A Game Boy cartridge PC adapter and emulation tool had been confirmed to be fully compatible with Valve's Steam Deck handheld platform. The Steam Deck has been heavily pitched as a powerful tool for emulation since its launch. Valve even accidentally released a promotional video showing an emulator for Nintendo Switch games. For the Steam Deck to run official cartridges for platforms that haven't been sold in decades is an impressive achievement that many may not have known about.The company that created the adapter is named Epilogue and its mission is described as "Preserving video game history. No compromises." It's an independent company that has sold a PC adapter for official Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges through its own website for some time now. To run them, users download Epilogue's software, which includes mGBA emulation to run classic Game Boy games directly from the cartridge.In an announcement made on Epilogue's official Twitter account, the company confirmed that its GB Operator adapter and its accompanying Operator app are both now compatible with Steam Deck. That means Steam Deck users can plug the adapter directly into their Steam Deck via its USB-C port and play their collection of Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games on the move. The adapter itself will dangle via the USB-C cable, but it's both small and lightweight.
The adapter isn't free, of course. Epilogue is currently selling the GB Operator adapter on its website for $49.99, plus shipping. It's confirmed that the adapter is in stock currently and orders will be shipped out quickly, for those that do pick one up. It's also clear that the GB Operator won't work alongside the Steam Deck's dock, because both require the single Steam Deck USB-C port. If Game Boy cartridges weren't enough, Epilogue has also confirmed that it's currently working on an adapter for Super Nintendo cartridges, too. Expect more information on that through Epilogue's social media channels.
Some may be worried about the legality of the GB Operator adapter. Since Epilogue creates the adapters on its own and uses legal emulation software to allow games to run via Windows or Linux, there's no reason to believe the GB Adapter is anything but legal. The adapter has also been available for some time. Knowing that Nintendo is very protective and litigious, if the GB Adapter crossed any boundaries then a suit would likely have already been filed.
What makes the GB Adapter's compatibility with the Steam Deck so exciting is that it makes the handheld platform an opportunity for new archival opportunities. There are any number of Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance fans out there that have sold their old devices or had their devices go bad as they've aged. They now have an opportunity to play the games in their collection again, or to acquire more Game Boy cartridges on their Steam Deck. Hopefully, more adapters for other platforms built specifically for the Steam Deck will follow.