Yes, You Can Play Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla on the Steam Deck
As an avid gamer and Steam Deck owner myself, I can definitively say that you can play Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla on Valve‘s powerful handheld gaming PC. While getting epic Viking adventures on the go does require a bit of tweaking, the Steam Deck handles Valhalla incredibly well with some optimization.
In this detailed guide, I‘ll cover everything you need to know about playing one of Ubisoft‘s best open-world games on the Steam Deck – let‘s dive in!
Valhalla Earns a "Playable" Verification Rating
After months of speculation, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla officially launched on Steam on December 6th, 2022. This was a huge win for Steam Deck owners hoping to play the game portably.
According to ProtonDB reports, the Steam version of Valhalla has earned a “Playable” rating for verification on the Steam Deck. This means that while not 100% perfect out of the box, Valhalla runs very well with no major compatibility issues.
As of February 2023, over 87% of the 271 user reports state that Valhalla plays flawlessly or very well on the Steam Deck hardware. Most issues stem from the Ubisoft Connect integration rather than game performance itself.
| Compatibility Rating | Percentage of User Reports |
|---|---|
| Flawless | 44.65% |
| Very Playable | 42.44% |
| Playable | 8.12% |
| Issues | 2.58% |
| Unsupported | 2.21% |
This data confirms Valhalla as a great fit for the Steam Deck – with some set up prep, you can plunge into Viking lore on the go.
Smooth 30 FPS Performance on Default Settings
According to early benchmarks shared on gaming forums, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla runs very smoothly on the Steam Deck hardware. Players report fluid performance hitting 30 FPS reliably on the default Medium graphics preset.
Dropping back to 720p resolution sees even better returns, with frame rates in the 40s or 50s being common in my own playtesting. For a handheld experience, Valhalla feels great at 30 FPS – combat is still responsive and exploration enjoyable.
To maximize performance, tweak the internal settings down to Low/Minimum quality across the board. Combined with the resolution tweak, players state that Valhalla can almost hit 60 FPS consistently during typical world traversal and combat. Very impressive from mobile hardware!
Run at 800p Resolution for a Performance Boost
The Steam Deck’s native resolution is 1280×800 pixels – for less demanding games, this looks crisp on the 7-inch display. However, more taxing 3D titles like Valhalla benefit greatly from rendering at a lower resolution instead.
By forcing Valhalla to run at 800p instead, the GPU has to draw fewer pixels, freeing up processing power for better graphics and frame rates. You can create a custom 800p profile that automatically applies when launching the game.
I suggest either editing the Compatibility settings to force 800p globally, or create a separate shortcut just for Valhalla locked to that resolution. The visual difference is minimal but the performance uplift is worthwhile.
Installing Ubisoft Store and Epic Games Editions
Those who claimed Assassin’s Creed Valhalla for free via Ubisoft Connect or on the Epic Games Store can still access it on the Steam Deck too. It just takes a little tinkering compared to the native Steam version.
First, install the Ubisoft Connect and/or Epic Launchers via Desktop Mode. Then add Valhalla as a Non-Steam Game pointing to the respective game executable. This wraps your other game versions with Proton for Steam Deck compatibility.
While functional, early user reports suggest more tweaking is required for optimal gameplay compared to the Steam release. Stability issues around Ubisoft Connect in particular means more testing over time is needed.
Cloud Saves and Online Features Work Through Ubisoft Connect
Like all Ubisoft titles, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla relies on the Ubisoft Connect backend for online features, achievements, cloud saves and more. The good news is that this appears to work correctly when playing Valhalla on the Steam Deck.
On first launch, you’ll be prompted to login or create a Ubisoft account if you don’t already have one. Once connected, cloud saves, stat tracking and even connecting with friends all functioned fine in my testing.
There are isolated reports of connectivity dropping out temporarily which may cause cloud sync issues. For the most part however, Valhalla’s online integration works nicely – Ubisoft Connect happily runs in the background with minimal overhead.
The Verdict – Plunge into Valhalla on Steam Deck!
In closing, I heartily recommend giving Assassin’s Creed Valhalla a go on the Steam Deck, especially with the native Steam release now available. Smooth frame rates, intuitive controls and fully functional online features make for an awesome handheld experience.
With hundreds of hours of content, the ability to take this vast Norse saga anywhere makes it the perfect Steam Deck game. Some graphical compromises are needed in the name of performance but Valhalla still shines brightly as a “very playable” mobile port.
Between the varied combat, gorgeous world and epic Viking storylines, I’ve loved sailing and raiding my way across Norway and England with the Steam Deck. If you’re searching for your next immersive open-world adventure on the go, look no further than Assassin’s Creed Valhalla on Steam Deck!
