Portal 2 is the first game to become Steam Deck verified and this is what it means

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Just in time for the console's February 2022 release

Portal 2
(Image credit: Valve)

Portal 2 has become the first game to be Steam Deck verified according to the game’s Steam page history. 

Initially spotted by a Reddit user in r/pcgaming, it looks as if Valve is gearing up ahead of the Steam Deck’s release in February of this year. A quick look into Portal 2’s in the Steam Database shows that changes were made as recent as two days ago on January 11 where an item named 'Steam Deck compatibility' was added. 

Below the 'Steam Deck compatibility' change are a number of entries named things like: 'Steam Deck verified', 'default controller configuration fully functional', 'interface text is legible', 'controller glyphs match deck device', and more. What that basically means is Valve has gone into Portal 2 and performed tests to see how compatible it is with the upcoming Steam Deck console.

In order to get that Steam Deck verified tick, each game must adhere to the following specifications: 

  • Input - "The title should have full controller support, use appropriate controller input icons, and automatically bring up the on-screen keyboard when needed" 
  • Display - "The game should support the default resolution of Steam Deck (1280x800 or 1280x720), have good default settings, and text should be legible"
  • Seamlessness - "The title shouldn’t display any compatibility warnings, and if there’s a launcher it should be navigable with a controller" 
  • System Support - "If running through Proton, the game and all its middleware should be supported by Proton. This includes anti-cheat support."

It appears that Portal 2 is the first game that ticks all of those boxes. However, it won't be long until we find out what other games are ready to go as the handheld console is due to start shipping out in February 2022.

Wondering what games you should play on your Steam Deck first when it arrives? Take a look at our list of the best PC games for inspiration.

Hope Bellingham
Hope Bellingham
News Writer

After studying Film Studies and Creative Writing at university, I was lucky enough to land a job as an intern at Player Two PR where I helped to release a number of indie titles. I then got even luckier when I became a Trainee News Writer at GamesRadar+ before being promoted to a fully-fledged News Writer after a year and a half of training.  My expertise lies in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, cozy indies, and The Last of Us, but especially in the Kingdom Hearts series. I'm also known to write about the odd Korean drama for the Entertainment team every now and then.