Path of Exile 2 is already out in early access now, but there’s still one big question mark hanging over the game for handheld gamers. That’s because, at this point, Path of Exile 2 Steam Deck compatibility is still classed as Unknown. That’s despite the game’s developer confirming that it’s working on ensuring the game can be played on the Steam Deck with no issues whatsoever during the Summer.
You can see our Path of Exile 2 early access review to read all about our thoughts about how the game is shaping up, but we were hoping to have found out the game’s status on the best handheld gaming PC by now, as the team at Grinding Gear Games say they’ve been trying to make the game playable on Valve’s portable from day one. However, even now, Steam Deck compatibility is still classed as Unknown.
It’s a bizarre situation, as the Path of Exile 2 system requirements aren’t exactly tough at the minimum specs level. You can run the game on an Nvidia GeForce GTX 960, which came out nearly ten years ago. Given that the Steam Deck resolution is only 1,280 x 800, we were hoping Path of Exile 2 would have a Steam Deck Verified rating by now.
There’s some hope, though, as Path of Exile 2 was demonstrated running on the Steam Deck earlier in 2024. This news came from Noah Kupetsky at SteamDeckHQ, who tried the PC demo of Path of Exile 2 during Summer Games Fest and asked the question regarding Steam Deck compatibility. The team member to whom Kupetsky asked the question confirmed that the team is working on it, and said that in an ideal world, the game will be playable on the handheld “without issue.”
That’s potentially great news for gamers who want to take their Path of Exile 2 progress with them on the go, but even doesn’t necessarily mean the game will get full verification. We’ve recently seen several great games, such as Ghost of Tsushima, fall short of receiving a Steam Deck Verified rating for minor issues.
Also, given the game’s fine detail when it comes to character skill progression and gear, the size of the on-screen text on the small screen could also prevent it from getting a Verified rating, just as it does with the original game, which currently has a Playable status on the Steam Deck.
Even if a text-size slider is included, Steam Deck compatibility is judged based on how the game boots and plays in default settings at either 800p or 720p. The text size from the original game would need to be increased as part of the default configuration for the game to earn a Steam Deck Verified rating.
If you’re looking for more titles to play on your handheld, check out our guide to the best Steam Deck games you can play right now, where we’ve hand-picked and tested every game on the list for peace of mind. You can also check out our guide to the best microSD for Steam Deck guide, if you’re looking to expand your storage and install more games.