Baldur's Gate 3 Steam Deck – Native Version (larian.com)

Article summary

Larian Studios has released a native version of Baldur's Gate 3 for the Steam Deck, which should improve performance and reduce CPU usage. The native version is only supported on the Steam Deck, and Larian does not provide support for the Linux platform. Players can switch back to the Proton version if they encounter issues with the native build. The native version also changes the location of save files and mods, and players can manually transfer their saves and mods from the Proton version.

Main themes

• Steam Deck native version
• Linux support
• Proton compatibility
• Game performance
• Save file management
• Mod support

What commenters say

• The release of a native Steam Deck version is a positive step, but it does not constitute full Linux support.
• The lack of official Linux support is not a significant issue, as the game can still be played via Proton.
• Supporting Linux broadly is a complex and potentially unreasonable ask due to the fragmented nature of the Linux ecosystem.
• The Steam Deck provides a well-known hardware and software platform that can simplify development and testing for Linux games.
• Some commenters believe that targeting Proton directly may be a more practical approach than developing native Linux versions.
• Others argue that developing native Linux versions can lead to better performance and a more seamless gaming experience.
• There is skepticism about whether the native version will be able to handle the game's late content without performance issues.
• Benchmark comparisons between the native and Proton versions would be useful to determine which one performs better.