Tapping into the excitement surrounding the Steam Deck, Valve’s innovative handheld gaming PC, many gamers are eager to know if they can dive into the intense action of Call of Duty on this portable device. Known for its robust hardware and vast game library, the Steam Deck has captured the attention of the gaming community with promises of unparalleled gaming on the go. This article delves into the possibility of playing Call of Duty titles on the Steam Deck, addressing the challenges of anti-cheat requirements and Linux compatibility, along with solutions and key information.
Can You Play Call of Duty on the Steam Deck?
Absolutely, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is indeed playable on the Steam Deck. However, to enjoy this title on your handheld device, you’ll need to install Windows 11. The reason for this requirement is the game’s utilization of Ricochet anti-cheat technology, which necessitates the Windows operating system for compatibility. This step ensures that you can experience the intense action of Modern Warfare 3 on your Steam Deck, albeit with the additional installation of Windows 11.
Compatibility of Call of Duty Games with the Steam Deck
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
This acclaimed entry into the franchise, released on October 28, 2022, is playable on various platforms, including Steam. This means that you can experience Modern Warfare 2 on the Steam Deck. However, it comes with a caveat: to launch the game, you’ll need to install a Windows operating system due to incompatibility with Modern Warfare 2’s Ricochet anti-cheat. Keep in mind that the game’s performance on the handheld device may vary.
Call of Duty: Warzone
Warzone, the immensely popular free-to-play battle royale mode of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, has amassed a huge player base since its launch. Presently, Warzone isn’t natively supported on the Steam Deck due to the game’s limited player base on Linux. Yet, there’s a workaround to play Warzone (and Modern Warfare 2) on the Steam Deck through dual booting with another operating system, such as Windows.
Call of Duty: Cold War
As of the latest update, Call of Duty: Cold War is not supported on the Steam Deck. The game is currently non-functional on the handheld device, and there’s no official confirmation regarding future compatibility. Stay tuned for updates from Valve and the game developers for any potential compatibility updates, including the possibility of the game moving to Xbox Game Pass.
Tips for Optimal Performance
For an optimal gaming experience when playing Call of Duty titles on the Steam Deck, especially through dual-booting, consider the following tips:
- Keep your Steam Deck’s firmware and software updated to benefit from performance enhancements and bug fixes.
- Close any unnecessary background applications to free up system resources and enhance overall performance.
- Monitor your device’s temperature and take breaks if it becomes too hot to prevent overheating.
Final Thoughts
While Call of Duty isn’t currently natively playable on the Steam Deck, similar to other games incompatible with Linux, there exists a workaround involving dual-booting Windows and Linux to ensure smooth anti-cheat functionality on your console. Looking forward, the transition of Call of Duty games to Xbox Game Pass might offer a more straightforward avenue for access on the Steam Deck, bypassing the need for a secondary operating system installation.
