How to play Elden Ring Nightreign smoothly on Steam Deck?
Elden Ring Nightreign isn't fully verified for Steam Deck, but you can still enjoy a smooth experience. With the right settings, the game runs well and suits the handheld format perfectly. FromSoftware¡¯s roguelike twist offers short, action-packed runs, and a few graphical tweaks help lock in 30 FPS for stable gameplay.
Elden Ring has always been a favourite on Steam Deck, so it¡¯s no surprise that Elden Ring Nightreign, the new multiplayer spin-off, is also getting plenty of attention from handheld players. Even though it¡¯s not Steam Deck Verified yet, it still works fine. Gamers just need to adjust a few things first.
Unlike the original game, Nightreign is only marked as ¡°playable,¡± which means it might not work perfectly out of the box. That said, this roguelike version is a great fit for quick sessions on the go. Once players tweak the graphics settings, the game holds up well with smooth frame rates and fast loading.
Best Steam Deck settings for Elden Ring Nightreign
To get the best experience, keep a balance between visuals and performance. Here¡¯s a recommended setup:
- Resolution: 1280x720
- Texture Quality: Medium
- Antialiasing Quality: High
- SSAO: Medium
- Depth of Field: Low
- Motion Blur: Low
- Shadow Quality: Low
- Lighting Quality: Medium
- Effects Quality: Low
- Volumetric Lighting: Low
- Reflection Quality: Low
- Shader Quality: Low
- Global Illumination: Low
- Grass Quality: Medium
With this setup, you¡¯ll get around 30 to 40 frames per second during most of the game. There¡¯s no built-in frame limiter in Nightreign, but the Steam Deck lets you set one. To avoid stutters, it¡¯s best to lock the frame rate at 30 FPS. You can try for 40, but the game¡¯s performance jumps around a bit, especially during busy scenes, so expect a few hiccups.
Performance tips for battles
A pallid mist rose from the Night - ancient, absolute.
¡ª ELDEN RING (@ELDENRING) May 23, 2025
Shadows colder than death spilled from its ruinous wings.
Heed the call of battle, Nightfarers.
Only one week left until the release of #ELDENRING #NIGHTREIGN.
Pre-order now: https://t.co/aQ7K2KzCI1 pic.twitter.com/ZLx1B65Bm8
In boss fights or big moments, the game might slow down slightly because of flashy effects. If you notice performance drops while taking damage, try lowering Lighting Quality and Texture Quality to low. That should help smooth out the action when the screen gets crowded.
Even though the game isn¡¯t fully optimised yet, it still plays well on Steam Deck. And since FromSoftware has already addressed some frame rate problems on PC, it¡¯s likely more updates are coming soon. Once those patches roll out, Nightreign should get even better and may even earn that green check mark for Steam Deck Verified status like the original.
Until then, lock your frame rate, tweak a few graphics, and enjoy short roguelike runs in handheld mode.