Can You Play Final Fantasy 16 on Steam Deck?

Final Fantasy 16 was launched as a PlayStation 5 exclusive in June of the previous year, providing players with an insight into Clive Rosfield’s journey within the iconic JRPG series. While PC gamers initially missed out on this adventure, the wait is finally concluding, as the game is set to arrive on PC on September 17, 2024.

This latest installment in the Final Fantasy franchise enhances both gameplay and graphical features, delivering a true current-gen gaming experience. Consequently, Final Fantasy 16 presents considerable demands on less powerful hardware, such as the Steam Deck. Although the game is technically available on the Steam Deck, gamers will need to make substantial compromises to achieve playable performance on their portable device.

This article discusses the playability of Final Fantasy 16 on the Steam Deck and outlines the kind of performance players can anticipate.

Final Fantasy 16 is challenging to play on the Steam Deck

Steam Deck requires some significant setting adjustments to achieve playable framerates (Image via Square Enix)

Square Enix has confirmed that Final Fantasy 16 will be released for PC on September 17, 2024, accompanied by a free demo available on both PC and the Steam Deck. This demo allows users to experience the introductory chapter and assess the performance on their Steam Decks.

Sadly, as reported by multiple Reddit users, the Steam Deck struggles to maintain a steady 60 FPS even when all in-game settings are set to low. However, players can adjust the following system and in-game settings to achieve a more manageable 30 FPS on the handheld console:

Lower in-game graphics settings to the minimum.
Reduce the resolution to 1280×720.
Activate AMD FSR and set it to Performance mode.
Enable frame generation.

By implementing these optimized settings, players should be able to enjoy the game on their Steam Deck, albeit with a marked reduction in visual fidelity. Nonetheless, performance enhancements may occur over time as Square Enix continues to support the title with performance tweaks and bug-fixes.

Final Fantasy 16 PC system requirements

The minimum graphics specification for Final Fantasy 16 requires a GTX 1070, which is reasonable given its stunning lighting and intricate world design. Additionally, the game appears to be CPU-intensive, despite not featuring open-world gameplay like its predecessor. Below are the system requirements for the forthcoming Final Fantasy 16:

Minimum PC requirements:

OS: Windows 10 / 11 64-bit
Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 / Intel Core i5-8400
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 5700 / Intel Arc A580 / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 170 GB available space
Additional Notes: Expected 30FPS at 720p. SSD required. VRAM of 8GB or higher.

Recommended PC requirements:

OS: Windows 10 / 11 64-bit
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X / Intel Core i7-10700
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT / NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 170 GB available space
Additional Notes: Expected 60FPS at 1080p. SSD required. VRAM of 8GB or more.

The full game will be available for purchase starting September 17, 2024. However, if you wish to gauge the performance of Final Fantasy 16 on your Steam Deck, it is advisable to download the demo via Steam before making a purchase decision.

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