Rockstar is not at fault!

Is Valve's Steam Deck compatibility program fair to developers and gamers? This video dives into the complex world of Steam Deck game compatibility, exploring how Valve's approach might be problematic for both developers and consumers.

We break down:
The hidden realities of Steam Deck's 'Verified' game ratings
Why developers aren't always responsible for Steam Deck compatibility issues
How Valve's market dominance impacts game compatibility expectations
The potential risks for consumers buying 'Verified' games

Using a thought-provoking analogy, we examine why Valve's current approach could be seen as an overreach of their market position. Whether you're a Steam Deck owner, a PC gamer, or a game developer, this video offers crucial insights into the often misunderstood world of game compatibility.

Join the discussion in the comments: Do you think Valve needs to change its approach to Steam Deck compatibility?
Don't forget to like and subscribe

Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
0:59 - What Valve Did
1:19 - Background on the Steam Deck
1:49 - The Problem! (GTA as an example)
2:46 - Rockstar's Response seems weird
3:10 - Technical Explanation
4:38 - Misleading "Compatibility" communication
6:11 - No proper education before buying a Steam Deck
8:41 - Summary
9:46 - How we fix this situation?
11:32 - Thank you for watching

[beyondtheringgaming]

If you are coming here to focus on Rockstar and tell me how battleeye actually works on the Steam Deck. You missed the point. I said in the video that Rockstar was not the focus of this video and is instead an example of a problem with expectations.

Yes Rockstar can fix this problem but my point here about how Valve communicates expectations and risks to customers still stands. This has been an issue that has come up multiple times with other games, this is just the biggest example so far.

Conversations about competition for Windows are irrelevant to Valve's communication.

All that I am advocating for here is a simple disclaimer when a game is verified to state that it being verified does not mean that developers support the steam deck and it could break at any time.
And that valve should better educate users on what Proton is and how their Windows games are actually running on SteamOS.

That is a simple thing for them to do. We still have Linux gaming, we still have the steam deck, just better educate.

Valve created this new platform, that works fundamentally different than most gamers are used too. They have a responsibility to explain this difference to users

I don't understand why Valve seems so immune to criticism. Why do we act like this cooperation is our friend?


If you have decided to come here just to spew personal attacks, don't waste your time. I will delete your comment.

[beanwithbacon]

Wow, a console gamer spending 12 minutes to explain he has zero clue how PC gaming works. Also Valve has actually done a pretty solid job of informing people what will and will not run on the SteamDeck.

[quaddamage]

Rockstar made changes 9 years after the release of the game, so people are in their right to be upset.

Secondly: It is possible to use the BattlEye anti-cheat Linux-based devices with Proton. It is up to the developer to contact BattlEye to enable it for their game. BattlEye say themselves “No additional work is required by the developer besides that communication.”

And thirdly: In a more positive update, Valve are in contact with Rockstar over the situation. Reddit user notjordansime shared a response they got from Steam support. It claimed “We understand that it is frustrating for the users who purchased this game we are currently working with Rockstar Games to find a fix.”

[jamesfreeman]

The issue with that argument is that the eac has an option to support Linux devices, they just won't have access to the kernel. It goes a bit deeper than just the developers not programming for a platform because that's supposed to be handled by proton wine. People who are using Linux aren't asking for the developers to actively support the game for Linux, just ask that they don't put up roadblocks to prevent it. Remember when halo 2 came out for pc in 2008ish? Can't play it even if you use windows unless you have vista games installed on a vista ran desktop, they put up blocks to keep it from being played when vista went end of service. Just my two cents

[Subie]

I believe Valve should put a mark beside the "deck verified" that also states the developer is supporting it on the Deck.

