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Death Stranding 2's PC release has been awesome to watch. Not only does it look beautiful and is quite well optimized, but we also get the privilege of being able to complete Sam's journey from start to finish. It has also continuously been getting updates that improve the experience on the Steam Deck. And it seems Nixxes Software hasn't slowed down, since the newest update includes even more optimizations for the Deck.
You can get the game on Fanatical for $59.89 using coupon code FANATICAL15.

Update 1.5, which was released earlier today, comes with some fantastic new fixes, which include performance optimizations for Steam Deck. It also improves Steam Input support, the Basic Controls menu now displays how to access Photo Mode on controllers, and there have been some UI performance enhancements for the UI when using a Mouse and Keyboard.
Now, the 1.3 update for the game also got it the Steam Deck Verified badge, and while it was definitely improved, there were tons of drops in the late game. So, I ultimately thought that the badge was rushed. However, after trying this new update for ourselves, it may have finally started to earn its green checkmark.

There have been some pretty big improvement across the board, and it didn’t just impact performance. In late game, places that were around 15 FPS we’re now hitting 25-27, and there were way more areas that were going above 30. Even spots that were near unplayable before are now actually somewhat enjoyable. They aren’t perfect, but they are significantly better than they were before.

On top of that, it feels like the visuals are a lot crisper with cinematic cutscenes, having improved significantly with its lighting and facial details. The updates that came from this are massive, making sweeping changes that makes the game look and perform better. I can only imagine what magic Nixxes Software performed to make this happen, but they did it.
With all of these changes, I can happily say that it feels as though the game is now playable from start to finish on the Steam Deck without it feeling like a huge compromise. It’s still not going to be a solid 30 FPS experience throughout, but it still will feel great. This is by far the game’s best update yet, and has finally earned that verified badge.

Death Stranding 2 can be purchased on Steam for $69.99, but you can get it on Fanatical fpor $59.89 using coupon code FANATICAL15.
The Fanatical links above are using an affiliate link, which gives us a little back from sales at no extra charge to you. All proceeds go back into SDHQ and its development.
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