The highly anticipated survival sandbox game Hytale is taking the PC community by storm, drawing clear inspiration from classics like Minecraft while forging its own identity. While a Nintendo Switch version isn't available, players with a Steam Deck can now take the adventure portable. The process requires a manual installation, but it's straightforward. Here is how to get Hytale running on your handheld device.
Getting Started: Preparing Your Steam Deck
First, you will need to switch your Steam Deck into Desktop Mode. This provides access to a full desktop environment. Once in Desktop Mode, open a web browser and navigate to the official Hytale website.
On the site's menu, locate and click the download button. Crucially, you must select the 'Linux' version for download. Since SteamOS is Linux-based, this allows the game to run natively on the system, ensuring better compatibility and performance than the Windows version.
The Installation Process
After the download completes, find the file in your deck's file browser. Double-click the Flatpak launcher file. This action will open the Discover software store and prompt you to download Hytale from the top-right corner. You may be asked to enter your Steam Deck password at this stage.
Once the launcher is installed, remain in Desktop Mode and launch it. You will be prompted to sign into your Hytale account. After logging in, a prominent 'Install' button will appear in the bottom-left corner. Click this to download and install the full Hytale game files onto your device.
Adding Hytale to Your Steam Library
For convenience, it's best to add Hytale to your Steam library. First, launch the game once from Desktop Mode to confirm everything works correctly. After a successful launch, close the game and open the start menu.
Find the Hytale Launcher under 'Recently Installed', right-click on it, and select 'Add to Steam'. You can now return to Gaming Mode, where the Hytale Launcher will be waiting in your game library, ready for easy access.
An important note for players: Hytale does not currently have official controller support. To play on the Steam Deck, you should head to the controller settings for Hytale within Steam and choose a community-made control preset. These configs will provide a workable solution until Hypixel Studios implements native support.
Early reports and gameplay footage indicate that Hytale performs very well on the Steam Deck. For the optimal experience, players are advised to tweak the in-game graphics settings to balance visual fidelity and battery life. With these simple steps completed, you're ready to enjoy the latest survival sandbox phenomenon wherever you go.