[ralph]

Well, there is a battleye for Proton/Linux that is supported but Rockstar chose NOT to use it. There is a bigger picture you are not seeing here. Valve has been trying to give gamers an alternative from Windows since Windows 8.1 debacle launch issues. With their release of SteamOS/SteamPCs that failed and eventually lead to Steamdeck. Windows 10 removed DRM that was related to play old games. Due to "Security" reasons. Windows 7 had an awesome Virtual PC to run old versions of Windows 95, 98, ME to play old games but did not include it on later versions. There have been a few games that did not work at launch on the Steamdeck but those devs quickly worked on a patch and worked. Seems mostly indie developers actually care about their users. Seen more indie games running on Windows/Linux/Mac. What a novel idea of trying to get money by being diverse.


Rockstar is part of the issue along with Microsoft. There is a demand with steamdeck users wanting to play games they purchased on different platforms. I would not be surprised Microsoft said something to Rockstar to stem users from jumping ship Windows to Linux. I have seen more "Why I left Windows" or "Linux Challenge" or "Why you should be using Linux" videos in the last 6 months. I have also seen with the Windows Co-pilot issue and many users jumping to Linux and seeing a slight bump on Linux on desktop. I am one that is running Linux on one laptop and steamdeck. My desktops are running Windows for now. Depending where you hear your tech news. Microsoft insiders mentioned that Microsoft is taking a look at handhelds more. What a coincidence Rog Ally, MSI Claw, and others that run Windows do not have this issue? They run windows. Wouldn't it make sense to make it difficult to your competitor. It is microsoft, remember the Netscape and Internet Explorer? Also rockstar has been getting more greedy by nickle and diming GTA5 Online. With their GTA+ subscription, shark cards and took them over 7 years before a user found a way to make the game launch faster. Then Rockstar incorporated it into the game to make it more efficient. Years of hackers invading the game and they have done nothing about it. I want the OPTION to play GTA5 Online on Linux or Windows. I paid for the game. Not like I can play games on Mac.

Years ago, Blizzard was banning users for using Linux to play World of Warcraft. Something in their system was showing mods/security issues. Then they backed off due to the backlash and the important thing was getting more subs to pay for their game. Now its a non issue. Blizzard does not advertise it but is aware of it. Users are telling Devs there is a market for Linux and those Devs are ignoring us. Grassroots starts slow, and gaining traction. I think Steamdeck is gaining more traction than what people lead on. A steamdeck is cheaper and better than a PS5 Pro cost wise. The whole backbone of the internet is run on Linux/Unix.

[THE-SEEN-SINS]

It’s gonna be hilarious too because Microsoft is going to block kernel level access in the future which means Rockstar will have to either change anti-cheat or remove it all together, which means it’s going to work on steam deck again in the future. They’re doing this just to be petty or they’re being paid to do this.

[Snooty]

I sorta get what you’re saying, but to understand “that” way is to pretend that the Steam Deck is a console… just like your PlayStation analogy, if PS made a portable console half way down the line AND required all existing game companies to support it if they wanted to continue to stay on the platform then yes, PlayStation would be at fault. But Valve isn’t forcing game companies to support their hardware, that also includes their own games. It’s just that Steam Deck is the most popular handheld platform for PC, and some game companies realize that, so they support it. Now I agree, Valve should have a clearer outline on the compatibility of games on their Steam Deck, and if the game companies support it. But I don’t agree that it’s Valve’s fault if a game breaks. Developing games on console is a lot more streamlined, one hardware configuration for a set number of years, and the game devs know this, they also know that developing on PC is the polar opposite… they have to account for all the hardware and software configurations that comes with PC. That way the game runs, it’s not AMD’s fault if let’s say the next call of duty crashes because that game isn’t compatible with their CPUs. The game devs have to fix it to run on all types of CPUs for it to be well received by all, or they’ll get an angry group of AMD users. Rockstar broke a game on a PC platform, if they don’t want an angry group of Steam Deck users, then they’ll fix it.

