HANDHELD NEWS – With the release of version 2.2, id Software’s game has been certified for the Steam Deck.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is officially compatible with the Steam Deck, which is only surprising because id Software has always been known for delivering visually stunning yet highly optimized shooters. The studio has achieved impressive results with handheld ports before, particularly with the 2020 DOOM Eternal Nintendo Switch version. DOOM: The Dark Ages was the first game in the series to feature full and continuous ray tracing, which initially made it seem like an unlikely fit for handheld consoles.

Although it performed well on most PCs and even achieved acceptable frame rates on affordable gaming laptops, the Steam Deck initially struggled to meet the minimum requirements, resulting in underwhelming performance. The 2.2 update brings several handheld optimizations and quality-of-life improvements. These include overall performance boosts, advanced optimization settings for portable devices, and improved SFX and VFX effects for smoother gameplay on the go.

The update also adds automatic detection tailored for handhelds and includes specifications for several devices such as the Steam Deck and the newly launched Xbox ROG Ally X. id Software’s optimizations are expected to provide a consistently smooth experience. The patch also includes numerous bug fixes for both the campaign and the wave-based Ripatorium mode added in August. These mainly focus on weapon balance, ensuring that damage statistics are properly recorded when an enemy takes multiple hits within the same frame as their death. The Slayer’s shield has also been adjusted to correctly register melee stagger effects.

Several combat encounters throughout the campaign have been fine-tuned, but the most significant change is that the game now runs flawlessly on handheld PCs. The next generation of Steam Decks might not be far away…

Source: PCGamer