handheld gaming Archives

AppWizard

May 6, 2026

You have just four days left to grab Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and seven other Steam Deck games for just $14.99

Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion are available for .99 through the Humble Choice subscription service, which includes a total of eight games optimized for the Steam Deck. The combined retail value of these games is 9.98, and the total worth of the lineup is approximately 1.91 based on current Steam pricing. By subscribing for .99 a month, users can download all the games and cancel immediately to keep them permanently. The April 2026 Humble Choice lineup includes: - Assassin's Creed Valhalla (Steam Deck Playable) - Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion (Steam Deck Playable) - The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria (Steam Deck Playable) - Until Then (Steam Deck Verified) - Planet of Lana (Steam Deck Verified) - Artisan TD (Steam Deck Verified) - The Procession to Calvary (Steam Deck Verified) - Buddy Simulator 1984 (Steam Deck Playable) This offer is time-sensitive, as it will soon be replaced by May's lineup.

AppWizard

April 26, 2026

“Average Steam Deck framerate” graph shows PC game developers how their Verified titles really run on Valve’s handheld — Will users ever see this data

Valve has introduced new beta Steamworks tools for game developers as part of its Steam Deck Verified Games initiative. These tools allow developers to monitor average framerates over the past 30 days and access user survey results regarding the Verified status of their games. Participation in data collection is opt-in, ensuring user privacy. The user survey appears after at least ten minutes of gameplay, allowing users to agree or disagree with a game's Verified status and provide feedback on various criteria. The Steam Deck Verified program assesses game compatibility based on four criteria: Controller input, Display, Seamlessness, and System support. Games are rated as Verified, Playable, Unsupported, or Unknown, with these ratings displayed in the Steam store. Valve may potentially make the collected data accessible to the public in the future.

AppWizard

April 24, 2026

Valve is giving Steam Deck game devs real player performance data

Valve is providing developers with 30 days of average frame rate data for games that have achieved Steam Deck Verified status to help optimize performance for handheld gaming. This data allows developers to monitor performance, especially after updates, and addresses discrepancies between Verified ratings and user experiences. Valve plans to extend this feature to Steam Deck Playable games, potentially allowing developers to display performance metrics on store pages. The timeline view will help track performance impacts from updates, and developers may highlight impressive statistics on their store pages.

Winsage

April 12, 2026

“What else were Steam Deck users to do but create their own solutions?”: I watched Valve’s Linux-first handheld turn into a Windows 11 experiment in its community

Valve's Steam Deck was released on February 25, 2022, and received positive reviews for its custom Linux operating system, SteamOS. Initially competing with the Nintendo Switch, it now faces competition from new handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally X and Lenovo Legion Go, which run Windows 11. Although not originally designed for Windows 11, users found ways to install it, leading Valve to release official drivers for easier installation. Running Windows 11 on the Steam Deck allows access to Xbox Game Pass and other game launchers, but it introduces challenges like performance issues due to additional telemetry and bloat. A community on Reddit, r/WindowsOnDeck, has formed to support users dual-booting Windows and SteamOS, providing resources and guides. Despite the challenges, the Steam Deck has become an unexpected Windows gaming handheld, sustained by community enthusiasm.

Winsage

April 6, 2026

Linux gaming reaches 5.3% on Steam, Windows drops below 93%

The Linux gaming market share among Steam users has reached 5.3%, a historic high, coinciding with Windows usage dropping below 93%. Windows 10 usage has decreased by nearly 15%, while Windows 11 has gained only 10.6%. SteamOS Holo 64-bit is the leading Linux distribution, making up 25% of all Linux users, largely due to the popularity of the Steam Deck. macOS has gained 1.2% market share, indicating a shift in gaming preferences. Valve announced plans to expand SteamOS to desktop PCs, which may further boost Linux gaming adoption.

BetaBeacon

April 5, 2026

PC Gaming on Android at 100 FPS, Battery Efficiency : Red Magic 11

The Red Magic 11 Golden Saga Edition features the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, Adreno 840 GPU, 24 GB LPDDR5T RAM, and up to 1 TB UFS 4.1 Pro storage for high-performance gaming.

AppWizard

April 4, 2026

With Humble Choice at almost half price, you can now get 8 Steam Deck-friendly games for just $1 each

Humble Bundle is offering a promotion for its Humble Choice subscription, allowing subscribers to acquire eight games for a significantly reduced fee. The lineup includes titles such as Tempest Rising and Chants of Sennaar. Tempest Rising is noted for its real-time strategy gameplay reminiscent of Command & Conquer, receiving an 8/10 review score. The subscription is priced at a discounted rate, and subscribers will have indefinite access to the games. The promotional code MARCH26 can be used at checkout, and the offer expires on April 7th.

Winsage

March 21, 2026

Microsoft Lays Out Next Windows Updates: Faster, Lighter and More Flexible

Microsoft announced a series of enhancements for Windows, including less intrusive Windows Update operations, improved Copilot integration, a streamlined start menu and taskbar, reduced notifications, a smaller memory footprint, and enhanced stability. The integration of Copilot will focus on creating useful experiences, while widgets will provide glanceable information with fewer interruptions. A significant performance update will reduce memory usage, allowing users to free up resources for applications. Users will also be able to pause updates for longer periods and restart or shut down devices without forced installations. New users will have the option to skip updates during initial setup, improving the out-of-the-box experience, especially for handheld gaming devices. Additionally, there will be support for controller-based navigation during setup. Microsoft aims for faster, more consistent performance, with improvements in File Explorer, Bluetooth, USB connections, and overall system stability.

BetaBeacon

March 17, 2026

Nintendo just unlocked a visual upgrade for your original Switch games

Nintendo has introduced a new Handheld Mode Boost option in the latest update for the Nintendo Switch 2. This feature allows original Switch games to run at higher resolutions in handheld mode, similar to when the console is docked. However, the results may vary depending on the game, and there are some trade-offs such as increased power consumption and potential issues with touchscreen input and controller compatibility. The setting can be found in System Settings > System > Nintendo Switch Software Handling.

AppWizard

March 12, 2026

Microsoft confirms ‘Xbox Mode’ rollout for Windows 11 and reveals more plans for PC-console hybrid Project Helix

Microsoft will launch 'Xbox Mode,' a reimagined version of the Xbox Full Screen Experience, on Windows 11 next month. Xbox Mode is designed to optimize gaming performance by reducing resource-intensive background tasks and will enhance navigation for controller users. Project Helix, a PC-console hybrid, is set to be accessible to developers in 2027 and will feature a custom System on Chip (SoC) developed in collaboration with AMD, promising improved ray tracing performance. AMD's new FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) upscaler, named 'Diamond,' will be optimized for Project Helix and integrated into the Game Development Kit (GDK). Xbox Mode will be available in April, while highly anticipated titles like GTA 6 may not release until 2028.