[specialfred]

If something is working and you break it, you are responsible for breaking it

[Nurgul]

Rockstar knowingly chose to use kernel-level anticheat software that was
a) not there from the start (and thus users didn't accept it when they bought the game)
b) deliberately unsupported for steamdeck (by selecting the unsupported version)

The whole idea of "supported by the developer platform" is a joke. If you play game from 2018 on your new 4090, and it didn't work, who should you blame? Nvidia for making a GPU? Or the developer who broke new gpu suppprt in the recent update because, "ugh, guys, we dont support any new gpus after gtx 980"?

Handheld gaming is here to stay, and ignoring the existance of steamdeck (the most popular handheld, sold by the biggest pc gaming store) by the developers or publishers is an utter joke and childish approach to business.

[TheyCallMeReo]

The problem is how long they waited to do this, not to mention doing it during a sale where many people bought the game specifically for steamdeck. whether or not rockstar should be obligated is not the issue people have, the issue is the lack of care for consumer (i do agree valve should be more clear but to be completly fair they told us half life 3 was going to happen so we shouldnt be suprised)

[specialfred]

An update can break a game that previously ran on your hardware?

Welcome to PC ownership. Have you seen Hunt Showdown 1896?

[personwomanmancameratelevision]

This clearly shows the difference between a Console and a PC gamers mentality.

You can take EVERY console from gameboy to PS5 and it doenst come close to the number of games available on Steam and not counting the fact the steamdeck can emulate up to ps3 in some cases. So tens of thousands of games are available for the Deck. There is no practical way where one company can verify all of them AND every update without becoming a very limited console device like a PS5 or switch.

The verified tag is a snapshot not an ongoing verification. If the Dev never updated the game, after verified, it still works. If the DEV added something that broke compatibility then it is on the DEV not steam but "Good Guy Valve" typically updates proton to fix what devs dont. When you publish on steam you follow a general guideline. You make the game available and the user can chose their hardware/software to make it work but there is no guarantee you meet requirements even then.

So let's keep it simple. If I have windows(current year), will every windows game created for windows(all versions) work? the answer is an easy no. some old some new are not compatible for various reasons.
You expect Microsoft to evaluate every PC game from windows 3.1(dos) to windows 11(directx) for compatibility or is the Dev responsible?

MS makes the platform support some tools like directX, api etc but it ultimately comes to the dev.
PC gaming is not locked down like consoles, where you cannot mod, adjust or make items compatible. You act as if updates on console games dont crash, corrupt saves or have issues even with software certifications.

MS doesn't educate consumers on what should work or not so why should Valve? There is a huge open community that can do what Valve or microsoft(windows) cannot do.

[slipper]

the verified tag means that the games run on the steam deck it doesnt mean that the dev are the ones who support it i know reading is very hard as u said no where does it say who supports it when the blurb says that the game runs and all functions work on the steam deck and that is all

[kurt]

Dude, it is really really RALLY simple. Check mark means Steam tested the game and runs on Steam Deck at the present moment. Then check the game requirements as one should do anyway, and see if it is listed Linux. If it is, it means it has official support from developers. If there is no linux listed there, it means it does not have official linux support and the compatibility relays on proton compatibility layer. Come on, it is not rocket science, you don't need to understand what proton is, you may even think it is a spell book and still understand the situation.

[Claude-vv]

There is only one reason why is not working, and is that they don't want to enable Steamdeck support for EAC, that's it, is not like they have to code or recreate something from scratch is just that they don't want Linux users to play gta online, that's it literally

[Immortan_Bob]

Rockstar is being forced to support an OS they should have been supporting from the start. I offer them zero sympathies.

[luciferverone]

Gamers come first, companies come second. Simple as that. Especially when they have the audacity to charge 100 dollars for a game. You know GTA6 will be 100 dollars on release.

[MonsieurGinger]

Wasn't subscribed to this and now definitely not going to. Do some research. I wasn't going to comment but this was so misinformed I felt I had to. You're welcome for the engagement.

[macstevins]

If a game has a problem running on Proton, its not the devs fault, its a problem on Protons end