Why won't my game pass Steam Deck Verification?

Because it's failing Deck-specific criteria, typically input (the game must be fully playable with the Deck's controller, with good default controls and correct glyphs, incomplete controller support is a common failure), display/legibility (text must be legible at the Deck's small-screen resolution, and it should default to a suitable resolution), or compatibility (it must launch and run correctly, often via Proton). The verification result tells you which criteria failed.

How do I make my game's text legible on the Steam Deck?

Increase small UI text sizes so they're readable on the Deck's small screen at its resolution, since small text that's fine on a large monitor is a common Deck-legibility failure. Test on an actual Deck to confirm all text is comfortably legible, and default to a resolution and UI scale that work well on the Deck's screen. Text legibility is one of the most common verification criteria to fail.

How do I test my game for Steam Deck compatibility?

Test on an actual Steam Deck, the definitive way to check the verification criteria: confirm the game is fully playable with only the Deck's controller, that all text is legible at its resolution, and that it launches and runs correctly (via Proton). Field data from Deck players also helps surface Deck-specific crashes and Proton issues, and since the Deck is fixed hardware, an issue one Deck player hits affects all of them, making fixes high-leverage.

How to Fix a Game That Won't Pass Steam Deck Verification

Quick answer: When a game won't pass Steam Deck Verification, it's failing specific criteria, typically around input (the game must be fully playable with the Deck's controller, with sensible default controls and controller glyphs), display (text must be legible at the Deck's resolution, and it should default to a suitable resolution), and compatibility (it must launch and run correctly, often via Proton). Address the cited criteria, test on an actual Deck (or via field data from Deck players), and fix the controller, text-legibility, and compatibility issues.

Steam Deck Verification certifies that a game works well on the Deck, and failing it (or getting a lower status like Playable) means the game has Deck-specific issues. The Deck is effectively its own platform (a Linux handheld running games via Proton, with a built-in controller and a small screen), so verification checks Deck-appropriate behavior. Fixing failures means addressing the specific criteria and testing on the device.

Why Games Fail Steam Deck Verification

Verification checks that a game is a good experience on the Deck specifically, and failures cluster in a few areas. Input, the Deck has a built-in controller, so the game must be fully playable with a controller (full controller support, no mouse/keyboard required for anything essential), have sensible default controls, and show the correct controller glyphs. Many games fail on incomplete controller support. Display/legibility, the Deck's screen is small, so text must be legible at the Deck's resolution (small UI text is a common failure), and the game should default to a resolution that works well on the Deck. Compatibility, the game must launch and run correctly on the Deck (often through the Proton compatibility layer on its Linux OS), so Proton-compatibility and launch issues fail verification.

These map to the Deck's nature, a controller-only, small-screen, Linux/Proton handheld, and a game that assumes desktop input, a large screen, or native Windows can fail. The verification result tells you which criteria failed.

How to Diagnose It

Look at the specific criteria that failed (the verification result indicates the issues), and test on an actual Steam Deck (the definitive way to see Deck-specific problems). Check: is the game fully playable with only the Deck's controller (try playing without touching a mouse/keyboard)? Is all text legible at the Deck's resolution (or is some UI too small)? Does it launch and run correctly via Proton? Does it default to a sensible resolution and controller configuration? Each failed criterion points at a specific fix.

For Deck issues found in the field, capturing them with context helps. Bugnet captures reports and crashes with device context, so issues affecting Steam Deck players (crashes, Proton-related problems) surface tagged to the Deck, and because the Deck is fixed, known hardware, a Deck issue one player hits affects all Deck players, making these reports high-leverage. But hands-on testing on a real Deck is the primary diagnostic for verification criteria like controller support and text legibility.

How to Fix It

Address the failed criteria. For input, ensure full controller support (everything playable with the Deck's controller, including menus and any text input via the on-screen keyboard), provide good default controls, and show correct controller glyphs, so the game is fully controller-playable. For display/legibility, make text legible at the Deck's resolution (increase small UI text sizes, ensure readability on the small screen) and default to a suitable resolution. For compatibility, ensure the game launches and runs correctly via Proton (test under Proton on the Deck), fixing Proton-specific issues, and ensure good default launch behavior.

Test on a real Steam Deck to verify the fixes meet the criteria (controller playability, text legibility, smooth launch and performance). Because the Deck is fixed hardware, getting it right benefits all Deck players uniformly. After fixing and testing, the game should meet the verification criteria. Treating the Deck as its own platform, controller-first, small-screen-legible, Proton-compatible, and validating on the actual device is what earns and keeps Verified status.

Steam Deck Verification failures are usually controller support, text legibility on the small screen, or Proton compatibility. Fix the cited criteria and test on a real Deck, it's fixed hardware, so fixes help every Deck player.