Handheld Gaming has come a long way in recent years. While, in the past, handhelds were treated as weaker and more limited versions of their home console counterparts, now they have been able to go toe to toe with the more powerful consoles. The Steam Deck is also among the most revolutionary when it comes to portable gaming. The console’s reception has been overwhelmingly positive, and Valve has already stated that they plan on making a second iteration of the portable console at some point.

While the console boasts impressive features, Steam’s vast library is perhaps the Deck’s biggest asset. Steam is quite an old platform and is home to thousands of games. Since its release, Valve has been hard at work to ensure Steam’s library is supported on the Steam Deck. They also have a verification system that describes if a particular game is compatible with the Steam Deck.

 

While there are still a lot of games that are not compatible with the console, an impressive amount is up and running for Steam Deck users. The verification system divides the games into four categories: Verified, Playable, Unsupported, and Unknown. The first category is reserved for games that work well on the system. On the other hand, playable games may have some bugs and glitches but aren’t entirely broken. Meanwhile, unsupported games are stated to not be functional on the Deck, and the last category is reserved for games waiting to be tested.

According to Boiling Steam, more than half of the top 100 games on Steam Games are now Verified and Playable by the Steam Deck:

  • 28/100 games are Steam Deck Verified
  • 26/100 games are Steam Deck Playable
  • 26/100 games are Unsupported
  • 20/100 games are Untested
Steam Deck Library Top 100
The image shows the top 12 games on Steam.
Source: boilingsteam

This means that a staggering 54% of the top 100 games on Steam are playable to some extent on the handheld console, and this includes titles like Elden Ring and CS: GO. Many fans are likely to be interested in at least a few of the top 100 games, so it is a commendable move by Valve to ensure that over half of them are playable. Furthermore, many untested games could also turn out to be playable, which would further raise the percentage of playable games. But, overall, the 54% figure is especially impressive, considering the discrepancy between the age of the console and some of these games.

Valve has clearly shown its commitment to the Steam Deck. The console’s success can largely be attributed to this extensive support for Steam’s existing library. Moreover, Valve is likely to continue working on support for older and upcoming games alike. With the constant updates and an ever-growing list of games, the Steam Deck could end up being among the best handheld consoles of all time.

More News: This Could Be The Ultimate Steam Deck Killer

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Avinash Jaisrani
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