Helldivers 2 has gotten praise for radically altering its gameplay from the first game, but Steam Deck players were left out since the shooter didn’t work on Valve’s handheld. That’s no longer the case as Proton Hotfix can now be used to make the multiplayer shooter playable on the portable gaming computer.
Valve coder Pierre-Loup Griffais has confirmed that an update to Proton Hotfix has made the multiplayer shooter playable on the Steam Deck. Numerous fans have also confirmed that forcing Proton Hotfix on the game’s compatibility has made the PlayStation shooter playable on Deck. The folks at ProtonDB have also revealed that players will be able to play this shooter with no issue, which is a huge improvement.
Before this, Helldivers 2 was virtually unplayable on Steam Deck, as fans tried numerous protons to make the shooter work, but to no avail. Some players were able to get the game running on Desktop Mode, but most Deck owners know that this method is nowhere near as convenient as Gaming Mode.
Normally, games that don’t work on Deck or are considered “Unsupported” can usually be fixed via Proton GE or other forms of tinkering. However, before this Proton Hotfix update, no method was getting the shooter working on Deck, so this update is a lifesaver for some.
Seeing Valve get on this was a smart move since Helldivers 2 has proven to be the most popular PlayStation release on Steam thus far. Considering how that lineup also includes Marvel’s Spider-Man and God of War, that’s an insane statement, albeit, a true one. It will be interesting to see if the update leads to a surge of Steam Deck players, though we’ll have to wait and see.
Read More: Helldivers 2 on Steam Deck - compatibility and how to play
Helldivers 2 is now on PlayStation 5 and PC, though fans of the handheld should know that this is a multiplayer-only game. Fans who want a single-player dual-stick shooter can pick up the first Helldivers on PS Vita, PS4, PS5, and PC.