Steam Deck and anti-cheat
3 min read
How the Deck fits in, and why Deck Verified is not the same as multiplayer working.
The Deck runs Linux
The Steam Deck runs SteamOS, which is Linux. Windows games run through Proton, so the Deck inherits every Linux anti-cheat limitation. If a game is blocked on desktop Linux, it is blocked on the Deck as well.
Deck Verified is about the game, not your account
Valve's Deck Verified program tests whether a game runs well on the device. A game that is marked Verified can still have online features that depend on an anti-cheat the developer has not enabled for Linux. Always check the anti-cheat status here as well as the Deck rating.
Practical advice
Before you buy a multiplayer game for the Deck, look it up on this site and on ProtonDB. If it is Supported or has a native Linux build, you are in good shape. If it is Denied or Broken, skip it or expect to play offline modes only.