Concord on Steam Deck: Performance & alternatives

Concord is heading to PS5 and PC but after a brief beta test, the game won’t work on the Steam Deck natively. Things could change, but we doubt it’ll launch in a playable state.

Unless Sony patches the PlayStation PC integration to support Linux, there’s no way Concord will be working on the Steam Deck. 

Any attempts to boot up the game on the Valve handheld results immediately in an error screen that specifies that “Wine, Proton and Steam Deck” are not supported by the game. Even Sony states the game is “not playable” on Deck due to it requiring Windows access for its PlayStation Network features.While playing natively on Deck is out of the question, you could just dual-boot Windows to see if Concord will run. It’s a relatively simple process and easily reversed with a full format of your SSD.

Steam Deck performance

If you install the game with a dual-booted Windows Deck, you’ll find the game still doesn’t perform as it should. Even with Frame Generation, the system will only play Concord at around 40FPS.

• CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
• RAM: 8GB DDR4
• GPU: Nvidia GTX 1660 6GB or AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT
• Storage: 30GB SSD

We’ll have to wait for the full launch to see how performance improves as development continues.

We’ve already tested games that require a little bit more from systems before this. However, even existing multiplayer games with similar requirements like Battlefield 2042, are vastly different in scope. It’s quite difficult to compare, especially when the game’s direct comparison, Overwatch 2, requires so little it’s not worth comparing.

Concord’s struggles on Steam Deck explained

From what Sucker Punch said when they confirmed a lack of online support for Ghost of Tsushima on Steam Deck, this is similar to Call of Duty or Valorant. 

Sucker Punch’s comment from a Steam news post said:

“You may notice that Steam marks the game as ‘Unsupported’ for Steam Deck. 

“This is due to the Legends co-op multiplayer mode requiring Windows to access PlayStation Network integrated features.”

More online games require access to deeper-level functions of Windows. We can’t confirm if PlayStation’s integration requires kernel-level access like Valorant, nor can the community. 

Linux does not have the dependencies or access to key Windows functions, even with translation layers. 

Proton, the translation layer for getting Windows applications to run on Linux, only simulates a barebones Windows environment. The core aspects and necessities most video games require to run. What it can’t simulate is the kernel and some proprietary functions of Windows. 

This is also why you can’t play Fortnite on the Steam Deck. Most developers have concerns about cheating, as Linux provides multiple ways to tinker with games. Some, like Bungie and Destiny 2, presumably don’t see the value in altering their anti-cheat to support Linux due to its low player base. 

Factor in aversion to risks in their multiplayer game, it often leads to Linux platforms, like the Steam Deck, going unsupported.

Concord on Steam Deck alternatives: Streaming

If you own both a Steam Deck and a PS5, you could easily stream the game to the Deck. We have a full guide on how to use Chiaki-ng (formally known as Chiaki4Deck), which is infinitely better than the official offering.

Dexerto

Alternatively, with Concord also being available on PC, you can also stream it do your handheld using Moonlight. The open-source app allows you to stream your PC directly to your Steam Deck, which can be your best bet if you have a high-powered PC gaming rig at your disposal.

Both streaming methods necessitate a fast and stable internet connection, to get the best performance. However, with a multi-player game like Concord, you’re gonna need that regardless.

Looking for more Steam Deck guides? We have you covered with our ultimate starter guide. Check out our How to add Xbox and PC Game Pass games on Steam Deck if you’re looking for Steam Deck games that are better optimized for playing on the go.