Verified means Valve found that a game works great on Steam Deck out of the box. Playable means it functions, but you may need to handle a setup step yourself—such as choosing a controller layout, opening the on-screen keyboard, or navigating a launcher with the touchscreen. The difference is chiefly how much effort the game may require, not a simple yes-or-no judgment about whether it runs.
What do Steam Deck Verified and Playable mean?
Valve assigns compatibility labels after reviewing how a game works on Steam Deck. Verified is the clearest sign of a low-setup experience. Playable indicates that the game works but has one or more issues that may require user input or adjustment. The rating details for an individual game explain what Valve flagged.
Valve’s player-facing definition says a Playable game “may require some manual tweaking by the user to play.” Its examples include manually choosing a community controller configuration and using the touchscreen to navigate a launcher. Valve’s Steam Deck: Deck Verified page also lists the main areas it reviews: Input, Display, Seamlessness, and System Support.
How the four ratings differ
| Rating | What Valve’s label means | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Verified | Works great on Deck out of the box and meets the compatibility checks. | Best indication that you can start playing without extra setup. Check the details if a particular control, display, or other requirement matters to you. |
| Playable | Functions, but may require manual tweaking. | Read the game’s specific notes and decide whether the required setup is acceptable. |
| Unsupported | Valve’s review currently finds that the game is not functional on Deck. | Do not assume it will launch or play successfully; check the issue details and whether the status has since changed. |
| Unknown | Valve has not completed a compatibility review or published an official result. | This is missing review information, not a finding that the game fails. |
These ratings affect how games are presented, not whether they are available to buy or appear in your library. A title may remain in the Steam store even if its rating indicates problems on Deck. Valve’s compatibility review documentation describes how the rating system works.
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#1 Best Overall
- 1TB NVMe SSD
- 1280 x 800 HDR OLED display with premium anti-glare etched glass, 7.4" Diagonal display size up to 90Hz refresh rate
- Wi-Fi 6E
- 50Whr battery; 3-12 hours of gameplay (content-dependent)
- Carrying case with removable liner
What Valve checks for a Verified rating
Input
The controls should work with a gamepad, use appropriate controller button prompts, and let the player bring up the on-screen keyboard when text entry is needed. Some Playable games may instead require you to select a controller layout or open the keyboard manually.
Display
Valve checks that the game supports Deck resolutions, starts with sensible default settings, and displays legible text. The Steamworks criteria discuss Deck display resolutions of 1280×800 or 1280×720 and set text-legibility expectations.
Seamlessness
The game should avoid compatibility warnings and make any launcher navigable with a controller. If you need to use the touchscreen to get through a launcher, that can be a reason for a Playable rating.
Rank #2
- International (UK) Version
- 7.4” diagonal, HDR OLED, 1280 x 800 x RGB, up to 90Hz Refresh rate, High performance touch, <0.1 ms Response time, 1,000 nits peak brightness (HDR), 600 nits (SDR)
- SteamOS 3.0 (Arch-based)
- 512GB NVMe SSD, 16GB LPDDR5 on-board RAM (5500 MT/s quad 32-bit channels), microSD UHS-I supports SD, SDXC and SDHC
- 6 nm AMD APU, CPU: Zen 2 4c/8t, 2.4-3.5GHz (up to 448 GFlops FP32
System support
For games running through Proton, Valve checks whether the game and required middleware work, including anti-cheat support. The Steamworks criteria also say a game’s default configuration must provide access to all content and reach a playable framerate. The shared Steam Deck and Steam Machine criteria describe 30 fps at 800p; that criterion should not be read as a promise of a particular frame rate in every scene or for every player.
Can you play a Playable game?
Usually, the label means the game functions but may call for a workaround or manual setup. Whether that is acceptable depends on the specific issue. A one-time controller-layout change may be manageable; a launcher that is awkward to navigate or text that is difficult to read may matter more to some players.
Before deciding, open the game’s Steam compatibility details and look for the actual reason it is marked Playable. Consider:
- Whether the default controls and button prompts suit how you play.
- Whether you are comfortable using the touchscreen or on-screen keyboard if needed.
- Whether the interface text is readable on the Deck screen.
- Whether the game and any required middleware work through Proton.
Steam Support directs players to the individual game’s compatibility details for its specific findings. Steam Deck – Software Info & Troubleshooting Guide
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does Verified guarantee performance?
No. Verified is compatibility guidance, not a game-quality score or a guarantee of an identical experience for every player. Valve’s criteria include a playable-framerate condition in the default configuration, but the badge alone does not establish a universal frame-rate target, battery life, or image-quality result.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteValve also documents technical recommendations that may improve comfort, battery life, or performance without changing a game’s compatibility rating. For a specific title, use its current compatibility details rather than infer those outcomes from the badge.
Rank #4
- Valve is entering the gaming console marketplace with the new Steam Deck, a console geared towards PC gamers. The Steam Deck can be docked to a monitor, and used as a PC, or docked to a TV.
- Players can play a huge variety of games at any time with the comfort of a console and the freedom of a PC. Not anti-glare screen.
- Like the name suggests, the Steam Deck will include upgraded 1TB storage, and will include a carrying case. A micro SD slot will also enable expanded storage.
- Valve partnered with AMD to create a specialized APU optimized for handheld gaming, and Valve says the chip will deliver performance to run AAA gaming titles.
- The Steam Deck is outfitted with a 7-inch touchscreen, and two trackpads under the control sticks that allow gamers to operate games never designed outside of mouse and keyboard capabilities.
Can Steam Deck ratings change, and do they apply to OLED?
Yes. Valve describes its review as ongoing. Games may be retested as Deck software and features improve, after Proton updates, when new tests are added, or when reports indicate that test information may be inaccurate or incomplete. Check the game’s current Steam listing or library details rather than relying on an old screenshot.
Valve says tested ratings apply to both Steam Deck LCD and OLED models. Its compatibility documentation also covers Steam Machine, but Steam Machine and Steam Deck ratings are independent; the labels explained here are for Deck.
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