Steam Deck Verification Inconsistencies: Masters of Albion Marked Unsupported Despite Developer Claims

Masters of Albion, the highly anticipated god game from Fable creator Peter Molyneux's studio 22cans, is set to launch in early access in late April. Ahead of its release, the studio confidently announced that the game was "fully optimised for handheld" and would provide a "smooth, playable experience" on the Steam Deck. However, the game has now been marked as Unsupported on the platform, citing that "graphics settings cannot be configured to run well on Steam Deck."

This inconsistency has sparked confusion among players and highlights the ambiguity in Valve's Steam Deck verification process. 22cans acknowledged the Unsupported badge, stating, "We do recognise Valve's assessment, and as a result, performance optimisation remains a primary ongoing focus for the team." The studio also noted, "Masters of Albion is playable on Steam Deck, and we’ve received positive feedback from community members on their experience. However, the game does not currently meet Valve’s performance thresholds for an official compatibility badge."

Performance Issues and Player Experience

Testing Masters of Albion on Steam Deck revealed mixed performance, with frame rates hovering around 30 fps at the lowest settings, often dipping into the mid-20s and occasionally the late teens. While the game is playable in handheld mode, especially with the implemented trackpad support and full Steam input compatibility, it is not suited for docked play due to these performance inconsistencies. Notably, the game's reliance on mouse controls makes trackpad use essential for a decent experience.

The experience with Masters of Albion on Steam Deck is not unique in terms of performance issues. Other games like Oblivion Remastered, Borderlands 4, and The Outer Worlds 2, which are Verified or Playable, also suffer from poor performance, questioning the consistency of Valve's verification standards. The lack of a clear minimum performance requirement for Steam Deck, unlike the specified 1080p and 30 fps threshold for Steam Machine, exacerbates the confusion.

Developer and Community Response

22cans has committed to ongoing performance optimisation, planning to reassess for re-verification upon releasing updates. The community has been vocal about the inconsistencies on Reddit and Steam forums, reflecting a broader frustration with Valve's ambiguous verification system.

"We have spent a significant amount of time setting this up, making sure that Masters is a smooth, playable experience on the Deck."

22cans

Critique of Valve's Verification Process

The Masters of Albion case underscores the need for Valve to clarify its Steam Deck compatibility standards. The absence of a publicly defined minimum performance requirement leads to subjective assessments, resulting in inconsistent badges across games with similar performance profiles. As the gaming community awaits the launch of Steam Machine, with its predefined thresholds, the call for transparency in Steam Deck's verification process grows louder.

The situation also raises practical questions for players: What constitutes a game being "perfect for Deck" if subpar performance is tolerated in some titles but not others? The community's vocal response on forums indicates a desire for more consistent and clearly communicated standards.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Given the current performance issues, Masters of Albion is not recommended for play on Steam Deck until further optimisations are made. The game's early access launch in late April will undoubtedly bring updates, but for now, players should exercise caution. The broader implications for Steam Deck's verification system are more pressing, with Valve facing a critical opportunity to address the ambiguity and provide clarity to both developers and the gaming community.