The Flight Simulator games have always let players take to the skies, but will the upcoming instalment let you take it on the road? In this article, we'll take a look at how to play Flight Simulator 2024 on the Steam Deck and its performance on the platform.
While you'll always have an idea of what to expect with Flight Simulator games, the 2024 version will offer some interesting additions like hot air balloons and celebrity charter flights.
So, let's see how to get the game onto your Steam Deck and how well it might perform.
Can you play Flight Simulator 2024 on Steam Deck?
Yes, you can play Flight Simulator 2024 on Steam Deck via Xbox Cloud.
Flight Simulator 2024 will be accessible through Xbox Cloud from the first day of its release. This means that you can play the game on the Steam Deck through the Xbox Cloud service.
As of now, Flight Simulator 2024 is not expected to be available on Steam at its initial release. This means you will not be able to download the game directly onto your Steam Deck as you would normally do.
However, it is worth noting that previous versions of Flight Simulator have eventually made their way to Steam (not Steam Deck verified though), so it is possible that the 2024 edition will also be available on the platform in the future.
How to play Flight Simulator 2024 on Steam Deck
If you're eager to play Flight Simulator 2024 on your Steam Deck as soon as it's released, you'll be able to do so using the Xbox Cloud service. But for that, you first need to install Microsoft Edge on your Steam Deck.
Before you begin, we recommended you have a mouse and keyboard connected to your Steam Deck. Alternatively, you can use STEAM+X to bring up the on-screen keyboard along with the touch display or trackpads.
Here are the steps you need to take to play Flight Simulator 2024 on Steam Deck:
- Switch your Steam Deck to Desktop Mode.
- Go on over to Discover and click on Internet.
- Select Web Browsers and look for Microsoft Edge.
- After Microsoft Edge is installed, go to the Application Launcher.
- Select Internet once again, then right-click on Microsoft Edge.
- Choose Add to Steam.
- Open Discover once again, but this time open System.
- Open Konsole and input the following command:
flatpak --user override --filesystem=/run/udev:ro com.microsoft.Edge - Return to the Steam app.
- Open your Library and select Microsoft Edge.
- Click on the settings button and select Properties.
- Under Launch Options, look for where it says "@u @@"
- Leave a space after @ and input the following command:
--window-size=1024,640 --force-device-scale-factor=1.25 --device-scale-factor=1.25 --kiosk "https://www.xbox.com/play"
You should now be able to return to Gaming Mode and access Xbox Cloud by opening Microsoft Edge through your Library. If you find the instruction unclear, please find detailed steps for setting up Xbox Cloud here.
Flight Simulator 2024 performance on Steam Deck
Since the official system requirements for Flight Simulator 2024 have not been released yet, it is hard to make an informed estimation regarding its performance on Steam Deck.
The current version of the game, Flight Simulator 2020, is currently playable on the Steam Deck despite not being verified. It holds a Silver rating on ProtonDB, indicating that the game is generally playable with only minor issues.
When running the 2020 version of Flight Simulator on Steam Deck, you can achieve an average of approximately 35 FPS on low settings for most maps. Considering all the updates Flight Simulator 2024 will come with, it is reasonable to assume that it may not run optimally on the Steam Deck.