Fallout 4 is one of the most popular Fallout games, and for good reason. The game was an instant classic when it came out, and the TV show Fallout made it even more popular. If you're wondering whether or not your Steam Deck can handle the game, here's a guide to help you out and make sure you have the best gameplay possible.
Can Fallout 4 run on Steam Deck?
On April 25, 2024, the game was verified to play on the Steam Deck. Bethesda has released a major update following the success of the TV show Fallout, which means the game has received new items and a range of performance improvements for current-gen consoles.
However, even before this update, the game was marked as “playable” and was running almost flawlessly on the Steam Deck. The only problem before the update was the game's launcher (which players now want back), and sometimes, the game required you to type using the virtual keyboard. Overall, the game was running fine before the update and is running even better now that this update has happened.
How to get the Fallout 4 launcher and settings menu back on Steam Deck
The only downside to the removal of the game launcher is that the settings for the game are now more difficult to change. To fix this, you can add “SteamDeck=0 %command%” to the game's launch options (make sure you capitalize SteamDeck; otherwise, it won't work). To do so, follow these steps:
- Go to Fallout 4 and press the option button.
- From the list of options, select “Properties”.
- Select “General” and scroll to the bottom of the “Launch Options” bar.
- Type “SteamDeck=0 %command%” and save it.
Once you've done that, you should see the game's launcher again, where it will allow you to change the settings.
Related: What year does Fallout 4 take place in?
Best settings for Fallout 4 on the Steam Deck
When looking at Fallout 4's settings, players have a number of options, depending on what they prefer to optimize the experience for. Some settings are best for optimizing your Steam Deck's battery life, and others prefer tweaking settings to ensure the game runs as smoothly as possible. It all depends on what you prioritize. I'd rather have better battery life than prettier pictures, but I also travel quite a bit and don't always have a charger.
Best settings to save battery
Here are the best settings if you want to have better battery life and extend your gaming session without needing a charger. While these settings are on the bottom, they ensure that you can play for much longer, and it still soars 60 FPS most of the time, which seems to be enough for me to play easily. I also strongly recommend staying away from FSR when trying to save battery; it drains your battery like nothing else.
- Decal Amount: Medium
- Detail Quality: Low
- Lensflare: Disabled
- Light Quality: Medium
- Motion blur: Disabled
- rain Occlusion: Disabled
- Resolution: 1280×800
- Shadow Distance: Low
- Shadow Quality: Low
- Texture Quality: Medium
- Dampness: Disabled
Best settings for graphics
Here are the best settings if you want to have amazing graphics and don't worry too much about the battery. You can always play around with them and increase them even more if you want, but this is what I've found to be the sweet spot to make sure there's not too much lag. I regularly saved between 45 and 50 FPS using these settings on my OLED Steam Deck.
- Surrounding Occlusion: SSAO
- Anti-aliasing: TAA
- Decal Amount: Tall
- Depth of Field: Bokeh
- Detail Quality: Tall
- Godrays Quality: Disabled
- Lensflare: On
- Light Quality: Tall
- Motion blur: Disabled
- rain Occlusion: On
- Resolution: 1280×800
- Screen Spatial Reflections: Disabled
- Shadow Distance: Medium
- Shadow Quality: Medium
- Texture Quality: Tall
- Dampness: On
I found that too turning on FSR can really help your gameplay, but keep in mind that it will drain your battery quickly. However, if the system is docked, it could be the perfect opportunity to use it.
For more information on Fallout 4, check out All Fallout 4 DLCs Ranked From Worst to Best and How to build Lucy MacLean in Fallout 4.
