A user on Reddit has highlighted a frame of a video from TGS that shows Genshin Impact loaded up on a Steam Deck, suggesting it may be getting support from Valve's handheld device. When the game launched in 2020, it became one of the best free to play games on PC. While the title is also available to play on PlayStation consoles and mobile, with a Switch version due out as well, it's not available to download and play via the Deck. But that could be changing.
The Steam Deck currently has thousands of compatible games, either fully verified or at least playable, and this number is going up all the time. However, this is related specifically to the Steam PC storefront. The system is capable of running other titles through emulation, so the chance to see miHoYo's open-world action RPG be compatible with the device is something many would love if Valve does opt to officially support it.
Whether Genshin Impact will be getting Steam Deck support is not known yet, but user Bar_Har spotted the game on the portable PC, appearing for just a couple of seconds in a promotional video at Tokyo Game Show 2022. In the clip, at timestamp 35:52, there are a number of Decks placed on various podiums, each one showing a different game on-screen, such as Minecraft and Death Stranding. Bar_Har has circled a particularly noteworthy one towards the top of the frame, which shows Genshin Impact. While Valve does not appear to have listed this game as being verified compatible or playable, this would suggest it could become available on the handheld at some point.
At the time of writing, there's been nothing confirmed by official parties, and while there are workarounds to getting the game running on the Deck currently, players risk an account ban if they try. Genshin Impact is currently available on PC only via direct download or the Epic Games Store, so the game would likely need to be released on Steam before Valve's handheld would officially support it. The Steam Deck has been compared to the Nintendo Switch in the past, but since its release, it's quickly been established that it can offer more, such as being able to have a different operating system installed, like Windows.
Generating more than $4 billion by March of this year, Genshin Impact has maintained its popularity among gamers, especially those who love action RPGs. As a result, many would no doubt relish the opportunity to play it through the Steam Deck. Whether Valve is planning to support the title is not certain at this stage, but hopefully a representative from the company will come forward and shine some light on this discovery.
Genshin Impact is now available on Mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5, and a Switch version is in development.