Thesurvivalcrafting genre is one of the most popular thanks to its wide-reaching appeal and fairly easy-to-understand objective. More often than not, your goal is to survive for as long as you’re able to, using every tool at your disposal to do so, like scavenging for resources and food, constructing a base, and fending off enemies.
Survival games fit incredibly well on theSteam Deck, letting you get fully immersed in the game’s world in the comfort of wherever you might find yourself. Below, we’ll take a look at a few of the best survival games to play on the Steam Deck. We’ve also included the game’s Deck Verified status and its rating on ProtonDB, so you’re able to tell how well it runs on the Deck.
Deck Verified
Platinum (Native)
Valheimis a unique survival game with a Nordic twist. You play as a Viking in a procedurally generated world, using the resources provided by the land to survive a variety of threats. Building in Valheim is done through a physics-based system, where every structure needs load-bearing supports and you can’t just place floating walls in the air.
On the Steam Deck, Valheim works exceptionally well, thanks to its native Linux version. Valheim already has built-in controller support, so the game works very well straight out of the box. It runs fairly well at around 30 to 45 FPS, but can dip a bit as you expand your base. Still, the experience is great to have on the go, and even better with a few friends to share it with.
Playable
Gold
The Forestis a survival game that has you play as the lone survivor of a plane crash. While you’ll need to take care of the usual survival elements like making a shelter, sourcing food, and crafting weapons, you’ll also need to stay on the lookout for the society of cannibals that live in the forest.
This first-person open-world survival crafting game is a great fit on the Steam Deck despite only being listed as “Playable” by Valve. For most players, the default settings are enough for an enjoyable experience, but you may tinker with the settings a bit to squeeze out a few extra frames. Either way, The Forest on the Steam Deck is a great way to play.
RimWorldis a colony management game where you must ensure the survival of your colonists in a harsh world after they crash-land there. You can designate tasks to each of your Pawns to set up a shelter, start growing food, and fight off raiders when they appear. You’ll also need to verify they stay happy, or they may end up suffering a mental breakdown.
RimWorld runs very well on the Steam Deck thanks to its native Linux version and innate controller support. Commanding your colony is surprisingly intuitive on a controller, and makes playing RimWorld on the go very enjoyable. Plus, with Steam Workshop integration, you can evenutilize mods on the Steam Deck, and they usually work fairly well without too much tinkering.
Subnauticais a survival game like no other. All alone on an alien planet entirely covered by an ocean, you need to do everything you can to survive. By gathering scraps from the wreckage, you can relearn technology to help you survive.
Subnautica is incredibly atmospheric anduses environmental storytellingto set the tone, and playing on the Steam Deck is a great way to get immersed. Luckily, Subnautica runs well on the Steam Deck at a consistent 40 FPS and decent graphics settings.
No Man’s Skyis a game all about exploration. While managing your resources, you can explore millions of procedurally generated planets for new items, technology, and more. No Man’s Sky has avery satisfying progression systemthat always has you unlocking a new mechanic or upgrade, further incentivizing traveling to and exploring new planets.
Despite its massive world teeming with details, No Man’s Sky looks and runs great on the Steam Deck. There’s a bit of pop-in here and there, and the textures aren’t the best they can be, but the experience is surprisingly good on the Steam Deck, especially for a game as big as this.
The Long Darkis a survival game in the truest sense of the word. It’s you against the environment, and you’ll have to play strategically to survive the harsh winter. The game features permadeath, so you only ever get one chance to survive. Managing your hunger, thirst, fatigue, and temperature are just a few of the things you need to keep track of; The Long Dark does not pull any punches.
The Long Dark has a native Linux version For the Steam Deck, but running the Windows version through Proton has reportedly better performance. Either way, the Long Dark is great on the Deck, with exceptional controller support and decent visuals.
Unrated
Enshroudedis a fantasy survival game where you play as the Flameborn in a world infested with the Shroud. Your goal is to fight back against the Shroud and the dangers it brings while building your base and upgrading your character through an expansive skill tree.
While Enshrouded isn’t a flawless experience on the Steam Deck, it does provide a cozy and immersive one. It runs at a fairly consistent 30 FPS, but this can dip in busier locations or combat situations. That said, the game still looks great on the Deck, and the innate controller support makes it a great way to experience the world of Embervale.
Looking for a new and exciting survival game to try?Nightingale is available on Steamin Early Access starting July 11, 2025!
Survival Week
Welcome to the home of TheGamer’s Survival Week, a celebration of all things, well, survival. Here you’ll find features, interviews, and more dedicated to this popular genre, brought to you by Inflexion Games' upcoming open-world survival crafter, Nightingale.
