PSA: Star Wars Outlaws doesn’t work on Steam Deck (yet), but it’s great on ROG Ally and Legion Go

PSA: Star Wars Outlaws doesn't work on Steam Deck (yet), but it's great on ROG Ally and Legion Go

As a seasoned gamer with years of experience under my belt, I must say that the recent addition of gaming handhelds like Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Legion Go to my collection has been nothing short of a revelation. These portable powerhouses have revolutionized my gaming lifestyle, enabling me to enjoy my PC games anytime, anywhere.


Although Star Wars Outlaws for PC doesn’t demand excessive system resources compared to some recently launched PC games, its requirements are a tad more substantial. Consequently, I was intrigued to explore how efficiently Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment’s new open-world RPG performs on portable gaming devices like Steam Deck, Legion Go, and ROG Ally.

After testing Star Wars Outlaws on various devices, I can confirm that the game operates optimally only on ROG Ally, ROG Ally X, and Legion Go. However, due to several ongoing problems, it is not yet playable on Steam Deck. If you prefer to play on ROG Ally or Legion Go, you’ll need to fine-tune some settings for the best performance. Here are the necessary adjustments we’ll discuss.

Best Star Wars Outlaws settings on ROG Ally and Legion Go

PSA: Star Wars Outlaws doesn't work on Steam Deck (yet), but it's great on ROG Ally and Legion Go

I spent several hours playing Star Wars Outlaws on my ROG Ally X and Legion Go. The game can get pretty choppy at times, which is why it’s best to leave ray tracing off or as low as possible. Most graphics settings will need to be on their lowest settings as well. 

Regardless, the game may not function flawlessly at full speed, but it should still be playable. For optimal performance, I recommend implementing these suggestions:

Best ROG Ally or Legion Go system settings 

  • Set to max TDP: It is definitely going to drain the battery, but if you want this game to run as smoothly as possible, you need to put TDP up high. On ROG Ally, this is quickly done within Armoury Crate’s Command Center side menu. On Legion Go, this is done within Legion Space. If you’re worried about battery life, play while the handheld is plugged in and charging.
  • Go to 120Hz refresh rate: This is a steady rate that shouldn’t be too taxing. 
  • Resolution at 900p: This is really a matter of preference, but you don’t need to have the Ally at 1080p. It will help the system if you put the resolution to a lower setting. Resolution can be adjusted within Armoury Crate or Legion Space. 

Best in-game graphics settings for ROG Ally and Legion Go

  • Run Star Wars Outlaws → Settings → Video
    • Vertical Sync: On
    • Display mode: Borderless Window
    • Resolution: 1920 x 1080 or lower (will be greyed out, must be changed in Armoury Crate/Legion Space or Windows)
    • Cinematic display mode: Whatever you want. Full-screen makes it easier to see more detail but 21:9 allows you to see more of the world at once
    • Monitor refresh rate: 120.00 Hz (will be greyed out, can be changed within Armoury Crate/Legion Space)
    • Cinematic framerate: Locked
    • Frame rate limiter: Off
    • Out of focus sleep: Off
    • Screen Calibration: Can be left alone or adjusted to your preferred light and contrast
    • Upscaler type: AMD FSR 3
      • Frame Generation: On
      • Ray Reconstruction: Off (this will really mess with performance if turned on)
    • Upscaler mode: Biased
    • Upscaler quality: Ultra performance
  • Run Star Wars Outlaws → Settings → Graphics
    • Quality: Low
    • Advanced graphics:
      • Environment reflection quality: Low
      • Fog blur: On
      • Mcrodetail quality: Low
      • Particle quality: Low
      • Scatter density: Low
      • Shadow quality: Low
      • Shadow proxies: On
      • Spotlight shadows: Few
      • Spotlight shadow quality: Low
      • Deformable terrain quality: Low
      • Lens and cinematic effects quality: Low
      • Extra streaming distance: 0
      • Object detail: 75
      • Destruction quality: Low
      • Spotlight projection resolution: 128
      • Terrain tesselation: Low
      • Raytraced contact shadows: Low
      • Raytraced diffuse reflections: Low
      • Raytraced diffuse reflections resolution: Medium
      • Raytraced specular reflections: Low
      • Raytraced specular reflections resolution: Very low
      • BVH quality: Low
      • Volumetric fog: Low
      • Volumetric Clouds: Low
    • High contrast mode: Adjust these settings to your liking
    • Chromatic aberration: Off
    • Film grain: Off
    • Depth of field: Low
    • Motion blur intensity: 2
      • Camera motion blur intensity: 5
      • Per-object motion blur intensity: 5 
    • NVIDIA RTX Direct Lighting: Off
    • MSI Mystic Light: Off

What does Star Wars Outlaws look like on ROG Ally and Legion Go?

