Playing World of Warcraft on a handheld seems like an impossible task. The game was never meant to be played on a console, and it’s also an MMO that has plenty of keybindings and menus to navigate. Many players would simply dismiss this idea as unworkable. Oddly enough, not only can you play World of Warcraft on the Steam Deck via a few nifty tweaks, but it also works quite well for world activities and single-player content when you use the right plugins and have some patience. . Here’s everything you need to know about how to play World of Warcraft on Steam Deck.
How to Install World of Warcraft on Steam Deck
In order for World of Warcraft to work on the Steam Deck, you will first need to clear a small number of hurdles:
- You cannot download Battle.net only with the default version of the Proton Windows compatibility program for Steam Deck. Instead, you need to switch to desktop mode and search for the ProtonUp-Qt app through the Discover app.
- Once downloaded, open the program making sure to choose Steam as the installation and use the Add version button at the bottom of the application to select GE-Proton and its latest version to install.
- You should then be able to install the Battle.net launcher through any Blizzard game website. Add the launcher to your Steam games by selecting Add game on Steam in desktop mode and Add non-Steam game. Add the Battle.net exe to it so you can access it through Steam.
- Still in desktop mode, make sure to select the properties option for Battle.net Launcher Now in your Steam games and navigate to the Compatibility tab. Check the box next to the Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool option and select the GE-Proton version.
- You can now open the Battle.net launcher on Steam and install any version of World of Warcraft you want to play.
Related: How to Find Leatherworking Trainers in World of Warcraft: Dragonflight
Play WoW on Steam Deck
Obviously, World of Warcraft was designed with mouse and keyboard as the primary control system. Although Blizzard has made an effort to include some hidden controller support, playing on the Steam Deck can still have some weird interface issues. It’s possible to create high-end content with a controller, but this feature is best used for casual gaming.
Picture via ConsolePort
To make your time on the Steam Deck more comfortable, it is recommended to install the ConsolePort plugin for World of Warcraft when playing on your portable system. This nifty mod will let you customize your controller’s hotkeys and create a console-compatible user interface to improve your experience when playing on the Steam Deck.
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