Porting

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Shard Garden on a handheld

Course 1 wrapped a web game into a desktop app. A new device brings new problems: different controls, a smaller screen, less power.

Valve's Steam Deck is a handheld PC. Valve checks how well each game works on it, and Priya borrows one to test Shard Garden.

Four results

Valve gives every game one of four results:

Quick check

Shard Garden runs on Steam Deck, but players must change the controller settings first. Which result?

  1. Playable
  2. Verified
  3. Unsupported
Show the answer

Playable

It works, with manual work from the player. Verified needs no setup at all.

Controls first

Valve: "The default controller configuration must provide users with the ability to access all content."

Button pictures on screen must match the device, and typing needs the on-screen keyboard.

Screen and speed

On Steam Deck, "the smallest on-screen font character should never fall below 9 pixels in height at 1280x800."

And "the game must ship with a default configuration that results in a playable framerate."

Read the test

deck test
Controller reaches every  menu: yesSmallest text at 1280x800:  7 pxDefault settings: 50 fps

These are Priya's notes. What stops Shard Garden from being Verified?

  1. The 7 px text
  2. The controller
  3. The frame rate
Show the answer

The 7 px text

Text must be at least 9 pixels tall at 1280x800. Bigger text in the garden's labels fixes it.

Launchers count too

Valve holds launchers to the same requirements as the game. A sign-in screen that only works with a mouse would block Verified, even if the garden itself is perfect.

Quick check

A game that runs well on a desktop PC is Verified on Steam Deck automatically.

Show the answer

False

Controls, text size and speed are checked on the device itself. A desktop PC tells you none of that.

Passing the gate

Every closed store checks a build before players see it.

Bolt says: Next: certification.

Fact-checked 12 October 2026