Moonlighter 2 Devs Want To "Go Beyond Valve's Checklist" For Steam Deck Optimization

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As we have said many times, the Steam Deck Verified system isn't perfect. There are flaws in it, which makes it possible that some Verified games have major issues, while some Unsupported games run extremely well. While there are other methods of checking how games actually run on Steam Deck, like ProtonDB or our website, the Verified system is what most people see first. However, it's a joy to see developers taking this to heart and going further than just making their games Verified, and that's exactly what Digital Sun Games is doing with Moonlighter 2.

Over on Reddit, the official Digital Sun Games account posted on r/SteamDeck, asking the community what they expect from Verified games. They mention that Valve's system is a "useful baseline, but it's not a perfect system," which is something we echo wholeheartedly. Reading through their post was actually quite refreshing to see, and at the end, they ask players to comment and let them know what they want to see for the Steam Deck experience.

Users flocked to the post, bringing up fantastic points. There were tons of comments noting larger text size, user-scaling HUDs, and readability being key issues that should be fixed. But there were some other great points, like native gamepad support, 45 or 60 FPS, 1280x800 native resolution support, native use of trackpad, the virtual keyboard popping up when it's supposed to without manual intervention, and viable base settings that don't require anyone to go into the settings.

For the most part, it seems Digital Sun Games is already on it. Over the last two months of early access, they have been working away to make sure the bulk of the game runs at 60 FPS. There are still some sections that can drop to 40, but they are still working on it. RAM usage is where they will be focusing next, which can benefit all devices, but that hasn't stopped their goal to make this a fantastic Steam Deck experience.

Personally, I am overjoyed that they took this step and went right to the people to ask about what they can do to make their game the best experience on the Deck. It's easy to go by Valve's checklist and market the game as Steam Deck Verified, but going this far shows a greater care for the device and actually makes it worth taking on the go. I love the game personally, so it's amazing that they want to optimize it further and are taking it seriously. If you were on the fence about getting Moonlighter 2 for your Steam Deck, I would say this should put it into the "purchase" category, as I think they will be making it worthwhile.

And, of course, don't forget to leave a comment on the Reddit post to let them know what you want to see with Steam Deck optimization!

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