With the Steam Deck OLED, Valve has introduced a new version with an OLED display. Some games particularly benefit from the improved display and HDR options. MeinMMO presents 12 games that you should check out.
With the Steam Deck OLED, Valve has given its handheld a significant upgrade. Especially the OLED display, which is named after it, is a strong improvement, showing impressive advantages over the traditional LCD display in several games.
MeinMMO introduces games that are particularly worth playing on the Steam Deck OLED. We have sorted the games alphabetically. Here we present a selection, not a complete list of all games that might be suitable.
Verified:
The game works “Out of the Box”: You can start the game directly on the Steam Deck without any additional settings.
Playable:
The game works. However, you may need to make your own adjustments. For example, the game may not support controller inputs or the text may be very small. In some cases, you may need to use the on-screen keyboard.
Unverified
Valve has not verified the game. Unverified games might work, but they may not. You need to test the games yourself here.
Not Supported
These games either don’t work at all or you need to make your own settings. With some adjustments, such as changing the Proton version or developer settings, these games could also work.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Release: October 2018 | Developer: Ubisoft Quebec | Genre: Action RPG | Steam Deck: Playable |
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is the predecessor to Valhalla and takes place in ancient Greece. Graphically, the game is already impressive, and with HDR, the colors look significantly better and the black levels are much richer.
The game is marked as “playable” on Steam and can be installed on the Steam Deck without any issues despite Uplay (Ubisoft Connect). If you encounter problems, switch to “Proton Experimental” in the settings.
Cyberpunk 2077
Release: December 2020 | Developer: CD Projekt Red | Genre: Action RPG | Steam Deck: Verified |
Cyberpunk 2077 benefits particularly strongly from an OLED display and HDR settings. The effects of light and shadow and the vivid colors can really look excellent with well-set HDR.
You can read the preview test for the Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty addon on MeinMMO. Here you can also read why the true highlight is the update 2.0.
Diablo 4
Release: October 2023 (Steam) | Developer: Blizzard Entertainment | Genre: Hack and Slash | Steam Deck: Verified |
Games like Diablo 4 benefit significantly from an OLED display and HDR options. Since Diablo 4 mainly relies on a dark color palette, you get particularly great black levels and excellent contrast. Thanks to the OLED display, your heroes’ abilities really pop nicely on the screen.
Doom Eternal
Release: March 2020 | Developer: id Software | Genre: First-Person Shooter | Steam Deck: Verified |
The first-person shooter Doom: Eternal shines with activated HDR settings. The darker tones and bright red colors come out very well, bringing the intense action of the game to life.
The HDR settings enhance the contrast and color depth, providing a visually impressive experience.
If you’re unsure whether the shooter is for you, take a look at the following article directly on MeinMMO:
Horizon: Zero Dawn
Release: August 2020 (Steam) | Developer: Guerrilla | Genre: Action-Adventure | Steam Deck: Verified |
Horizon: Zero Dawn benefits from the HDR settings of the Steam Deck. The colorful world of Horizon becomes even more vibrant: when HDR is enabled, the colors become richer, and darker scenes gain depth, improving overall visual fidelity.
The difference is particularly noticeable in scenes like sunsets, where the game looks stunningly realistic due to the HDR effect. Horizon: Forbidden West, the sequel, is also coming to Steam soon, and presumably also for the Steam Deck.
Hi-Fi Rush
Release: January 2023 | Developer: Tango Gameworks | Genre: Rhythm and Action Game | Steam Deck: Verified |
Hi-Fi Rush was considered the surprise hit of 2023 and continues to be very popular. The game features a unique visual style that looks fantastic on the Steam Deck.
If you enjoy rhythm and action games, you should definitely give Hi-Fi Rush a chance on the Steam Deck. Hi-Fi Rush was initially released for PC and Xbox consoles only. This is one reason why some suddenly felt that the PS5 was the wrong console:
No Man’s Sky
Release: August 2016 | Developer: Hello Games | Genre: Survival Game | Steam Deck: Verified |
No Man’s Sky is considered by many as an example of what it means when developers continue to work hard on their game after a disastrous launch. Up to this day, the survival game receives huge updates with new content.
On the Steam Deck, No Man’s Sky runs excellently, mainly thanks to the good implementation of AMD’s upscaling FSR 2.0. Additionally, No Man’s Sky offers native HDR support, making it look even better on the Steam Deck’s OLED screen.
If you enjoy open-world survival games, you should check out No Man’s Sky on the Steam Deck.
Ori Will of the Wisps
Release: March 2020 | Developer: Moon Studios | Genre: Metroidvania, Platformer | Steam Deck: Verified |
The two Ori games by developer “Moon Studios” both benefit from the improved color representation of the OLED display. However, only the sequel, “Will of the Wisps”, also supports HDR. And it is worthwhile to activate it, as you benefit from the improved black levels.
With HDR enabled, the game world appears even more vibrant, and colors pop directly on the screen.
Persona 5: Royal
Release: October 2022 (Steam) | Developer: ATLUS | Genre: JRPG | Steam Deck: Verified |
The Persona series has always relied on a unique style when it comes to graphics and music. Although Persona 5: Royal unfortunately does not support HDR, it looks significantly better and more vibrant on an OLED display than on a regular LCD.
Similar to the OLED version of the Switch, the design of the Persona series particularly benefits from the OLED display.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Release: July 2023 (Steam) | Developer: Insomniac Games | Genre: Action-Adventure | Steam Deck: Verified |
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was initially released as a PS5 exclusive and has been available on Steam since July 2023, making the series available on PC for the first time in 21 years.
The game offers excellent native HDR support, like almost all Sony games. The beautiful graphics stand out especially well on an OLED screen. If you enjoyed the old Ratchet games, you should check out the sequel as well.
Tetris Effect: Connected
Release: August 2021 | Developer: Monstars Inc., Resonair, Stage Games | Genre: Skill Game | Steam Deck: Verified |
Tetris Effect: Connected features vibrant and colorful graphics that particularly benefit from an OLED display. Additionally, the developer team released a comprehensive update with HDR support for the game at the end of 2023. The HDR update is primarily aimed at owners of the Steam Deck OLED.
If you enjoy skill games, you should definitely give Tetris Effect: Connected a try.
The best alternatives to the Steam Deck: Are you looking for a gaming handheld but the Steam Deck didn’t convince you? MeinMMO presents you with a handful of exciting alternatives that you can also buy:
Steam Deck: Here are the 8 most exciting alternatives you can currently find
