Why Palworld Was Labeled “Unsupported” on Steam Deck

Palworld initially launched as “Playable” on the Steam Deck, but around January 1, 2025, Valve changed its compatibility rating to “Unsupported.” This downgrade was puzzling because, on the surface, the game still ran on the Deck without obvious technical issues. Valve didn’t give a detailed reason for the change – the Deck Verified system rarely explains unsupported ratings beyond generic terms. However, community feedback suggests the downgrade was likely due to a severe memory leak in Palworld that can cause crashes after extended play on the Deck. In short, Valve may have flagged Palworld as unsupported because of stability problems (frequent crashes or performance degradation) that made it functionally unreliable on the Steam Deck.

Notably, this “Unsupported” status was not permanent. Just a few days later, on January 3, Valve re-evaluated Palworld and bumped it back up to “Playable” on Steam Deck. This quick reversal suggests that while the game has issues, it isn’t completely unplayable on the Deck. Instead, Valve now lists a number of caveats for Steam Deck users rather than blocking it outright. Essentially, Palworld went from being briefly unsupported to supported-with-reservations once Valve updated the Deck compatibility notes.

Developer Statements and Response

Pocketpair (Palworld’s developer) has not issued any formal announcement specifically about the Steam Deck rating change. There wasn’t an official press release like “Here’s why we’re unsupported” – the change was done on Valve’s side quietly. That said, the developers have acknowledged the underlying technical issues causing trouble on the Deck. For example, players report that Pocketpair confirmed via social media that they are aware of the memory leak bug affecting Palworld. This aligns with a message from Pocketpair’s CEO to server hosts noting that Palworld “contains a memory leak bug” that will require a fix from the developers. In other words, the team knows about the crashes and is working on it, even if they haven’t directly addressed the Steam Deck label.

Beyond bug fixes, the studio has indirectly shown support for the Deck as a platform. In interviews during 2024, Pocketpair’s CEO even pointed to the Steam Deck as the go-to handheld option for Palworld since a Nintendo Switch port is unlikely due to technical limitations. The developers clearly recognize that a lot of players enjoy Palworld on the Deck (it was one of the top played Deck games of 2024). So while no one from Pocketpair has publicly explained the “Unsupported” tag, they’ve indicated that portable play is important and that they’re addressing the known issues undermining the game’s Deck performance.

Known Compatibility Issues on the Steam Deck

Palworld’s early access nature means it isn’t perfectly optimized for the Steam Deck yet. Valve’s Deck Verified notes (now that Palworld is listed as Playable again) call out several compatibility quirks and problems:

• Controller and Input Limitations: Certain in-game functions aren’t accessible with the default controller mapping. Deck users might have to tap the touchscreen or pull up the on-screen keyboard for some actions. For example, text entry (naming your character or island) doesn’t automatically bring up the keyboard, so you must invoke it manually (Steam + X). The game may also show non-Deck button icons (mouse/keyboard prompts) on occasion, reflecting its PC-first design.
• Tiny UI Text: Palworld’s interface text is very small on the Deck’s screen. This can make it hard to read menus or item descriptions without squinting. It’s a common issue for many games on Deck, and Palworld is no exception – Valve flagged the small in-game text as a drawback for handheld play.
• Graphics and Performance Hurdles: Out of the box, Palworld isn’t optimized for the Deck’s hardware. It runs, but to get a steady framerate you’ll likely need to tweak graphics settings. Valve notes that manual graphics configuration is required for good performance on Steam Deck. At default “High” settings, the game can struggle; framerate drops and stutters occur especially when roaming the open world or opening certain menus. The Deck’s battery also drains very quickly running Palworld – one tester reported barely ~1.5 hours on a full charge with an older model Deck. In short, the game can be demanding on the Deck unless tuned down.
• Stability (Memory Leak Crashes): The most serious issue is a memory leak bug. Over time, Palworld keeps consuming more RAM than it should and doesn’t properly release it, which is problematic on the Deck’s limited memory. After ~15–20 minutes of play, some Deck users encounter severe slowdowns, followed by the game crashing to the menu (in the past it could even crash the entire system). This appears to be the same memory leak affecting Palworld on PC and servers, where RAM usage climbs until a crash occurs. Valve likely noticed this instability during testing – a game that consistently crashes is considered “not functional,” hence the initial Unsupported rating. Even after returning to “Playable,” this bug still exists as of early 2025 (many players have reported it), so stability is a key compatibility concern.

It’s important to understand that “Unsupported” doesn’t always mean unplayable. In Valve’s terminology, it means “not officially functional/recommended” – but you can often still launch and play the game on Deck at your own risk. Palworld exemplifies this: it has a lot of rough edges on Steam Deck, from UI and controls to performance, and particularly the crash bug that needs fixing. These issues collectively explain why Valve was hesitant to call it Deck-compatible. Essentially, Palworld works on the Deck but with many caveats right now.

