Steam Deck compatibility labels describe how a game is expected to work on the Deck—not simply whether it runs on a Windows PC. Verified is the strongest positive signal, Playable indicates possible friction, Unsupported is an adverse assessment, and Unknown means you should not assume Valve has assessed it. None is a permanent guarantee: Valve says ratings are snapshots that can change as games, Proton, and developer fixes evolve.
What Steam Deck compatibility statuses tell you
Steam Deck ratings are guidance about the game experience on the handheld. The Deck runs SteamOS, which is Linux-based; Valve’s Proton compatibility layer enables many Windows games to run on SteamOS. That is why a Windows PC result alone does not establish how a game will behave on Deck. Valve’s Steam Deck Verified program is intended to identify games that do not run well so customers have an idea of what to expect.
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The status is best read alongside the compatibility notes on the individual Steam store page. The label summarizes an assessment, while the notes can identify the particular interaction issue or failure relevant to that game.
What each label means
| Status | How to interpret it | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Verified | The strongest positive compatibility signal among these labels: Valve assesses the Deck experience as meeting its expectations for a good experience. | Read the live store listing anyway; a rating is not a promise that every setup or later game update will behave identically. |
| Playable | The game may be usable, but some friction or adjustment may be involved. It is still a positive signal, but weaker than Verified. | Look for the specific caveat on the store page. Playable games do not all have the same limitation. |
| Unsupported | An adverse compatibility assessment, but not proof that the game cannot launch or that every feature fails. | Check what the store page identifies as the problem and whether it affects the content you intend to use. |
| Unknown | Practical interpretation: no displayed official assessment to rely on. The exact current official definition was not established in the available Valve materials. | Do not treat it as evidence that the game works or fails. Check the live listing and any developer notes. |
Why Verified and Playable can differ
Basic launchability is not the only consideration: small usability obstacles can matter on a handheld. In a March 4, 2022 Steam Deck update, Valve illustrated the distinction with a game that shows controller prompts almost all the time but occasionally asks the player to press a keyboard key during gameplay. Valve said that example would be Playable rather than Verified.
#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
That is a dated illustration, not a complete current certification checklist. It also does not mean every Playable game asks for a keyboard input; use the game’s own compatibility note to understand its actual caveat.
Why Unsupported does not always mean nothing works
Valve’s same March 2022 post gave a counterintuitive example: a title could have most functionality accessible yet be Unsupported if an optional minigame crashes or a tutorial video does not render. The example shows that a failure in a particular part of a game can affect the overall assessment even when much of the title works. It documents Valve’s approach at that time, not a rule that explains every current Unsupported rating.
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
Ratings can change
Compatibility labels can become outdated as a game is patched, Proton changes, or developers improve their titles. Valve explicitly described ratings as snapshots in its June 2, 2022 update, which also said testing continued on both new releases and older games. Valve cited improvements to underlying technology and developer work as contributors to compatibility changes.
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For a current decision, open the game’s Steam store page rather than relying on an old screenshot or article. Read the status and its notes together, especially if you are deciding whether a specific mode or feature will work.
Quick Recap
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.
Rank #3
- Operating System: SteamOS 3.0
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