How to Play Diablo 4 on Steam Deck

This article will show you how to Play Diablo 4 on Steam Deck. Diablo 4, an action role-playing game coming out in 2023 from Blizzard Entertainment, is one of the biggest and most anticipated games of the year, especially for longtime fans of the dark fantasy series. Since both critics and players were very positive about the game’s beta in April 2023, fans are understandably very excited to get their hands on the action RPG this coming week.

The fourth mainline game in the famous dark fantasy series is coming out as a cross-gen game. This means that it will be playable on both current-gen consoles (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S) and older consoles (PlayStation 4 and Xbox One). Still, some players are interested in the PC version of the game, especially since handheld gaming computers like the Steam Deck have become more popular in recent years. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to Play Diablo 4 on Steam Deck.

System Requirements: Diablo 4

Why play Diablo 4 on Steam Deck?

1. Portability: The Steam Deck is a handheld gaming device, allowing players to take their gaming experience on the go. Playing Diablo 4 on the Steam Deck means you can enjoy the game anywhere, whether it’s during a commute, while traveling, or simply lounging on the couch.
2. Performance: The Steam Deck is designed to handle demanding games, and Diablo 4 being a graphically intensive game, can run smoothly on the device. It provides a satisfying gaming experience without compromising on performance.
3. Integration with Steam: Since the Steam Deck is developed by Valve, it seamlessly integrates with the Steam platform. This means you can easily access your Steam library, friends, and achievements, making the gaming experience more convenient and familiar.
4. Controls and Touchscreen: The Steam Deck features various control options, including physical buttons, thumbsticks, and a touchscreen. Diablo 4, being an action RPG, can benefit from the versatile controls, allowing for precise gameplay and interactions.
5. Customization and Mods: The Steam Deck, being a PC-based handheld, allows players to customize their gaming experience. You can install mods, tweak settings, and personalize the game to suit your preferences.

How to Play Diablo 4 on Steam Deck

1. Hold down the Steam button in the lower left corner of the Steam Deck, and then go to Desktop Mode.
2. Open the web browser, which is usually Firefox, and search for Battle.net. Then download the application, but don’t install it yet.
3. Once the Battle.net installation exe file has been downloaded, open Steam in Desktop Mode and add a non-Steam game to the launcher in the lower left corner. Find the Battle.net installation file, which is an.exe, and add it to Steam.
4. Next, open Steam and make sure the installation file is set to Proton Experimental by looking at its properties. If so, run the installation file through Steam to finish installing the client.
5. Once the installation is done, add the newly installed Battle.net launcher to Steam as a non-Steam game using the same method you used for the installation file. Then start the launcher. It will ask players to log in, which can be a pain if two-factor authentication is set up (which it should be!). From there, players can use the touchscreen to install Diablo 4 by hand.

Best Settings on Steam Deck

Diablo 4 is a big game, and even though the Steam Deck is powerful overall, it doesn’t have a very good GPU. To make sure that Diablo 4 runs well on the Steam Deck, you need to change a few settings. With the recommended settings listed below, most players can run Diablo 4 on Steam Deck at a relatively stable frame rate of 40 FPS. It will change, which is fine. Players shouldn’t notice any frame drops or lag that are too big.

1. 40Hz Put a limit on the Steam Deck settings.
2. In Steam Deck settings, you can’t go over 40 FPS.
3. Change the graphics in the game to the Medium Preset.
4. Set the sharpness between 30 and 60, depending on your taste.
5. Set the AMD FSR 2.0 to Quality.
6. Set the distortion to Off.
7. Large font size is chosen.
8. Medium is the size of the cursor.
9. Turn Low FX off.

With these settings, the game should be stable, but the battery life is about what you’d expect. On the Steam Deck, players should be able to play for at most two hours, which is a pretty big deal.

About Diablo 4

Blizzard Entertainment made Diablo IV, an action role-playing game set in the year 2023. It is the fourth main game in the Diablo series. The game came out on June 5, 2023, for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, and Microsoft Windows. It was announced at BlizzCon 2019, which was held in 2019. Players make a character from one of five classes—Barbarian, Druid, Necromancer, Rogue, or Sorcerer—and use their skills in combat to complete quests.

The early access period for the game was long. Public betas were available starting in March 2023, and official early access started on June 1. Some features from the previous games in the series came back, like the focus on replayable, procedurally generated dungeons and building characters based on loot, but there were also some new things, like an open world and player-versus-player combat.

Conclusion

Diablo 4 is almost here, and it may already be out by the time you read this. But many people played Blizzard’s latest action hack-and-slash RPG before its official release on June 6. They did this during the long beta tests. Even back then, a lot of people wondered if Diablo IV could be played on Steam Deck. Let’s find out!

Questions and Answers