Starfield might work on the Steam Deck, but we shouldn’t get our hopes up – at least according to Bethesda’s Todd Howard, who mentions the handheld in the context of Starfield compatibility. On the other hand, some of the game’s resolution options could make it a decent handheld pick, at least given the right specs.
Starfield Compatibility with Steam Deck
When questioned about Starfield’s Steam Deck compatibility during a recent Giant Bomb podcast, Howard mentions Starfield’s large font option, pointing out that the RPG’s text size adjustment could be a benefit on handhelds. That said, the Bethesda boss quickly clarifies that he has game streaming in mind, conceding that DeckOS’s RAM deficit and lack of a mouse may prove problematic.
“I’m sure we’ll talk about that later down the road, but nah, the handheld rigs are really only geared towards that,” Howard replies, when asked directly about Steam Deck support. “But it could work, sure.”
It’s not a definitive answer either way, but the fact that I had to add the (admittedly weak) phrase “could work” after “no” is some of the most positive Deckfield news I’ve heard. Particularly given the rather hefty Starfield minimum specs, it would be no surprise if the Bethesda RPG wasn’t within the Deck’s capabilities.
With that said, those specs likely point to 1080p resolution, low graphics settings, and a consistent 30fps. In contrast, large font mode (and potentially some 720p resolutions) could boost fps a little and make Starfield playable on the go, as long as you meet the appropriate system requirements.
Of course, graphics aren’t the only factor that matters on the gaming PC, and the Steam Deck’s six core, twelve thread CPUs could struggle compared to the quad core, eight thread Zen 2 in Starfield. Particularly with the suggested 125 GB of SSD space, the base-model Deck seems woefully underpowered to run Bethesda’s upcoming RPG, even in offline mode.
It’s possible to run Starfield on the Steam Deck, but don’t necessarily expect the handheld to be a desirable platform for the RPG – at least not until Bethesda shares plans for the game. I mention this not because I want to rain on anyone’s Deck parade, but because trying to launch the game on unspecific terms amounts to blind faith.
In the meantime, check out our complete Steam Deck guide, where you’ll discover everything you need to know about Valve’s handheld.
