Diablo 4 Has Some Minor Hiccups On Steam Deck

Good news for Steam Deck owners: It seems that Diablo 4 runs incredibly well, according to user reports. However, these same reports also point out that there are still quite a few notable problems, mainly caused by the device's rather nuanced quirks. This is a bit of a shame, especially considering that, as of writing, Diablo 4 has sold over 3.7 million copies since its release on 6 June 2023, meaning that there will be no shortage of demand, especially as two expansions have been confirmed.

While the record-breaking sales are impressive, considering it has only been a day since the full game was released, such high sales are to be expected, considering that Diablo 4 was one of the most anticipated games to come from Blizzard Entertainment. With it being the company's fastest-selling game of all time, it's no wonder why Steam Deck users wanted to give the game a try. At first glance, the ARPG seems to run smoothly on the handheld console, with many claiming to play better than when playing on mouse and keyboard.

Many of the earliest reports about Diablo 4 on the Steam Deck say that the game runs like a dream, as the game supports arbitrary inputs and the console's layout is incredibly satisfying. The only major drawback to be found is with regard to the game's launcher, Battle.net. The best way to get access to Battle.net is through Lutris, which is somewhat of a deal breaker for many players. Another issue that many Steam Deck users have noticed is that the game doesn't support the console's Sleep Mode and that the game is always an online title.

The reason for the game needing to be always online is because Diablo 4 is a live-service game. The game cannot function offline and requires a continuous internet connection. Besides requiring to always be online, the game also pushes the Steam Deck to its limits, particularly when encountering other players. Whether this is an issue on the Steam Decks hardware or an issue Diablo 4 has is yet to be proven and requires further testing, which can take some time.

Despite all these issues, many players still enjoy Diablo 4, and many believe that it will become one of the best RPGs available on the Steam Deck, even though the game has yet to become available on Steam itself. This doesn't mean it won't receive an official badge or reward, no matter how much of a success or failure the game becomes.