The CEO of Helldivers 2 discusses feasibility of Steam Deck support, raising questions about the future of the Xbox Ally.
Helldivers 2, the popular co-op shooter, has recently made strides towards expanding its reach, with a "Steam Deck" preset available, but official support remains elusive. This uncertainty extends to the Xbox Ally, a handheld gaming device with potential for broader support, despite persistent technical challenges and the absence of cross-progression features.
Arrowhead, the game's developer, has confirmed that there are no plans for cross-progression or cross-save at this time. Shams Jorjani, CEO of Arrowhead, has commented on the possibility of the game running properly on the Steam Deck, suggesting that the primary focus is ensuring the game works well on its target system requirements before considering formal Steam Deck support.
Hardware limitations could potentially impact the feasibility of full Steam Deck support. However, optimizations made for one platform can carry over to the wider game, which could bode well for future improvements. The Xbox Ally, running Windows and boasting slightly stronger hardware compared to the Steam Deck, could see these benefits if official support is granted.
The performance of Helldivers 2 on the Steam Deck is currently subpar compared to other titles on the device. Without cross-progression or Xbox Play Anywhere, handheld players are forced to choose one ecosystem, making potential support for the Ally feel incomplete.
Despite these challenges, Helldivers 2 continues to provide new updates, such as the latest one featuring swarms of Terminids. Arrowhead is currently focused on bug fixes and stability, as evidenced by the recent update, "Into the Unjust," which introduced crashing issues.
Official Steam Deck support could increase the game's accessibility, making it possible to play Helldivers 2 on the go. Improved Steam Deck performance for Helldivers 2 means the game will run more smoothly and responsively with better graphics and reduced latency on the Steam Deck handheld console, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. This could indicate that the ROG Xbox Ally, a similarly powerful handheld gaming device, might also benefit from comparable optimizations or hardware capabilities for Helldivers 2, leading to better performance and visuals on that platform as well.
The arrival of Helldivers 2 on Xbox could make broader handheld support feel more realistic, even with persistent hardware limitations. However, the future of Helldivers 2 on the Xbox Ally remains uncertain due to these technical challenges and the lack of cross-progression features. Jorjani's comment about the Steam Deck may set a precedent for other handheld gaming PCs, signalling a potential shift towards increased accessibility for Helldivers 2 players.
