In an interview with Valve on Thursday, members of the Steam Deck staff informed me that all the things is on track for the deliberate February launch. Whereas we principally talked concerning the Steam Deck {hardware} and Valve’s work to organize the Steam Deck for different builders, Valve additionally shared some plans for its personal video games. Dota 2, Counter-Strike: World Offensive, and the Half-Life collection are all getting updates designed to make them higher experiences on the Steam Deck.
A number of Valve recreation improvement groups are concerned within the effort, however how the video games are being up to date for the Steam Deck varies.
“The Dota [team] is doing one thing fairly modern, not less than throughout the context of Dota,” designer Greg Coomer says. “Simply this previous week, they shipped a brand new mode that permits gamers to play the sport nicely utilizing thumbsticks.” The update additionally included the return of a 4-player co-op mode that appears well-suited to the management scheme.
Designer Lawrence Yang elaborates: “They name it experimental controller help as a result of they’re nonetheless searching for suggestions, however you possibly can play an actual recreation of Dota with the gamepad now.”
Diehard Steam Controller followers have most likely been utilizing gyro aiming in CS:GO for years, however the Steam Deck replace will tighten up some match and end components in CS:GO’s controller help. Coomer described it as an replace of issues just like the radial menus that have not been touched in a very long time. “The staff is actually giving that renewed polish and design intention,” he mentioned.
Coomer mentioned Valve is bringing a “bunch” of tweaks to Half-Life, although it appears like right here it is much less about controlling Gordon Freeman and extra about navigating menus and such. “Even when the core expertise in Half-Life video games is fairly polished with a controller, a number of issues across the expertise are inclined to both get disregarded or not be dropped at the identical degree of polish over time,” he mentioned. All of the Half-Life video games must be getting updates, although they might not all drop without delay.
Yang added that the Portal video games are already verified on Steam Deck and work properly on the hand-held, however Left 4 Useless 2 could also be getting some consideration as nicely. “I feel we do wish to take a look at the entire Valve catalog to ensure issues are good on Deck,” he mentioned.
