Steam Deck Labels Masters of Albion Unsupported Despite Dev Claims

Key Takeaways

• Masters of Albion received an Unsupported rating from Valve despite 22cans calling it fully optimized for Steam Deck
• The game runs at around 30 fps on lowest settings, often dropping into the mid-20s or teens
• Several Verified games like Oblivion Remastered and Borderlands 4 have similarly poor performance

22cans Was Confident About Verification

Masters of Albion is the latest god game from Peter Molyneux, the creator of Fable and the original god game genre. Ahead of the game's early access launch in late April, developer 22cans published a blog post addressing Steam Deck compatibility with notable confidence.

“We have spent a significant amount of time setting this up, making sure that Masters is a smooth, playable experience on the Deck. YES! Masters of Albion is Steam Deck Compatible.”

— 22cans blog post

The studio listed several handheld optimizations they had implemented, including trackpad support and full Steam input support. At the time, the game was still in Valve's verification queue, but 22cans expressed full confidence in passing.

“Until we receive the official 'Verified' badge, Masters of Albion may show as Unknown or Playable on Steam. However, we consider the game fully optimised for handheld.”

— 22cans blog post

The Reality: Mid-20s Frame Rates at Lowest Settings

Testing by PC Gamer shortly after launch told a different story. At the lowest graphics settings, Masters of Albion hovers around 30 fps but frequently drops into the mid-20s and even the late teens. The onboard controls work fine, particularly the trackpads, which are essential for this mouse-heavy game. But the performance makes it hard to recommend.

Valve's verdict matched the real-world experience. The game now carries an Unsupported badge with the explanation: 'This game's graphics settings cannot be configured to run well on Steam Deck.'

22cans acknowledged the assessment when contacted by PC Gamer. The studio said performance optimization 'remains a primary ongoing focus for the team' and that they will 'reassess against Valve's requirements and pursue re-verification accordingly.'

Valve's Consistency Problem

Here's where it gets complicated. Several games carrying Valve's official Verified or Playable badges have equally poor performance. Oblivion Remastered, Borderlands 4, and The Outer Worlds 2 all technically work on Steam Deck but don't work well. By the same logic that marked Masters of Albion as Unsupported, these games should arguably carry the same warning.

22cans seems to understand this tension. They told PC Gamer that '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.'

The issue isn't necessarily that Masters of Albion got marked Unsupported. A game running in the mid-20s fps probably deserves that label. The issue is that other games with similar performance problems wear Verified badges. Valve's verification system lacks the consistency needed for consumers to trust it as a reliable buying guide.

What This Means for Steam Deck Owners

The verification badge has always been an imperfect indicator. 'Verified' means a game meets certain technical criteria: it launches, the controls work, text is readable, and performance hits some baseline. It doesn't mean the game runs well or that you'll enjoy playing it on a handheld.

For Masters of Albion specifically, the game is playable if you're willing to tolerate inconsistent frame rates. The trackpads work, Steam Input works, and the core gameplay functions. Just don't expect a smooth 30 fps lock, and don't try to play docked with a standard controller. The mouse-reliant interface makes trackpads nearly mandatory.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Masters of Albion playable on Steam Deck?

Yes, but with caveats. The game runs around 30 fps on lowest settings with frequent drops into the 20s. Controls work via trackpads, but performance is inconsistent.

Why did Masters of Albion get marked Unsupported?

Valve determined the game's graphics settings cannot be configured to run well on Steam Deck, despite the developer claiming full optimization for handheld.

What does Steam Deck Verified actually mean?

Verified means a game launches properly, has working controls, readable text, and meets basic performance thresholds. It doesn't guarantee smooth performance or a good experience.

Will Masters of Albion get re-verified later?

22cans said performance optimization remains a primary focus and they will pursue re-verification after rolling out further updates.

Source: PCGamer latest