How to Find the Best Games to Play on a Steam Deck

The same company that produces Steam Deck also runs Steam, the online distribution service for games. Thus, people might assume that Valve will ensure that all Steam games will run on the new handheld gaming PC. Sadly, not all Steam games will run on Steam Deck, and some will work but not very well.

Still, Valve employs testers to verify games, but running through the entire list will take time. Learn how to check the status of favorite gaming titles and see the current top choices for verified games that work well on a Steam Deck.

According to Wired, Steam currently hosts over 60,000 games. Valve employs testers to play games on the new device. These testers rate games to let players know how well each tested game works on the device.

A spokesperson for the company admitted that the process would take time, so the testers have only tested and marked a fraction of their available titles so far. The testing team prioritizes games that customers already play or have included on their wish lists. They will likely test the most popular games in their customers’ libraries. Some examples of verified titles include Portal 2, Disco Elysium, Jackbox, Hades, and Death Stranding.

Hovering over each game’s iron will display one of these icons:

People who haven’t yet purchased a Steam Deck might prefer to visit the Steam Deck Compatibility Page. After logging in, this website displays the status of games in the user’s library.

PC Magazine compiled its own list of favorite verified games. This publication gave its Editor’s Choice Award to these verified titles:

Other games that deserved mentioning but didn’t rank quite as well include Death Stranding, God of War, Portal 2, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Any gamers who didn’t find their favorites on this list should check their Steam library or the website to see the status.

Steam Decks do more than serve as a gaming platform for Steam games. These handheld gaming PCs can even boot up with other operating systems besides SteamOS, load various browsers, and run other games and apps. Thus, Steam Decks cost as much as many mid-tier computers.

Since Steam Decks offer a genuinely mobile gaming experience, users will want to make sure they’re well protected. Those with a Steam Deck can get the best protection by pairing their device with an Upsie warranty. Upsie offers affordable, robust extended warranties for Steam Decks and other gaming devices. Even better, Upsie charges up to 70 percent less than their warranty competitors without compromising on coverage or services.

Upsie’s two-year and three-year warranties will prevent high repair bills and ensure customers quickly find certified technicians. These protection plans cover accidents, worn buttons, and defects that may appear after the manufacturer’s warranty ends. Best of all, customers can make unlimited claims up to the purchase price of the device.