Can WWE 2K23 be played on Steam Deck?

WWE 2K23 hit all platforms on March 17, 2023, and it has drawn excitement from players all over the globe. Since the game is also available on Steam for the PC, it has also stirred up a question- does it work on the Steam Deck?

The short answer is yes, but with caveats. Read on to learn about the game’s performance, compatibility, and known issues on the deck.

Note: Minor spoilers for WWE 2K23 will follow, and discretion may be required.

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WWE 2K23 runs just fine on the Steam Deck, despite not being Deck Verified

Interestingly, despite not being officially deck verified, WWE 2K23 runs fine on Valve’s popular handheld Linux-based gaming PC. The game has no rating yet on the unofficial compatibility tracker website for the Steam Deck - ProtonDB.

However, plenty of players have noted success in running the game using the Proton Experimental and the custom Proton GE runners.

Unfortunately, the game still has a few caveats to keep in mind:

• The presence of heavy graphical artifacts, with textures stretched and appearing unnatural on all non-custom characters.
• The in-game cinematics are locked to 30 frames per second despite being shown as 60 on GameScope.
• The game is heavily tied to the frame rate, and as such, it is not recommended to run it capped at 40 or 30 frames per second, as it will result in strange behavior.
• The in-game text can be hard to read since the title was not developed with a handheld screen in mind.
• Additionally, the game does consume an abnormally high amount of power, so players should not expect more than an hour's worth of playtime on the device.

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What settings should players use on the deck?

According to user reports on ProtonDB, WWE 2K23 is perfectly playable on high settings on the deck, with general recommendations being to limit textures to standard quality and keep the frame rate to 60 frames per second.

Additionally, it is advised to turn off the TDP limit to ensure a smoother experience - plugging in the handheld to a power source may be the best course of action to enjoy uninterrupted gameplay.

For a more in-depth look at the recommended settings for the game, players can refer to our article here.

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What is WWE 2K23?

WWE 2K23 is a single-player and multiplayer professional sports wrestling title from Visual Concepts. Published by 2K Games, it is the twenty-third entry in the WWE-based video game franchise and a sequel to WWE 2K22. The game features a return to arcade wrestling, with fan-favorite character John Cena on the title art.

Players can participate in solo matches or a specific “Royal Rumble” match with up to eight player-controlled opponents, among various other game modes.

The game was released on multiple platforms, including the PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 worldwide.