Bungie rejects Steam Deck’s Linux, threatens to ban Destiny 2 players there. However, when will Bungie allow Destiny 2 to be played on the go using Valve’s mobile gaming PC, the Steam Deck? It would seem that the answer to this question is “never.” That’s because Bungie has made a website that not only claims that the game is no longer available but also makes an overt threat to potential players of Steam Deck.

In response to the ban, players of Destiny 2 are raging over such an action by Bungie.

In this article, we’ll discuss this issue more.

So, let’s get to it!

Why Did Bungie Ban Steam Deck?

Bungie says it will ban players who play Destiny 2 on Steam Deck’s Linux.

The help page has a new section titled “Steam Deck and Destiny 2,” which reads:

“Destiny 2 is not supported for play on the Steam Deck or any system utilizing Steam Play’s Proton unless Windows is installed and running. Players who attempt to launch Destiny 2 on the Steam Deck through SteamOS or Proton will be unable to enter the game and will be returned to their game library after a short time.

Players who are not accessing Destiny 2 through Windows and attempt to bypass the SteamOS/Proton incompatibility will meet with a game ban.”

For the last five months, we have been asking Bungie whether it has any plans to support the Steam Deck and Linux in general. This request seemed like a sensible request for several reasons, including the following:

• The console and the PC versions of Destiny 2 provide smooth and responsive gameplay, making it one of the most lenient shooters in terms of its controls.
• People discovered that Destiny 2 makes use of the anti-cheat program called Battleye. Moreover, according to Valve, activating that feature on the Steam Deck is as simple as mailing an email.
• Bungie had to transfer Destiny 2 to Google Stadia, a platform based on Linux. Thus the game is already compatible with Linux. Although it may not look very well on Stadia, you should still be able to enjoy playing it.

We were expecting a response from Bungie. However, the last time we heard from Bungie about Steam Deck and Proton was on October 3rd, 2021, and the message they sent us did not include any answers. So, the explanation is “we only run on Windows.”

This is Nothing New

Bungie isn’t the only company that has rejected the Steam Deck without necessarily offering a satisfactory reason. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney revealed that they wouldn’t upgrade Fortnite for the Steam Deck the previous month. Although Epic’s Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) promises that game creators can activate it with “just a few clicks.”

Even though anti-cheat measures are present for Apex Legends and Elden Ring, you can play the games in their entirety on Deck. It is also true that numerous other top online games have not yet arrived in their entirety.

Both Bungie and Valve did not reply promptly to seeking comment when they were made.

So, Why the Ban?

At this point, the answer is a little bit unclear. The notice on Bungie’s support website for Destiny 2 is very clear. However, the notice makes it obvious that the developer does not want the game on the Steam Deck. Therefore, you will suffer a ban if you even attempt to evade this rule.

There is no known technological justification for this. The technology based on AMD found in the Steam Deck ought to be more than enough to run the game. That’s even if Valve has not optimized the Deck to its full potential. Destiny 2 subreddits have told that if the game were to be launched on SteamOS, it would be impossible to deploy the anti-cheating features part of the multiplayer game.

Only the explanation mentioned above seems to be the most reasonable, even though other games that use Steam as a distribution mechanism don’t seem to be affected by this problem.

What to Expect?

PCWorld has contacted Bungie in an attempt to get an explanation of this restriction. However, we have not yet received a comment from the developer.

Regardless of the motivation, Bungie has issued an unequivocal warning that does not allow any space for interpretation. For example, suppose you attempt to play Destiny 2 on the operating system native to the Steam Deck. In that case, you risk losing all of your hard-earned Guardian characters and the stuff they have accrued throughout the game.

Given how picky players can be while playing online multiplayer games, other developers may make similar measures in the future. For example, Epic Games has previously said that it has no interest in developing a version of Fortnite for Linux that would be compatible with the Steam Deck.

The news does not suggest that playing Destiny 2 or other troublesome Windows-only games on the Steam Deck is impossible. The info means it is not now viable. As Bungie points out, installing Windows on the system and playing Destiny using the regular Steam installation is possible. However, doing so is likely to have a significant negative impact on the machine’s overall performance as well as its ability to maintain a charge on its battery.

Streaming is another option for getting around the issue. For example, you can play Destiny 2 on GeForce Now and Stadia, which are compatible with the Steam Deck and have user interfaces accessible via browsers. You may also use the power of your existing gaming PC (if you have one) and stream the game using Steam Remote Play. This option is another option.

Will Destiny 2 Work on Steam Deck?

Yes.

You can now play Destiny 2 on Steam Deck without restrictions or limitations on the experience. Valve developed Proton, a compatibility layer, so that their Steam Deck operating system, based on a modified version of Linux, could run Windows games. This layer was necessary since Steam Deck uses Linux in its operating system. It is a reliable solution that does what it sets out to do most of the time, even though it does not fulfill all of the perfection requirements.

