Valve released the Steam Deck earlier this year. It is a handheld console that is similar to the Nintendo Switch. It could be connected to a monitor or you could game on the go.
The Steam Deck is basically a compact computer designed to play a full Steam library. It also has a Windows PC game compatibility feature.
Now, there are games on Steam PC that can be played in offline mode. Is it the same with the Steam Deck? Let’s find out.
Can Steam Deck Be Played Offline?
Yes, you can play your favorite games on the Steam Deck while offline. But you need to get online first and download your game beforehand. It works the same as Steam on PC.
The downside to playing offline is you are not able to access the online multiplayer features of your game.
For example, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is massive online with tournaments happening regularly. However, the offline mode only allows you to play against bots. This is the same case if you play CS:GO on the Steam Deck.
What Is Steam Offline Mode
The Steam Offline Mode is a feature that allows you to play single-player games without connecting to the internet. It is also available for online multiplayer titles that have offline features like bot mode from CS: GO.
How To Setup Steam Offline Mode
You need to set up your Steam offline mode before you can play your game without a connection. Here’s how to do it.
- Open Steam and log in while connected to the internet.
- Check your games and make sure that everything is installed properly.
- Launch the game that you want and wait if it opens up without extra downloaded files. If it downloads extra files then do not disconnect from your connection yet. You need to have the full game file downloaded.
- Close the game and go back to Steam.
- Navigate to Steam then click on Settings. Head over to Account.
- Deselect the “don’t save account credentials on this computer”.
- Go back to the main page of Steam.
- Navigate to Steam, then click on Go Offline then click on Enter Offline Mode. This will set your Steam Deck to offline mode.
- To verify, close your Steam.
- Open Steam again.
- A pop-up will appear asking you to Go Online or Start in Offline Mode.
- Select Offline Mode.
- Open your game and have fun!
Valve released an update back on April 6, 2022, that allows you to switch from online to offline mode without restarting Steam.
Steam Deck Offline Mode Problems
The Steam offline mode is not perfect and you might encounter some of them every once in a while.
Here are the common Steam Deck Offline Mode problems and how to prevent them.
1. Losing Saved Data
Playing in Offline Mode means that Steam could not back up your file immediately to the cloud. Sometimes, the Steam Deck might fail in saving your game data and other information.
Prevent this from happening by shutting down your console properly. Do not force close your games and other apps.
2. Update Your Game Before Going Offline
There are games that can be played offline despite having an update. However, this might cause a problem once you go online since the game is technically outdated.
Make it a habit to update your games regularly before going offline. Make sure that the files are verified too to prevent game corruption.
3. Keep Your Steam Deck Updated
There are bugs wherein you cannot open a game on your Steam Deck because the actual Steam OS is outdated. Like your games, make sure that your Steam Deck software is also up to date. This is to prevent bugs from happening. Doing so will also make sure that your unit will receive any bug fixes directly from Valve.
Can You Play Nintendo Switch Games On The Steam Deck?
Since the Steam Deck is technically a computer, you can install a Nintendo Switch emulator and play Switch games for free. Doing so might also provide a smoother gaming experience since the Steam Deck hardware is more modern and better than the Switch.
The question now is, it is worth doing?
Not at all. There are players who have modded their Steam Deck to accommodate Switch games already as seen in this video by LinusTechTips on YouTube.
Playing Switch games on the Steam Deck is possible but there are repercussions to this one because it is piracy and doing so is illegal. Nintendo is famous for hardware bans and who knows, Valve might do it too.
Do not attempt to emulate Switch games on your Steam Deck if you do not want to face the consequences. No one knows what will happen at the moment, but it is not worth experiencing.
Wrapping Up
The Valve Steam Deck is a pocket computer that lets you play any game in your Steam Library anywhere you want. It even includes regular Steam features such as offline mode.
This console is a competitor to the Nintendo Switch and beyond the excellent Nintendo exclusives, the Steam Deck might even be the better buy.
Grab yours now if you are interested. The production is ramping up but the stocks are still limited.
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