Not officially. World of Warcraft: Forever is made for Windows and Mac, and the Steam Deck runs SteamOS, a Linux system Blizzard does not support. You can still get it running: either install the Battle.net app inside SteamOS through Proton, Valve’s compatibility layer, or install Windows on the Deck, which turns it into an ordinary supported Windows PC.
The good news for handheld players is that Forever ships with a full gamepad interface, so once it runs, the Deck’s controls map to a real controller layout rather than a pile of keyboard shortcuts. Below is what Blizzard supports, the two routes and their trade-offs, how the gamepad controls work on a handheld, and what to watch for. Everything is as of November 7, three days after launch.
What Blizzard Officially Supports
Blizzard sells and supports WoW Forever on Windows and Mac through the Battle.net app. It is not on Steam, and there is no Linux or SteamOS version of Battle.net. That means:
- No Steam store page. You cannot buy or install Forever from the Steam store, on a Deck or anywhere else. You need a Battle.net account with a subscription or Game Time; our guide to whether WoW Forever is free covers what you pay for.
- No official help on SteamOS. If something breaks under Proton, Blizzard Support will not troubleshoot it, and a Battle.net or game update can stop it working until the compatibility tools catch up.
Route 1: SteamOS With Proton
This is the route most Deck owners take, because it keeps SteamOS and the rest of your library intact. In broad strokes:
- Switch to Desktop Mode from the power menu.
- Download the Battle.net installer for Windows from Blizzard’s site.
- Add the installer to Steam as a non-Steam game, then in its Properties, under Compatibility, force a Proton version.
- Run it to install Battle.net, then point the shortcut at the installed Battle.net app so it launches the app rather than the installer.
- Log in, install World of Warcraft, and pick WoW: Forever in the Game Version menu, as you would on a PC.
- Return to Gaming Mode and launch Battle.net from your library.
Battle.net through Proton is a long-standing way to run Blizzard games on the Deck, but it is unsupported, so expect to troubleshoot now and then. If your inputs stop registering, open the shortcut’s controller settings and toggle Steam Input off and on, and keep SteamOS on its stable branch rather than a preview build.
Route 2: Install Windows on the Deck
Valve publishes Windows drivers for the Steam Deck, so you can install Windows 10 or 11 on it, either in place of SteamOS or alongside it on a separate drive. Forever then runs exactly as it does on any Windows PC, with Blizzard’s support behind it. The trade-off is everything else: Windows on a handheld is clumsier than SteamOS, and dual-booting takes setup time. If you mainly bought the Deck for WoW, it is the cleaner choice.
Will the Deck’s Hardware Run It?
Blizzard’s GPU requirements post sets a graphics floor of AMD Graphics Core Next 1, NVIDIA Maxwell or Intel Skylake, or newer. The Deck’s AMD graphics are a much newer design than that floor, so the cutoff does not block it. The Deck is still a low-power handheld, though, and Forever’s new lighting is demanding. Start from the low-end settings in our best graphics settings guide and cap the frame rate to save battery.
How the Gamepad Controls Work on a Handheld
Blizzard’s gamepad guide says Forever “supports all XInput-compatible controllers,” and switching is in the menus: press Escape, choose Options, then Gamepad under Gameplay. The Deck’s built-in controls present as a standard gamepad through Steam Input. From there, per Blizzard:
- Left stick moves; right stick moves the camera.
- LB targets friends and RB targets enemies.
- Hold LT, RT or both to switch between four action bars, and LB + RB with Left or Right on the D-pad to switch between three bar sets, for 84 ability slots.
- LB + RB + B opens your backpack and LB + RB + Down opens chat.
Blizzard is upfront that gamepad support is “in a functional beta” and that you should “keep a keyboard within reach for tasks such as typing in-game chat.” On a Deck, the on-screen keyboard (Steam button plus X) covers quick messages. A few things, such as making a macro, are much easier with a small Bluetooth keyboard paired for setup.
Is It Worth It?
For questing, gathering and leveling at your own pace, a handheld suits Forever well, and the camping system rewards exactly the kind of slow, sit-down play a Deck is good for: our guide to how camping works explains it. For raids and fast PvP, a full PC is still the better tool. If you are new and choosing a class for handheld play, a self-sufficient class keeps the button count down; our best class for new players guide covers the options. Every other guide is on our World of Warcraft hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WoW Forever on Steam Deck? Not officially. It is made for Windows and Mac through Battle.net, but you can run Battle.net on the Deck through Proton or install Windows on it.
Is WoW Forever on Steam? No. It is sold and installed through Blizzard’s Battle.net app only.
Does WoW Forever have controller support? Yes, in a beta state. Blizzard says it supports all XInput-compatible controllers, with Xbox and PlayStation button icons.
Do you need a keyboard to play WoW Forever on Steam Deck? Not for playing, but Blizzard says to keep one within reach for typing chat. The Deck’s on-screen keyboard (Steam button plus X) covers short messages.
Can the Steam Deck run WoW Forever’s graphics? Its graphics hardware is newer than Blizzard’s cutoff, but expect to play on low settings.