Fans hoping to play Steam Deck had it delivered by Gabe Newell himself. The powerful device allows s to play games from their Steam libraries while on the go. While many massive games like Elden Ring and No Man Sky have received full Steam Deck , other games that require Windows' anti-cheat software, like Destiny 2, are not so lucky.
The ongoing sci-fi shooter Destiny 2 recently released its largest expansion yet, titled The Witch Queen. For a game that was released almost five years ago, Destiny 2 has managed to maintain an audience of hundreds of thousands of players with new updates and content. Crossplay, cross saving, and the game's free to play availability have made Destiny 2 one of the most accessible experiences in today's gaming landscape. However, the game's developer says Destiny 2 is not ready for the Steam Deck.
Unfortunately, this means that Destiny 2's massive number of players cannot play the game on the Steam Deck, because the hardware's operating system cannot handle the anti-cheat software and drivers required to play the game. As reported by IGN, Valve's handheld device is running on SteamOS, a customized version of the Linux operating system called Proton. The main issue is that those critical anti-cheat systems used for games like Destiny 2, Lost Ark, and Fortnite are not compatible with Proton. Bungie's official Destiny 2 page specifically informs players who attempt to by restrictions and try to run the game on Steam Deck will be banned from playing Destiny 2.
The news may upset some fans looking forward to going up against Destiny 2's Witch Queen on their new Steam Decks. Bungie has said that Destiny 2 could work on the Steam Deck if the device could install and run Windows. Still, it would need a currently unreleased graphics driver to be able to operate. The Steam Deck's operating system is not currently equipped to handle the anti-cheat software required to play Destiny 2, but that could someday change.
Portable PC gaming is not a new phenomenon. Still, Valve is the first to release such a powerful device with -friendly controls at a price point comparable to newer gaming systems. Valve has been rapid in fixing software issues for the device, such as the Steam Deck's drifting joystick issue, which has already been resolved. While the PC gaming giant has already announced plans for a better Steam Deck somewhere down the line, it will continue to improve the first device and increase the number of games compatible with it. Hopefully, someday that will include Destiny 2.
Destiny 2 The Witch Queen is available on PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