Certain players cannot access some of the largest and most busy online shooters, which is these gamers’ major problem. Since Proton and the anti-cheat systems used in these games do not get along well, Valve temporarily prohibited using Steam Deck to play titles like Destiny 2.

Bungie even warned players that they would kick players out of the game if players tried to use Proton to get around the incompatibility between Destiny 2 on Steam Deck and Proton. As a result, Bungie has allowed players to download and run Windows 10 on their computers while playing Destiny 2, owing to newly developed drivers. Windows 10 is one of the operating systems that players can use while playing the game.

Good News for Gamers

If you want to be able to play Bungie’s shooter when you’re on the go, it could be worth jumping through the additional hoops required. However, it is still uncertain whether or not additional unsupported games such as Halo Infinite will run on Steam Deck after this change. However, this change is already underway, indicating that we are moving on the right path.

It is encouraging to see that Bungie is willing to accept the gadget now that it can download Windows. This willingness is because the company had previously established a strict penalty for anybody who attempted to identify restricted vulnerabilities.

One of the fascinating things about Steam Deck is the degree to which you can customize it. Even though it is a small PC, the design and use of the Steam Deck are comparable to that of a console or portable platform, such as the Nintendo Switch.

Despite this, Valve has not limited the Deck by the standard configurations or a restricted operating system. Rather, gamers can download a wide variety of items onto it, including whole other operating systems, if they want. It is a one-of-a-kind tool that grants great independence to anyone wanting it.

What Linux Does Steam Deck Use?

The Steam Deck’s operating system is a heavily modified version of Arch Linux. SteamOS is essentially a graphical user interface wrapped over Arch Linux. Visually, it is somewhere between Steam’s “Big Picture Mode” and the menus optimized for use with controllers on the Nintendo Switch.

If you want to use the Deck mainly as a gaming computer, with access to popular Steam services like friends lists, alerts, achievements, and forums, you can use it. However, some of its pages run within a web browser. Hence, they can only be controlled by swiping and touching the screen of the Steam Deck. While most of its pages function natively with the Steam Deck’s buttons and joysticks, some of its other sites don’t.

At any moment, you can “switch to desktop” to use the Deck in a manner that is more comparable to a conventional computer running Linux. This option, which you can find in the “power” menu of the Deck, exits the SteamOS graphical user interface (GUI) and launches KDE Plasma. KDE Plasma is a well-known Linux desktop environment.

If you’re not familiar with Linux, think of KDE Plasma as your first baby step into the realm of open source operating systems. KDE Plasma has a button in the bottom-left corner that, similar to the Start menu in Windows, displays a list of shortcuts. It comes pre-installed with the “Discover” software, an essential component of the Plasma desktop environment.

The Linux Used Offers Loads of Personalization Options

Suppose you find Arch Linux or KDE Plasma unsatisfactory for any reason. In that case, you are free to take the distribution of Linux of your choice and install it on a different drive. However, suppose you run another operating system. In that case, you will no longer have access to the native support that the Steam Deck normally provides for its built-in controls and hardware-specific optimizations.

However, Steam Proton as an endeavor operates throughout the Linux ecosystem. Hence, installing a different distribution would not completely cut you off from Steam Proton’s features.

You can customize the KDE Plasma interface of the Steam Deck in the shortest possible manner. For example, you can customize it by searching the Discover database for self-contained installation packages referred to as “flatpaks.” There is a strong chance that if a flatpak releases for a native Linux-compatible program, it will be in Discover. Moreover, it will be accessible as a one-click install on the Deck’s internal storage.

This accessibility is because there are good chances that a flatpak will come for the app. So, alongside each Discover search result, you’ll see a description and reviews from the general audience. For example, suppose you prefer to use the usual Linux command line utilities to discover and install the software. In that case, flatpaks is an option by default as long as you complete the installations in question using flatpaks.

Final Words

We do not recommend that you attempt to play Destiny 2 on your fresh new Steam Deck since the results will not be satisfying. That’s because Bungie will ban you if you even try to bypass the prohibition.

Bungie has said that gamers on PC are required to run a fully functional version of Windows.

At first, Bungie did not elaborate on the reasoning for their prohibition on using Steam Decks. Instead, we have sought feedback from the firm in this regard. However, this shouldn’t have any bearing on Sony’s intentions to purchase Bungie since those two things are completely unrelated.

The production of games for numerous platforms will continue, according to the company’s CEO, Pete Parsons, who said the company would remain an autonomous entity.

Also, if you own a Steam Deck and want to run Discord on it, we have you covered!