#steam-deck

#steam-deck

A few years back, Valve changed the way we think about portable PC gaming with the launch of the Steam Deck. While comparisons to the Nintendo Switch were inevitable, the real game-changer was the ability to play your existing Steam library on a handheld device. That innovation sparked an entirely new category of gaming hardware: PC gaming handhelds. Being able to take full PC games on the go was something gamers could only imagine a decade ago

It seemed like there was a never-ending list of incredible indie games to try - The Verge wrote about a lot of them! - and many worked brilliantly on Valve's handheld gaming PC. Some bigger games made a splash on Steam Deck, too, and while they may not look as good as on a beefy PC, I'm usually happy to deal with that simply because I can play them on the couch or out of the house.

'Tis the season for gift-giving, family feasts and companies turning their harvested user data into lighthearted recaps. Valve's take on the year-end rewind, Steam Replay, is now available. It follows similar offerings from Spotify, Apple Music, PlayStation and, increasingly, just about every service you use. Hell, even Uber and The New York Times somehow justified getting in on the action this year.

As we approach the end of the year, most of us in the northern hemisphere are dealing with long night and cold weather--and hopefully a days of well-earned vacation during the holidays. If you're looking for something to fill your time with, you'll want to check out Fanatical's latest Bundlefestive 2025 event for some big savings on PC games from Monday, December 1, through Friday, December 5.

Valve's cheapest Steam Deck model just got cheaper. The Steam Deck LCD 256GB will be 80 percent off for Black Friday 2025, making it somehow $20 less than the portable gaming console that Nintendo released back in 2017. Normally $400, Valve's three-year-old PC gaming handheld will be 20 percent off through December 1, making it just $320 to pick up compared to a new Switch after Nintendo raised the prices earlier this year over tariffs.

Linux has been a perfectly viable desktop OS for ages. But gaming on Linux is now viable, too. Valve's hard work getting Windows games to run well on the Linux-based Steam Deck has lifted all boats. Gaming handhelds that ship with Windows run better and have higher frame rates on Bazzite, a Fedora-based distro, than they do with Windows. And after reading about the upcoming Steam Machine and Antonio's experience running Bazzite on the Framework Desktop, I want to try it.

Over three years after its launch, Steam Deck is getting a much-requested feature that will allow users to complete all downloads in a new low-power mode with the screen turned off. The feature is rolling out to Steam Deck owners part of the Beta and Preview channels and should eventually be available widely. Before the new update, downloads and updates on the Steam Deck required the device to be powered on with its screen on, thus consuming more battery power.

Halloween's around the corner. Got plans? No? I'm not much of a costume party person myself, so I'll be staying in to play a bunch of spooky games, and one that has recently caught my attention features a lovely injection of PSX-style retro grunge that I struggle to not just stare into for hours as I contemplate the grim realities of existence. Sound up your alley? Good.

November is upon us, and to celebrate, Fanatical has revealed its Movember Game 'Stache Charity Bundle. Themed around the Movember mustache movement--an annual event encouraging the growth of moustaches in an effort to raise awareness around men's health issues--this bundle offers a curated selection of PC games for $20. Proceeds will go to charity, and each game in this bundle will be delivered as a Steam key that can be redeemed on your account.

Regular Steam Deck users (and those who enjoy gaming on the variety of mini-PCs out there) are likely familiar with a certain physical sensation: wrist pain, tingling, and numbness. It's not fun, and typically cuts your gaming short long before the battery gives out. These devices are just heavier and bulkier than the handhelds of yore, and even outweigh the Switch by a significant margin.

Baldur's Gate 3 is apparently even better to play on the go now, as Larian Studios has released a new native version of the RPG for Steam Deck as part of a hotfix. The developer states that the game has "a more stable frame rate, lower loading times, and smoother gameplay" on the PC handheld. Larian detailed what's included with hotfix 34 on Steam, with the spotlight on the Steam Deck-native build.

The Steam Autumn Sale starts next Monday, but Valve dropped an early treat in the form of a rare Steam Deck LCD discount. The 256GB model that normally sells for $399.99 is $319.20 through October 6th at 1PM ET / 10AM PT. I, for one, thank Valve for dropping this deal now instead of when the servers inevitably hiccup at the start of the game sale.

Humble has brought back one of the most popular game bundles from last year as part of its Best of Humble Bundle series. From now until September 24, you can get 17 Lego video games for only $15. Many of the biggest franchises from Traveller's Tales extensive catalog of licensed games are included in the lineup: Star Wars, Batman, Marvel, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Jurassic World, and more.

"Finally.....the game is good on Steam Deck," the team wrote in the patch notes. "Deck players will know it's been good for a while! The Mesa Update added the last of controller support needed and with this patch we've added some text adjustments needed to get the Verified badge."

The Samsung Pro Plus 1TB microSD card is now just $70 on Amazon, making it a top choice for Steam Deck owners looking for reliable and affordable storage.

The Killswitch Case for Steam Deck, now just $49.95, provides military-grade protection, a kickstand, and customizable aesthetics, making it one of the best cases available.

When Ubisoft announced that Assassin's Creed Shadows would be Steam Deck verified, I was skeptical. My previous experiences with verified games had left me disappointed.