Indiana Jones and the Great Circle officially launched today to widespread praise. The game’s blend of puzzles, adventures, and Indiana Jones’ signature charm has delighted fans, earning it a “Very Positive” review on Steam. However, for Steam Deck owners eager to take Indy’s adventures on the go, the experience has been less than ideal.
A Rough Start for Steam Deck Performance
While the game is technically compatible with the Steam Deck at launch, performance issues have left many players frustrated. Reports from sources like Steam Deck HQ and PC Guide highlight significant problems with the game’s native performance on the handheld console.
According to Noah Kupetsky of Steam Deck HQ:
“When I first booted the game, all of the textures were just gone. The main menu screen had what looked like a sketch of a human head, and when trying to go in-game, almost all trees were gone, and the textures were all over the place.”
These issues go beyond just visual glitches. Players have reported:
- Missing textures and assets.
- Entire characters and objects disappearing from the game world.
- Extremely poor framerates.
- Blurred visuals even at the lowest settings.
For many Steam Deck users, the experience is currently unplayable.
A Temporary Solution: Streaming
While the game struggles to run natively on the Steam Deck, there is an alternative. Streaming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle via GeForce Now bypasses these issues entirely. Players can enjoy the game at high settings and in 1080p resolution without encountering the glitches and performance drops plaguing the native version.
This workaround offers a temporary fix, but it’s far from an ideal solution for players who prefer offline gaming or lack access to GeForce Now. The inability to play the game as intended on the Steam Deck remains a significant disappointment.
So far, MachineGames, the developer behind Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, has not issued a statement regarding the Steam Deck issues. However, given the severity of the problems and the game’s otherwise positive reception, it’s likely that a patch is in the works.
MachineGames has a strong reputation for addressing player feedback, so Steam Deck owners can hold onto hope that a fix will arrive soon. In the meantime, streaming remains the best option for enjoying the game on Valve’s handheld console.
While Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has launched to critical acclaim, the rocky performance on the Steam Deck is a blemish on an otherwise stellar debut. Fans of the franchise and Steam Deck owners alike will be hoping for a swift resolution from MachineGames to bring Indy’s adventures to life on the go—without the technical hiccups.
Until then, Steam Deck players may want to stick to streaming or wait for updates before diving into the world of Indiana Jones.
