you actually need, including saves, controllers, graphics options and multiplayer.
Forcing a tool can help when the default selection does not start the game, but it is not evidence that the title is supported. If one Proton version fails, a different version may behave differently; record the version when you compare results with community reports.
What to verify after launch
- Does the game reach its main menu without an installer or launcher error?
- Are text, menus and cutscenes visible and usable at your intended resolution?
- Do your controller, keyboard and mouse inputs work as expected?
- Can the game load and save normally?
- Do the online modes you care about connect and remain connected?
A successful launch answers only the first question. Test the rest before deciding that the game works for your use.
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ProtonDB collects crowdsourced reports from Linux and Steam Deck players. It is useful when Valve has not tested a game or when you need details behind a broad category, but it is unofficial and cannot guarantee the same result on your setup.
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- Search for the exact game. Confirm that the report refers to the same edition, not a similarly named sequel, demo or remaster.
- Prefer reports matching your device. A Steam Deck report may not predict results on a desktop with a different GPU, driver stack or display. Conversely, a high-end desktop result may not translate to Deck.
- Check the report date. Game patches, Proton releases and graphics drivers change behavior. Give more weight to recent reports when older and newer results conflict.
- Record the Proton version. Note which version the reporter used, because a result tied to one version may not reproduce with another.
- Read the full report, not only an aggregate. Look for launch options, required settings, broken features, frame-rate limitations and workarounds. An aggregate rating summarizes submissions; it is not a Valve rating or a success percentage.
- Compare multiple reports. One person’s successful launch can reflect unusual hardware or a temporary game state. Repeated reports with similar hardware and versions provide a stronger practical signal.
Use ProtonDB to decide whether an experiment is reasonable and what to try first, not as a promise that your installation will match someone else’s.
Investigate anti-cheat and other multiplayer middleware
Online compatibility deserves its own check. Valve’s Deck Verified criteria require that, when a game runs through Proton, the game and all of its middleware—including anti-cheat—be supported by Proton. Therefore, knowing that an anti-cheat product is compatible in general does not establish that a particular game has enabled or configured it correctly.
Before buying or installing
- Identify whether the game uses anti-cheat, a separate launcher or another online service.
- Look for current, game-specific information about that middleware on the Store page, the developer’s support information or recent community reports.
- Separate single-player and online requirements. A game may start and play offline while its protected multiplayer mode remains unavailable.
When a previously working game stops connecting
- Check whether the game or its anti-cheat component recently updated.
- Confirm that Steam is using the intended Proton version for that title.
- Read recent reports for the same game, because a change in developer configuration can affect every Proton user at once.
- Do not infer that reinstalling Linux or changing unrelated graphics settings will solve a server-side or middleware compatibility change.
Online status is title-specific and can change independently of the Deck category, so verify it close to the time you intend to play.
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Check hardware separately from compatibility
Operating-system support and hardware capacity are independent gates. A game can have a native Linux build or a Verified Deck label and still be a poor fit for a particular PC if that machine does not meet the listed requirements.
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For Steam Deck
Use the Deck Compatibility result for the Deck experience, then compare the game’s requirements with the Deck’s available resources and the performance you expect. Valve says tested Deck ratings carry across both LCD and OLED Deck models. That statement does not establish the same performance on another Linux PC or on an unofficial SteamOS-compatible device.
For a Linux desktop or laptop
Compare the game’s requirements with your exact processor, graphics device, memory and storage. Driver versions, resolution and quality settings can change the practical result even when the operating-system label matches. A desktop report from ProtonDB is more informative when it names hardware similar to yours.
For another handheld or SteamOS-compatible device
Do not automatically transfer a Deck rating. Steam recommends checking detailed support with the device manufacturer, whose firmware, controls and power limits may differ from Valve’s Deck models.
A practical decision workflow
| Your situation | First check | Next evidence | What a positive result means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Deck purchase | Steam Deck Compatibility category | Unmet criteria, requirements and current online status | The title has a known Valve-tested status, but hardware and multiplayer checks still apply. |
| Linux game listed with a native build | Steam System Requirements and Linux entry | Your hardware and current player reports | Steam offers a Linux build; your machine must still meet its requirements. |
| Windows-only game on Linux | Proton setting in Library > Properties > Compatibility | Recent ProtonDB reports matching your hardware and Proton version | Proton may run it; launch, features and online modes require your own validation. |
| Competitive or co-operative online game | Game-specific anti-cheat and middleware status | Recent reports and current developer or Steam information | Only the title’s current configuration establishes whether the required online mode works. |
| Unknown Deck rating | Confirm that Unknown means untested | Recent Deck-specific ProtonDB reports and requirements | You have community evidence, not a Valve compatibility result. |
How to compare two games fairly
When choosing between titles, avoid a single “works” score. Compare each game on the dimensions that affect your decision:
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| Dimension | Questions to ask |
|---|---|
| Deck category | Is it Verified, Playable, Unsupported or Unknown, and why? |
| Linux implementation | Is there a native Linux build, or does the game depend on Proton? |
| Setup effort | Does it require a forced Proton tool or another documented adjustment? |
| Evidence quality | Are there recent reports from hardware and Proton versions like yours? |
| Online functionality | Will the anti-cheat and other middleware support the modes you need? |
| Hardware fit | Do your processor, graphics, memory and storage meet the stated requirements? |
This comparison keeps a native Linux build from being treated as automatically faster, a Verified label from being treated as universal PC certification, and a successful community report from being treated as a guarantee.
Troubleshoot common outcomes
The game is Unknown
Unknown means Valve has not tested it. Check recent ProtonDB reports, prioritize reports from the same type of Deck or Linux hardware, and note the Proton version and workarounds. If there is no relevant evidence, treat the purchase as an experiment rather than a confirmed compatibility choice.
The game is Playable but inconvenient
Open the detailed criteria and identify the exact limitation. Decide whether that limitation matters to your play style. A title that needs occasional text entry may be acceptable for one player and impractical for another; the category is warning you to evaluate the stated condition, not declaring every feature broken.
The game is Unsupported
Read Valve’s reason first. If you still want to test it, look for recent title-specific reports and make sure the game’s requirements fit your hardware. Do not assume that a generic Proton success for another game overcomes the condition Valve identified.
The game launches but performs poorly
Recheck the hardware requirements and compare your PC with reports from similar systems. A successful launch is not a performance guarantee. On a Linux PC, differences in graphics hardware and drivers matter; on Deck, the tested category does not promise a particular frame rate on every title.
The game runs offline but multiplayer fails
Focus on anti-cheat and middleware status rather than repeatedly changing graphics settings. Verify the current game-specific configuration and look for recent reports after the latest game or Proton update.
The Proton setting does not help
Confirm that the per-game compatibility setting is enabled in Library > Properties > Compatibility, then try the latest Proton version as Steam Support suggests. If the result remains unchanged, consult current reports for the exact title and version; forcing Proton alone cannot repair an unsupported launcher or online service.
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Final pre-purchase checklist
- For Deck, you read the current Steam Deck Compatibility category and any unmet criteria.
- For Linux, you checked Steam’s System Requirements and the SteamOS + Linux filter.
- If the title is Windows-only, you assessed Proton rather than assuming Windows support means Linux support.
- You compared recent ProtonDB reports with your hardware, device and Proton version.
- You checked anti-cheat and other middleware for the exact game and online mode.
- You compared your processor, graphics hardware, memory and storage with the requirements.
- You treated labels and reports as time-sensitive, because game updates, Proton releases and developer settings can change the result.
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