Playing World of Warcraft on a handheld console seems like an impossible task. The game was never designed for console play, and it is also an MMO that has a lot of keybinds and menus to navigate. Many players would simply write off this idea as not practical. Strangely enough, not only can you play World of Warcraft on the Steam Deck through some clever tweaks, it also functions quite well for world activities and solo content when utilizing the proper addons and having a bit of patience. Here is all you need to know about playing World of Warcraft on Steam Deck.
How to install World of Warcraft on Steam Deck
In order to get World of Warcraft to work on Steam Deck, you are going to need to jump through a couple of small hoops first:
- You cannot download Battle.net with only the default version of the Proton Windows compatibility program for Steam Deck. Instead, you have to go into Desktop mode and search for the ProtonUp-Qt application via the Discover application.
- Once it’s downloaded, open the program while making sure Steam is chosen as the install, and utilize the Add Version button at the bottom of the app to select GE-Proton and its latest version to install.
- Next, you should be able to install the Battle.net launcher via any Blizzard game website. Add the launcher to your Steam games by selecting Add a Game in Steam on Desktop mode and Add a Non-Steam Game. Add the Battle.net exe file to this to be able to access it through Steam.
- Still in Desktop mode, make sure to select the properties option for the Battle.net launcher now in your Steam Games and go to the Compatibility tab. Check off 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 that you desire to play.
Related: How to find the Leatherworking Trainers in World of Warcraft: Dragonflight
Playing WoW on Steam Deck
World of Warcraft was obviously designed with mouse and keyboard as the main control scheme. While Blizzard has made some effort to put in a bit of hidden controller support, playing on Steam Deck can still have some odd interface issues. It is possible to do high-end content with a controller, but this feature is better utilized for casual play.
To make your time on Steam Deck more comfortable, it is advised to install the ConsolePort addon for World of Warcraft when playing on the handheld system. This nifty mod will let you customize your controller keybinds and make a console-friendly UI to better your experience when playing on the Steam Deck.
