Is Once Human playable on Steam Deck?
Starry Studio's Once Human game is set to launch globally on July 9, 2024. This multiplayer survival game is set in a post-apocalyptic world and has created a lot of hype ever since its trailer was first released. Starry Studio did a total of three public beta trials to test Once Human before the final release, but the studio didn't mention anything about the Steam Deck. Fortunately, the game can be played on the Steam Deck without issues if you are willing to install Windows.
In this article, we will tell how the game performs on Steam Deck and how you can install the game.
Note: The process mentioned below may change with future game updates.
Once Human can be played on Steam Deck
During Once Human's beta testing in the last six months, it did run on Steam Deck with Windows installed. So yes, you can play it on Steam Deck, but it requires you to install Windows.
The game cannot be played natively on SteamOS due to the anti-cheat program, which refuses to run under Proton or Lutris. The best way to play Once Human on Steam Deck is through Windows.
Some users may manage to get the anti-cheat running on SteamOS, but there's no documented way of doing this. Also, trying to run the anti-cheat via proton could lead to a ban.
How well does Once Human run on Steam Deck?
Even with Windows installed, Once Human didn't run quite well during the beta period. In the open areas, the FPS was below 30 most of the time, but in closed quarters, the performance bounced back to around 40 FPS. Even at these framerates, the game stuttered and didn't provide a decent playable experience.
However, Once Human was in the beta stage back then, so its lackluster performance is excusable, but we are hoping everything gets fixed by the time the game releases.
How to run Once Human on Steam Deck?
You can download the game immediately after its release on July 9, 2024. The installation will be pretty simple on Windows.
Here's how to install Once Human on Windows:
- Head over to Steam or Epic Games Store.
- Get the game from the store and install it right away.
- You may need to agree with its EULA, and then the download will begin.
- Once the download is complete, run the game, and all necessary files will be installed automatically.
- Enjoy Once Human.