EVERSPACE 2 gets a final tech update making it Steam Deck and Steam Machine Verified

[u/Liam-DGOL]

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2026/09/everspace-2-gets-a-final-tech-update-making-it-steam-deck-and-steam-machine-verified/

[u/Zeth_Aran]

I hope this means true steam deck optimizations with the Switch 2 version. But who can say. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

[u/SinoCenturion → u/Zeth_Aran]

Well in the patch notes they did say that the reason this patch was happening in the first place is because they are applying all the stuff they learned when they did the Switch 2 version, including stuff like handheld-specific UI updates.

[u/Vuvuzevka → u/Zeth_Aran]

Let's hope someone properly benchmark it. 

I've been eyeing it for the deck but all video or benchmark I've found show lots of sub 30 fps drop. 

[u/srstable → u/Vuvuzevka]

The biggest source of slow down was on planets, so it should be relatively easy to test. I’ll try to get it installed and report back

[u/willymartin99 → u/Vuvuzevka]

With lossless scaling you can get a solid 60-90fps

Edit: TIL mentioning lossless upsets some people for some reason?

[u/Zeth_Aran → u/willymartin99]

Not the guy downvoting you, but for me. Any framegen with a base frame rate under 60 feels terrible. A lot of people also say “this game runs great!” Then admit they are using frame gen in the benchmark which is not a true sign of performance. I think they might be tried of getting lead on.

[u/willymartin99 → u/Zeth_Aran]

I see it as an option thats there to toggle if you want to get extra frames, and if that results in the game looking/running worse you can turn it off and play the game on its original state. Its an option for the ones who want it that brings nothing but positivity into the games its being used on (if chosen to). I don’t get the negativity cause no one forces anyone to use it and it does indeed give you more frames and from my experience I had no performance impact on Everspace 2, it just made the game feel better to play

[u/spuzochain → u/Zeth_Aran]

fingers crossed, the Switch 2 work should at least indirectly benefit the Deck

[u/miochza]

This game is great - been meaning to get back to it for a while

[u/_paper_plate]

good on them

[u/Sean_Ashcroft]

I really loved everspace (both of them) on the PC and was excited to play them on the steam deck. But I never really found controls which worked well for me...it just didn't click at all. Tried with and without gyro and just couldn't hit anything.

If anyone made it work and is thoroughly playing and enjoying ES2 ok their steam deck, I would be really interested in the used layout and maybe some control tips.

[u/Competitive-Elk-5077]

Been excited for years to play this game. Really enjoyed the first one

[u/beck_is_back]

Why is is so difficult to get the controls running properly on SD?!

Like, my Xbox controller works with pretty much ANY steam game, but as soon as you launch it on SD or heck, even stream it to SD the whole control schemes go to hell and it's unplayable!

What is it about the Steam Deck controller that makes it so difficult?

[u/willymartin99]

Been playing this game with lossless scaling at 60 fps for a while now on the Deck

[u/theperfectlysadhuman → u/willymartin99]

Really need to get it and use it (lls)

[u/disguise570]

you can optimize it yourself with engine.ini file. I got like +40% performance doing that (asked ai for guidance)