In a twist of fate, one of the most beloved games on Steam has encountered an unexpected hurdle for players on the Steam Deck. Grand Theft Auto 5 and its online counterpart are no longer supported for Valve’s PC handheld device, leaving many in dismay.
Rockstar Games, in their recent communication regarding Update 1.69, disclosed that the integration of BattlEye Anti-Cheat for Grand Theft Auto Online led to this unfortunate outcome. The noble intention behind this move was to curb cheating within the realms of their open-world MMO, yet it came at the cost of compatibility with Steam Deck.
The transition from a validated status to being unsupported through the Deck Verified program implies that Valve deems Grand Theft Auto 5 unplayable on the Steam Deck. Though solitary adventures in the GTA 5 campaign remain feasible, diving into GTA Online is now a distant dream, for GTA 5 as a whole is deemed incompatible.
This development marks a significant setback for a multitude of enthusiasts. Despite its vintage of nearly a decade, GTA 5 continues to reign as one of the most enduringly popular PC titles. Presently, it occupies the commendable 11th position on Steam Deck’s list of top-played games over the past year, boasting a staggering 100,000 concurrent players on Steam, as per SteamDB’s records.
The introduction of BattlEye, a long-awaited addition by online players grappling with cheating scourges, was slated for Tuesday. This sophisticated and widely adopted software possesses the prowess to pinpoint IP addresses, hardware particulars, and other incriminating evidence against wayward players. Notably, it can be deactivated through the Rockstar Games Launcher, as indicated in the official FAQ, as it is only necessitated during sessions of GTA Online.
The intricacies surrounding the anti-cheat mechanism’s incongruity with Steam Deck remain shrouded in mystery. BattlEye had previously declared its intention to support Proton, the OS layer of Steam Deck facilitating the emulation of Windows games on a Linux framework. Reports from The Verge suggest that the integration remains viable and relatively straightforward to activate.
Valve had previously stated that securing BattlEye support for games on the Steam Deck merely involves an outreach to BattlEye, absolving developers of any additional burdens. This seamless integration has been exemplified in titles such as Rainbow Six Siege, Destiny 2, and The Crew 2 on Steam. Conversely, the compatibility issues experienced by other game launchers on the Steam Deck underscore the anticipated hurdles that may impede the operation of Dragon Age: The Veilguard without reliance on the EA launcher.
A concerned Reddit user shared communication from Steam support, revealing ongoing collaboration between Valve and Rockstar to address the prevailing predicament. In a gesture of goodwill, Rockstar has significantly slashed the prices of the game. Currently, the premium edition commands a discount of 25%, while the premium edition bundled with the Great White Shark Card sees a remarkable 66% reduction, now obtainable for a modest sum of $20.
