Valve has released the definitive list of the most played games on Steam Deck during 2023, and it includes its fair share of surprises. Standing among platform mainstays like Fallout 4, Slay the Spire, and Skyrim, an underappreciated tactical RPG seems to have enjoyed an unexpected second life of sorts.
This list of 50 entries naturally contains many of the best Steam Deck games you can play today, including the likes of Baldur’s Gate 3, Elden Ring, and The Witcher 3. In case you hadn’t noticed, RPGs reign supreme on the Steam Deck.
This maxim becomes all the truer when the likes of Marvel’s Midnight Suns have made the cut too, despite only appearing in the monthly 20 most popular games exactly once in the past year. Looking at the game’s player counts from the past three months, however, it’s reasonable to assume its growing audience has been largely populated by handheld gamers.
Personally, I’m rather glad that more people are discovering Marvel’s Midnight Suns. When I eventually replay it, I’ll certainly be doing so on the Steam Deck, and it speaks to the device’s power to rekindle affection for games or, in this case, provide them with a second life.
Other surprise entries include Half-Life, likely spurred by the game’s anniversary update in 2023, and… Counter-Strike 2? I’m not sure who’s top fragging on the Deck, if anyone, but power to you if so.
You can check out the full list here. Be sure to check out our Steam Deck OLED review too, if you’re thinking of upgrading your LCD model.