iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Rain98 cannot be downloaded yet. The official Steam listing describes a 2026 release, while Steam currently marks the game as unavailable and SteamDB records it as unreleased. When a release build appears, the supported desktop target will be Windows 10 or newer. A Windows PC should meet at least an Intel Core i3 processor, Intel HD Graphics 4000 graphics and 2 GB of available storage; the recommended listing raises that to a Core i7, GeForce GTX 1060 and 4 GB of storage.
Steam Deck play is possible in principle because SteamOS uses Valve’s Proton compatibility layer for Windows games, but Rain98 has no authoritative Deck Verified rating, ProtonDB report or tested Proton recommendation yet. You can follow the installation and troubleshooting process below after launch, but no guide can honestly promise Deck performance before the developer publishes a playable build.
Rain98 release status and what you can do now
Rain98 is described as a lo-fi psycho-thriller romance adventure set in 1990s Tokyo. Its Steam description mentions exploration, minigames, choices and a soundtrack. The project is planned for 2026, but no public release date, trial build or legitimate installation package has been identified. Do not download an executable advertised as a leaked or “early” Rain98 build; it is not an official way to play the game.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →The practical pre-release steps are limited:
- Open the official Rain98 page in Steam and add it to your wishlist.
- Follow announcements from the developer so you see the release notice, system-requirement changes and launch instructions.
- Wait for the Steam install button to become available. A wishlist entry does not grant access to an unreleased build.
Creative Bloq describes Rain98 as a PC game planned for 2026 and reports that director Shoon T draws on film, horror and anime influences. Shoon T has explained the visual approach this way: “We place great importance on the beauty and silence of still images, while animating only specific elements when necessary – hair, smoke, rain, blinking, light reflections, subtle camera movement, and so on.” That still-image-heavy presentation may affect how you judge motion and performance later: a game can intentionally use limited animation while still requiring a 3D graphics feature set for effects, lighting or video playback.
#1 Best Overall
- 1TB NVMe SSD
- 1280 x 800 HDR OLED display with premium anti-glare etched glass, 7.4" Diagonal display size up to 90Hz refresh rate
- Wi-Fi 6E
- 50Whr battery; 3-12 hours of gameplay (content-dependent)
- Carrying case with removable liner
Rain98 PC requirements
The official listing provides a minimum and a recommended configuration. These figures indicate a compatibility floor, not a promised frame rate, resolution or quality preset. No Rain98-specific benchmark or review test has been published, so there is no reliable number for frames per second on any processor or graphics card.
| Item | Minimum listed specification | Recommended listed specification |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 | Not stated |
| Processor | Intel Core i3 | Intel Core i7 |
| Graphics | Intel HD Graphics 4000 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 |
| Available storage | 2 GB | 4 GB |
“Windows 10” is the minimum operating-system entry; Windows 11 is newer than that baseline, but the listing does not separately certify Windows 11 or state a recommended edition. A current Windows 11 installation is therefore a reasonable place to try the game after release, not proof of a particular performance level. Keep several additional gigabytes free for Steam’s download process, temporary files and future patches even though the published game-size figures are 2 GB minimum and 4 GB recommended.
How to interpret the graphics requirement
Intel HD Graphics 4000 is an older integrated GPU, while the GTX 1060 is a substantially stronger discrete card. The gap between the two entries signals that the developer expects a range of hardware, but it does not tell you which resolution, texture setting or effect level will be available on the minimum system. If your computer is close to the minimum, plan to start with the game’s lowest preset and native display resolution, then adjust only after confirming that menus, video and input behave correctly.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesHow to install and play Rain98 on Windows 11 or Windows 10
Use this sequence once the Steam page changes from an unreleased listing to an active purchase or install listing.
Rank #2
- International (UK) Version
- 7.4” diagonal, HDR OLED, 1280 x 800 x RGB, up to 90Hz Refresh rate, High performance touch, <0.1 ms Response time, 1,000 nits peak brightness (HDR), 600 nits (SDR)
- SteamOS 3.0 (Arch-based)
- 512GB NVMe SSD, 16GB LPDDR5 on-board RAM (5500 MT/s quad 32-bit channels), microSD UHS-I supports SD, SDXC and SDHC
- 6 nm AMD APU, CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32
- Check the store page. Read the current release notes, operating-system entry and any launch options before downloading. Requirements can change between an announcement and the final build.
