How to play Modern Warfare 2 on Steam Deck? Optimal settings, expected performance, and more

Activision has finally launched the much-hyped Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 across major platforms, including PCs and consoles. On the former, the title is available via Steam and Battle.net at $69.99 for the standard edition.

With the game's presence on Valve's popular distribution platform, Steam Deck users have been wondering whether the popular FPS title can be downloaded on the Linux-based handheld device. Unfortunately, Modern Warfare 2 is powered by the Ricochet anti-cheat program, which doesn't work on operating systems beyond Windows.

Users will not be able to play Modern Warfare 2 on Steam Deck, which runs on Linux-based SteamOS. However, one can embrace a few workarounds to counter this limitation.

Here's how one can play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on Steam Deck

To play Modern Warfare 2 on Steam Deck, one will need to install Windows on their handheld device. Doing so isn't exactly easy, but a good tutorial can help you breeze through the difficulties.

There are two ways to install Windows on Steam Deck: you can either replace SteamOS on the device entirely or dual-boot with SteamOS and Windows. To install Windows in place of SteamOS on Steam Deck, one should:

Download the Windows ISO file on a USB drive to create an installation media.
Next, switch off the Steam Deck and connect it to the installation media drive using a USB Type-C Hub or a connector.
On your Steam Deck, hold the Volume Down, and then the Power button and then release both to bring up the boot menu.
Select EFI USB Device, and the system will launch the Windows Installer.
Verify the language, tap Next, and then choose to Install Now.
If you have a key, enter it in the next screen or choose the option "I don't have a product key."
Choose a Windows version and keep tapping next until you reach a type of installation window.
Here, choose "Custom: Install Windows only." Next, tap on Drive 0 Partition 8 and delete it. Select Drive 0 Unallocated Space and tap next.
Follow the on-screen instructions to finish installing Windows on the device.

If you are looking for instructions on how to dual boot the Steam Deck, gather a micro SD or USB drive and head over to this guide.

Once you have Windows OS on your Valve device, you can easily install and play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Optimal settings for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on Steam Deck: Does the game perform well on Valve's handheld device?

Steam Deck's hardware is impressive when it comes to the category of handheld video gaming devices. However, it is not built to run AAA titles like Modern Warfare 2. Nevertheless, it is expected to deliver at least 60 frames per second at a resolution of 800p on such titles.

When you launch the game on Steam Deck, the settings employed will be according to what the device can handle. If you run into frame drops and stuttering issues, head over to the in-game settings and lower the Display, Quality, and View settings under Graphics. Find a set of optimal values for the title's graphics settings below:

Display

Display Mode: Fullscreen Borderless
Display Monitor: Elgato Custom
Display Adapter: AMD Custom GPU
Screen Refresh Rate: Auto
Resolution: 800p
Aspect Ratio: Auto
V-Sync: Off

Quality

Global Quality

Quality Preset: Custom
Render Resolution: - Default
Upscaling / Sharpening: AMD FSR 1.0
Anti-Aliasing: FILMIC SMAA 2X
Video Memory Scale: 85

Details and Textures

Under this section, set everything to Low, Off, or the minimum value available.

Shadow and Lighting

Set everything to Low, Off, or the minimum value available.

With the above settings, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is expected to run at an average of 60 FPS on Steam Deck. The game's performance on Valve's device has been surprisingly good, according to reports. While the experience may not be top-notch, the handheld system is definitely delivering way more than expected.