Valve Arms Steam Deck Devs With FPS Data To Fix Bad Performance

Data-Driven Optimization

Through this update, developers can track anonymized average framerates, framerate distribution, and user feedback. This data is only accessible if players opt into tracking within SteamOS. The goal is to show developers how their games perform in real-world scenarios, allowing them to adjust default settings or implement targeted optimizations to improve stability.

Important Caveats

Valve notes that developers must interpret this data with caution due to several variables that can skew the results:

• Display Differences: While the internal hardware of the Steam Deck and Steam Deck OLED is largely the same, the OLED model supports a 90 Hz refresh rate.
• User Settings: Many players intentionally cap their wattage (TDP) or FPS to extend battery life, which affects performance metrics.
• External Displays: Using the device with an external monitor that supports higher refresh rates introduces additional edge cases.
• Loading Screens: The current data does not distinguish between gameplay and loading screens, which can impact the perceived average framerate.

Future Outlook

Currently, this feature is limited to the existing Steam Deck LCD and OLED models. Valve stated that they are starting with these devices because their shared hardware configuration makes the data easier to analyze. The company intends to iterate on this program before potentially expanding it to other hardware, such as a potential Steam Deck 2.

While the impact on the current library may take time to materialize, this initiative establishes a more robust optimization pipeline, potentially ensuring that future hardware generations benefit from much more refined game performance out of the box.