Workarounds for Playing Palworld on Steam Deck

Despite the lack of official Deck support, community members have found ways to improve the Palworld experience on Steam Deck. If you’re eager to play on the go, here are some workarounds and tips:

• Don’t Be Afraid to Launch It: First, know that you can run Palworld on Steam Deck even if it’s marked unsupported. Many Deck owners report that the game runs and is playable – the label is more of a warning. As one reviewer noted, Palworld actually “runs well on Steam Deck” in general gameplay, aside from the known issues. So you won’t break anything by trying; just be prepared to tweak settings and save often.
• Tune Down Graphics Settings: Adjusting the video settings is key to smoother performance. Palworld isn’t very heavy by PC standards, but it’s not optimized for Deck, so high presets will bog it down. Community guides suggest using Medium settings for most options (effects, shadows, textures, etc.) and turning off extras like motion blur for the best balance. Limiting the game to 30 FPS or uncapping FPS (paradoxically, uncapping sometimes helped in tests) can also be experimented with. Using these tweaks, players have achieved a mostly stable 35–40 fps range on Deck. The game will look a bit less pretty, but it remains totally playable. (There’s even a fan-made mod on Nexus that further boosts performance so the game can run at higher settings on Deck.)
• Mind the Memory Leak – Save and Restart: Until the developers patch the memory leak, the best workaround is simply restarting the game periodically. If you notice the frame rate tanking or the game getting choppy after a while, save your progress and quit to the main menu (or completely restart the app) to clear the memory. Some server hosts have resorted to automatic reboots every couple of hours to prevent crashes – as a solo Deck player, you might not need to do it that often, but it’s wise to take a break every 30–60 minutes and reload before the game overstresses the Deck. This proactive approach can help avoid the dreaded crash that tends to occur if you push on too long in one session.
• Use Community Configs for Controls: To get around the controller quirks (like needing the touchscreen for certain inputs), consider applying a community controller configuration from Steam Input. The Steam Deck community often creates custom control schemes for games with poor default mappings. By browsing the controller layout options for Palworld on your Deck, you may find a config that, for example, binds the missing functions to extra buttons or paddles so you don’t have to tap the screen. This can alleviate the issue of inaccessible functions with the standard layout. It’s not a perfect fix, but it can make the game more seamless to play entirely with the Deck’s physical controls.
• Stay Updated (or Try Beta Software): Make sure your SteamOS and Proton (the compatibility layer) are up to date before running Palworld. The latest Proton version or SteamOS updates can sometimes improve game compatibility. In fact, some Deck users found that updating to the SteamOS 3.6 preview (which introduced a new memory management system using zram) helped with Palworld’s stability – after that update, a crash would only drop the game, not freeze the whole Deck. Using the Steam Deck Beta or Preview channels for system updates might give you slight performance or stability gains for Palworld, though this is an advanced step. If you’re tech-savvy, it could be worth a try (one player reported that opting into the SteamOS beta and Steam Client beta stopped their Palworld crashes entirely). Otherwise, keep an eye out for Proton Experimental updates which might include fixes for Palworld as Valve and the community identify issues.

Lastly, remember to leverage the Steam community. Other Palworld players on Deck are actively discussing tweaks – whether it’s which Proton version works best, or config files to edit, or mods that disable the most leak-prone features. Checking forums or subreddits (like r/SteamDeck) for “Palworld Steam Deck settings” can yield up-to-date tips from fellow players. In summary, running Palworld on the Deck today requires a bit of DIY optimization, but it’s definitely doable if you’re patient and make the suggested adjustments.

Future Updates and Outlook for Steam Deck Compatibility

The good news is that Palworld is still in Early Access, and the developers are continually patching and improving the game. Pocketpair has publicly shared a development roadmap for Palworld’s first year, and notably it includes “improvements to optimization” and “improvements to UX” among the upcoming features. This indicates that they plan to polish the game’s performance and usability, which should directly benefit Steam Deck compatibility. Better optimization could mean fewer frame drops and maybe addressing that memory leak for good, while UX improvements might tackle things like tiny UI text or clunky menu navigation on a small screen.

In late 2024, the devs began rolling out updates to tackle technical issues. For instance, an October 2024 patch reduced overall memory usage and fixed a server memory leak, along with other crash fixes. Those fixes were aimed at multiplayer servers, but it shows the team’s ongoing effort to shore up Palworld’s stability. Given Palworld’s massive popularity (hundreds of thousands of players) and the fact it was a top 5 Steam Deck title in 2024, Pocketpair has a strong incentive to get it running smoothly on the Deck. We can likely expect patches in the near future specifically targeting performance on lower-end hardware. In community discussions, players remain optimistic that “with their recent success they will fix this for us” (speaking about the memory leak).

Valve’s own actions also hint that Palworld’s Deck status could improve. The rapid flip back to “Playable” suggests Valve believes the game can be made to run acceptably on the Deck with some tweaks. If Pocketpair delivers fixes for the major issues, we could see Palworld eventually move up to a Verified status. In practical terms, that would require addressing the input oddities (so no touchscreen needed), making text legible, and ensuring solid 30+ FPS performance without crashes – goals that are achievable through continued updates.

For now, if you’re a Steam Deck owner, keep an eye on Palworld’s patch notes and the Steam Deck Verified rating. Each update might quietly improve compatibility (for example, a future update might note “fixed memory leak” or “optimized UI for small screens”). The developers have already stated they’re “actively working every day” to resolve issues in the game. And with features like co-op crossplay and new content on the horizon, they’ll want the experience to be smooth on all platforms, Deck included.

Conclusion

In summary, Palworld’s “Unsupported” tag on Steam Deck came about due to technical hiccups – chiefly a nasty memory leak and some Deck-unfriendly design choices – rather than a deliberate lack of interest in supporting the device. The devs are aware of these problems and have begun fixing them, though it may take some time during the early access period to fully iron everything out. In the meantime, adventurous players can still enjoy Palworld on the Steam Deck by adjusting a few settings and being mindful of the game’s limits. With further updates and optimizations, the Steam Deck compatibility is likely to improve, hopefully transforming Palworld from a risky venture into a truly Deck-Verified adventure in the future.