GTA Online cuts support for Steam Deck, despite it being one of the top-played games on the device
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GTA Online, the multiplayer mode of GTA V, was launched on PC about nine years ago. Since then, cheating has remained a hotly debated issue in the online mode, with players constantly asking Rockstar to do something about it. And after nine years, they've finally introduced BattleEye to combat cheaters in GTA Online. But while this will help reduce cheating, it has created problems for Steam Deck users.
The Steam Deck is a popular handheld device that allows you to play games on the go. While GTA V isn't officially Verified on the Steam Deck, it's still rated as playable. It doesn't run as smoothly as Verified games right out of the box, but with some adjustments to the settings, you can make it run smoothly.
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Steam Deck users can no longer play GTA Online
Recently, the BattleEye anti-cheat software was added to GTA Online, a tool that is already being used in some popular titles like Rainbow Six Siege and PUBG. The software detects and blocks attempts to use any cheating software to gain an advantage in the game. While it can’t detect everything, it can still help with keeping a large number of cheaters away from the game. However, while this is great news for players frustrated with cheaters, it is disappointing for Steam Deck users, as they can no longer access the online mode.
According to the official GTA Online FAQ, Steam Deck does not support BattleEye for the game. The FAQ further confirms that while users can still play the GTA V story mode without any issues, they will no longer be able to play GTA Online. Rockstar has also added that both GTA V and GTA Online are not officially supported on the Steam Deck. A user on Reddit also contacted Rockstar’s support to learn more about the issue, and one of the team members confirmed that Linux is no longer supported for GTA V.
GTA V is popular on the Steam Deck
This move is pretty surprising, considering Grand Theft Auto V is currently the 6th most-played game on the Steam Deck. Removing GTA Online will likely cause its ranking to drop on the handheld. Obviously, the game has been out for a long time now – so the single-player campaign might not cut it anymore for some.
As such, many players primarily play the game for GTA Online, and without access to it, they may stop playing altogether. We’ll have to wait and see how this affects the Deck player base moving forward. The GTA Online FAQ and response from Rockstar support indicate that the company currently has no plans to do something about it, so Steam Deck users will need to switch to a different platform if they want to enjoy GTA Online.
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