As Steam Deck custom boot screens go, this one is definitely for the gamer who favours the, shall we say, more adult-centric material. It’s a literal case of, ‘if you know, you know,’ but this particular rendition at least makes it family-friendly, despite what it’s referencing.
Reddit user Cryoctic has created their own Steam Deck boot animation, which is instantly recognisable for those knowledgeable of the more sordid aspects of the internet. To put it bluntly, it directly references the opening of many-a-video on Pornhub, albeit replaced with the words ‘Steam Deck.’
Given the sheer popularity of the adult site, even those who are less familiar with the brand will probably get the reference. It goes without saying that if you do decide to switch out the standard Steam Deck boot screen for a Pornhub-inspired one, it’s probably best not to let strangers out in public notice. Muting the volume is definitely recommended since this comes complete with the intro music.
I made a family friendly steam deck boot animation! from SteamDeck
The only downside to this animation is Cryoctic doesn’t have an available download for it, as they say they don’t own a Deck themselves. Given that, if you want to go ahead and make the changes, it’ll require seeking out the animation from somewhere else, or making your own custom one.
That’s what a lot of people have been doing, at least. For example, one Steam Deck user made a Futurama boot-up screen, while another went for something even more family-friendly by honouring the original Monkey Island. It really hammers home just how versatile the machine is, even for those with a dirty mind.
The point being that it’s fun to see just what can be done to customise Valve’s handheld system. But just to reiterate, it’s probably unwise to get too comfortable with Cryoctic’s animation – just imagine accidentally putting the device on the best Steam Deck dock ready for some friendly co-op games, only for your family to know exactly what you do in your private time. Mortifying.