- Install Steam’s Windows client. Sign in to the account that owns Rain98, open your Library and select the game’s Install button.
- Choose an installation drive. Select a drive with more free space than the listed requirement. The extra room accommodates the download cache, shader data and updates.
- Let Steam finish the download and first-time setup. Do not interrupt redistributable or runtime installation if Steam displays one. The exact components will depend on the release build.
- Launch from the Library. On first start, check the display mode, resolution, audio output and input prompts before beginning a long play session.
- Update Windows and the GPU driver. Use Windows Update and the support utility for your Intel or NVIDIA graphics hardware. A current driver is a general stability precaution; it is not a Rain98-specific fix.
Windows 11 notes
Windows 11 does not change the Steam installation path: Library, Rain98, Install, then Play. Because Windows 10 is the only operating system explicitly listed, treat Windows 11 compatibility as something to confirm from the final store page and community reports rather than as a separately tested guarantee. If the developer adds a Windows 11 note or a launch argument, follow that newer instruction over this general procedure.
If Rain98 will not launch
- Restart Windows. A reboot clears a driver or runtime process that may have remained locked after installation.
- Verify the installation. In Steam, open the Rain98 entry, choose Properties, then Installed Files and the option to verify the integrity of the installed files. Wait for the check to finish before launching again.
- Check the store’s news and patch notes. Early-release launch problems are often addressed by a developer update. Use the current note rather than applying an unofficial executable or DLL.
- Confirm free space. A drive that had enough room for the initial download may not have enough space for unpacking or an update.
- Test without overlays or capture tools. Temporarily disable third-party overlays and recording utilities if they interfere with startup, then re-enable them one at a time.
There is no published Rain98-specific launch workaround to cite at present. If verification, a reboot and current drivers do not help, record the Windows version, GPU model, error text and the exact build shown by Steam before contacting the developer. Do not present a generic fix as an official Rain98 solution.
Can Rain98 run on Steam Deck?
Steam Deck ships with SteamOS, not Windows. Valve’s Proton compatibility layer translates many Windows game calls so they can run through SteamOS. Deck compatibility is assigned per game and can change as the game, Proton and SteamOS are updated.
Rain98 has no authoritative Deck Verified badge, ProtonDB report or tested control and video result yet. That means you should distinguish between the method for trying a Windows game on Deck and evidence that Rain98 itself works well. The method is established; the Rain98 result is not.
Rank #3
- Operating System: SteamOS 3.0
Steam Deck installation and first-launch procedure
- Check the current label. On the Deck store page, look for the latest Verified, Playable, Unsupported or Unknown designation. The label shown after release is more relevant than a pre-release expectation.
- Install from Steam. If the install button is available, choose your internal drive or an optional microSD card and allow the download to complete.
- Launch once with the default runtime. Steam normally chooses a compatible Steam Play tool. Note whether the game reaches its menu, detects the controls and displays text at a readable size.
- Force a Proton tool only when needed. Open the game’s entry, choose the gear icon, select Properties, open Compatibility, enable “Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool,” and try the current stable Proton build first.
- Retest after changing one setting. Record which Proton build was selected and whether the result changed. Switching several tools and graphics options at once makes it difficult to identify the cause of a failure.
If the title is marked Playable rather than Verified, inspect the details yourself. Playable can mean that you must adjust text size, accept keyboard prompts, invoke an on-screen keyboard, or remap controls. Those are general Deck checks, not confirmed Rain98 defects or test results.
What to check in the first ten minutes
- Does the game reach the main menu without a black screen or crash?
- Can the left and right sticks, triggers, face buttons and menus be operated without a mouse?
- Are dialogue, settings and subtitles readable on the Deck display?
- Do cutscenes, rain effects, reflections and audio play correctly?
- Does suspend and resume return to the same session, and does Steam Cloud display a current save if the game supports it?