PSA: Star Wars Outlaws doesn't work on Steam Deck (yet), but it's great on ROG Ally and Legion Go
PSA: Star Wars Outlaws doesn't work on Steam Deck (yet), but it's great on ROG Ally and Legion Go
PSA: Star Wars Outlaws doesn't work on Steam Deck (yet), but it's great on ROG Ally and Legion Go

⬆️ Look at the above gallery to see screenshots taken on ROG Ally X. ⬆️

Currently, I’ve clocked in more than eight hours of gameplay with Star Wars Outlaws on my ROG Ally X. As expected, this 3D game doesn’t shine quite as brightly on devices like the ROG Ally, ROG Ally X, and Legion Go compared to high-end gaming laptops or desktops. Nevertheless, it presents well on these Windows 11 handhelds. Textures are decently rendered, and pop-in is minimal. Occasional choppiness can be experienced, but adjusting settings appropriately can help mitigate this issue.

Star Wars Outlaws on Steam Deck

PSA: Star Wars Outlaws doesn't work on Steam Deck (yet), but it's great on ROG Ally and Legion Go

⚠️ As of right now, Star Wars Outlaws does not run on Steam Deck. ⚠️

Because Star Wars Outlaws for PC isn’t available on Steam but only on Ubisoft Connect, players must devise a workaround to install the Ubisoft game on the Steam Deck. I’ve tried several methods, including using a launcher plugin called Decky Loader, which is an open-source tool.

Despite successfully installing and launching the game on my Steam Deck, I discovered that the software wasn’t compatible with the Steam Deck controller. To add to my frustration, when I managed to navigate to Outlaws’s opening menu, the game inexplicably crashed every time I tried to start it.

Currently, there might be a solution for the Steam Deck issue in the future, but since it’s not a Steam game, it isn’t automatically guaranteed. If circumstances change or if you wish to try solving it yourself, here are some guides I’ve prepared on how to install Decky Loader on the Steam Deck and also how to set up Ubisoft Connect on the Steam Deck using Decky Loader.

Star Wars Outlaws on Steam Deck warning

When you start Star Wars Outlaws on the Steam Deck, a warning message will pop up. The message states:

As a bystander, I’d like to caution you about the current installation location of Star Wars Outlaws. Installing it on a mechanical hard drive could potentially lead to unforeseen complications such as streaming problems and low-quality textures. For a smoother gaming experience, it is advisable to transfer the game to a Solid State Drive (SSD).

Ignore this message by clicking the ‘Continue’ button using your fingertip. However, please note that the game may still fail to operate smoothly or crash entirely when played on a Steam Deck, even at its lowest settings.

Star Wars Outlaws gaming handheld FAQ

PSA: Star Wars Outlaws doesn't work on Steam Deck (yet), but it's great on ROG Ally and Legion Go

Is Star Wars Outlaws on Steam?

No. The PC version of Star Wars Outlaws is currently only available on Ubisoft Connect. 

Is Star Wars Outlaws Steam Deck verified?

1. Given that Star Wars Outlaws isn’t available on Steam initially, it doesn’t qualify for Steam Deck verification. Furthermore, although it is possible to install the game on the Steam Deck through workarounds, attempting to play Outlaws will result in the game crashing.

Will Star Wars Outlaws come to Steam at a later date?

Instead of waiting for Star Wars Outlaws to appear on Steam later, it’s more reasonable to assume that it might not. Historically, Ubisoft games have been released on Steam, but the company has been focusing more on its own Ubisoft Connect platform recently. Given this shift, it’s quite likely that Star Wars Outlaws could bypass Steam altogether.

Can I play Star Wars Outlaws on Steam Deck, ROG Ally, and Legion Go?

Unfortunately, Star Wars Outlaws is not functioning on the Steam Deck at this time. Regardless of the methods employed to install the game onto the handheld device, it will malfunction if an attempt is made to launch a game from Steam Deck. Furthermore, it appears that the Steam Deck controller is incompatible with Ubisoft Connect.

Star Wars Outlaws performs smoothly on advanced devices such as the ROG Ally, ROG Ally X, and Legion Go Windows 11 gaming handhelds. To ensure optimal performance, you might need to tweak some settings.

What is the best gaming handheld to play Star Wars Outlaws on?

For an optimal gaming experience, consider playing Star Wars Outlaws either on the AMD Z1 Extreme ROG Ally or the ROG Ally X. These devices boast more power than the Steam Deck and can even install Ubisoft Connect locally. The Legion Go is another viable option, but keep in mind that it doesn’t support vertical refresh rate (VRR) like the ROG Ally does. This could result in a slightly choppier gameplay for Outlaws on Lenovo’s handheld.

Get playing in a galaxy far far away

Since acquiring my Steam Deck, I’ve developed a preference for experiencing my PC games on portable gaming platforms. With Valve’s release of their system, I’ve added the ROG Ally, ROG Ally X, and Lenovo Legion Go to my collection. Each device caters to distinct needs, but I frequently find myself indulging in late-night gaming sessions with one of these handhelds while in bed. It’s incredibly convenient and comfortable, making for an enjoyable experience before drifting off to sleep.

Among the three devices, my preferred choice for playing Star Wars Outlaws is either the AMD Z1 Extreme ROG Ally or the ROG Ally X. I found it effortless to install Ubisoft Connect directly on the system, and it’s significantly more potent than Steam Deck in terms of power. Moreover, since ASUS handhelds incorporate Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), they handle screen tearing more effectively compared to Legion Go.

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2024-08-29 18:09