Valve has made a substantial effort to make PC gaming portable with its new Steam Deck. With a library of titles and features, the platform is an enticing platform for gamers looking to take their experience beyond a stationary rig. However, one key element in the success of any gaming system is its ability to support the most popular releases. So, how does Steam Deck do on fulfilling that requirement, especially when it comes to one of the most popular shooters right now: Halo Infinite.
You can play Halo Infinite on Steam Deck, but you’ll need an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription to do it. Halo Infinite isn’t supported on Steam OS directly, so it can only be played via Xbox Cloud Gaming using Microsoft Edge beta. That said, this is simple to set up.
Released in November 2021 and the sixth installment in the widely popular series, Halo Infinite is available on Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One natively. It’s also part of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass subscription, which makes it available on PC and allows for the workaround to run it on the Steam Deck.
Is It Possible To Play Halo Infinite On Steam Deck?
While Halo Infinite isn’t supported on Steam Deck and doesn’t appear in the Steam store, you can play Halo Infinite on Steam Deck if you have an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
Halo Infinite is a Windows-based game, so it isn’t compatible with the Linux Steam OS. However, as you may know, Steam Deck is more of a PC than a console and can run Windows-based games using a program called Proton.
In February, Valve tested Halo on Proton but found it’s still not compatible. The major problem with compatibility is the game’s anti-cheat systems and the inability to properly detect the Steam Deck’s kernel.
But Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers get a unique perk: they can play Halo Infinite on Steam Deck through Xbox Cloud Gaming Beta with the help of Microsoft Edge Beta.
For those marathon Halo sessions, Steam Deck users may want a soft silicone cover for their Deck (which may keep the palm sweat under control!) And a nice carrying case wouldn’t hurt if you’re really gaming on the road (both from Amazon). But first, let’s figure out how to get Halo on your Deck at all.
How to Run Halo Infinite on Steam Deck
It’s a pretty convoluted way to get the game running, but Microsoft Edge has recently posted a detailed guide on this Reddit thread. Essentially you need to:
- Have an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.
- Set up Windows desktop on Steam Deck.
- Get Xbox cloud gaming beta setup.
- Install Microsoft Edge Beta on Windows.
- And run a few commands in the system console.
And that’s how to start playing Halo Infinite on your Steam Deck; currently, the only way to get Halo Infinite running on Steam Deck, opening possibilities for more titles in the future.
For now, Microsoft has announced they’re working with Valve to make the game compatible with Steam, and we hope to see a more direct way to play Halo Infinite on Steam Deck in the future.
What Other Games Can You Play On Steam Deck Aside From Halo Infinite?
Steam Deck has a massive library of 500 games that can be played on the device. Each game is tested and verified to work with the Steam OS and the hardware. The current lineup includes popular titles such as:
- Apex Legends
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- The Witcher 3
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
- Half-Life: Alyx
- Doom Eternal
- Borderlands 3
- Resident Evil 7
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- DOOM Eternal
And many more; you can check the whole list of Steam Deck verified games on the Website.
The games are played using a gamepad or the Steam Deck controller and can be streamed to any compatible TV or monitor. The console also supports 4K resolution and 60 FPS gameplay.
Overall, you have a pretty good selection of games to play on your Steam Deck, with more being added all the time. Steam Deck has separated the games into four categories according to their level of support. So visit the Steam Deck website to look for compatibility with other games, not on the list.
Conclusion
Halo Infinite is a great game. Unfortunately, it isn’t compatible with Steam Deck out of the box. However, Valve is constantly working to improve Proton and support more games.
So, we might see Halo Infinite on Steam Deck soon. But for now, you can play it on the device via Xbox Cloud Gaming using the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.