Yesterday, Valve unveiled a new compatibility ratings system for Steam Deck, intended to give users a clear indication of how well specific Steam games will run on the upcoming portable gaming PC. And now, a new beta update for Half-Life 2 has been discovered, seemingly released to ensure the seminal FPS meets the requirements needed to earn Steam Deck’s top-tier Verified compatibility badge.
Half-Life 2’s new beta branch update, as detailed by Valve watcher Tyler McVicker on his YouTube channel, reportedly covers a surprising amount of ground, not only making adjustments to the way the UI and resolution are handled in-game – primarily to ensure the FPS classic fits Steam Deck’s aspect ratio and remains legible at its relatively diminutive size – but addressing some long-standing bugs as well.