These checks cover the areas that commonly distinguish Verified from merely launchable. They do not imply that Rain98 has passed them; you must perform them on the released build.
Which Proton version should you use?
No Rain98-specific Proton version has been recommended by the developer, and there is no ProtonDB report establishing a best choice. Start with the current stable Proton tool selected by Steam. If the game fails to launch or shows a rendering problem, use the Compatibility panel to try another installed stable build, testing one change at a time. A newer or experimental tool can sometimes fix a newly released title, but it can also introduce regressions, so it should not be treated as automatically better.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
After changing Proton, fully exit the game and launch it again. If a particular build works, leave it selected and note the version in your own troubleshooting record. Remove the forced override when Steam or the developer publishes a fix that makes the default runtime preferable.
Rank #4
- Valve is entering the gaming console marketplace with the new Steam Deck, a console geared towards PC gamers. The Steam Deck can be docked to a monitor, and used as a PC, or docked to a TV.
- Players can play a huge variety of games at any time with the comfort of a console and the freedom of a PC. Not anti-glare screen.
- Like the name suggests, the Steam Deck will include upgraded 1TB storage, and will include a carrying case. A micro SD slot will also enable expanded storage.
- Valve partnered with AMD to create a specialized APU optimized for handheld gaming, and Valve says the chip will deliver performance to run AAA gaming titles.
- The Steam Deck is outfitted with a 7-inch touchscreen, and two trackpads under the control sticks that allow gamers to operate games never designed outside of mouse and keyboard capabilities.
Windows PC versus Steam Deck
The platforms use different installation and compatibility paths. The table separates what is known about the platform from what remains untested for Rain98.
| Area | Windows 10/11 PC | Steam Deck |
|---|---|---|
| Installation source | Steam desktop client and the Rain98 library entry | SteamOS store and library; install button availability depends on the released listing |
| Runtime | Native Windows execution | Windows build through Valve’s Proton compatibility layer |
| Input | Keyboard and mouse are the expected PC options; final bindings are not yet published | Built-in controls may require a community or custom layout if the game is not fully controller-ready |
| Display readability | Adjustable monitor resolution and scaling; final options are not yet stated | Check text, menus and any keyboard prompts on the smaller built-in display |
| Video and audio | No Rain98-specific test result published | No Rain98-specific cutscene, reflection or audio test published |
| Save synchronization | Steam Cloud support is not stated | Steam Cloud support is not stated; do not assume saves synchronize between Deck and PC |
| Performance | Minimum and recommended hardware are listed, but no frame-rate benchmark exists | No Verified rating, frame-rate test or battery result exists before release |
For a desktop with hardware near the recommended GTX 1060/Core i7 tier, Windows avoids the extra Proton compatibility layer. Deck offers a portable form factor and built-in controls, but its success depends on the final game build, Proton behavior and control layout. Neither platform has a published Rain98 benchmark that justifies a guaranteed frame-rate claim.
Storage, accessories and practical preparation
The official figures list 2 GB of available storage at minimum and 4 GB in the recommended configuration. A Steam Deck microSD card is optional storage expansion, not a requirement created by Rain98’s listed size. Choose one only if your internal Deck storage is limited or you want to keep the game library on removable storage; the requirement itself does not mandate a particular card or accessory.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
No physical edition, printed manual, soundtrack, collectible or required peripheral has been identified. Keyboard, mouse and controller needs will depend on the final input implementation. Do not buy a special accessory on the assumption that the game requires one.
How to keep this guide accurate after launch
Rain98’s status can change quickly during a 2026 release. Recheck the official Steam page for the final operating-system and storage entries, the developer’s announcements for launch patches, and the Deck compatibility label after each major update. If a verified community report appears, compare its game version, Proton version and hardware before applying its advice to your own system.
The most important distinction is between a documented platform procedure and a tested game result. Steam installation, Windows file verification, SteamOS Proton selection and the Properties > Compatibility path are established platform functions. Rain98’s frame rate, controller layout, video playback, save synchronization and ideal Proton build remain unknown until players can test the released version.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
