When it comes to playing Atomfall on gaming handhelds, you’re in luck. Valve, the company behind the popular Steam Deck, has given Atomfall its Steam Deck Verified stamp of approval, meaning it’s been put through its paces and runs smoothly on the device. This bodes well for its performance on even more robust handhelds like the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go.
Atomfall’s adaptability to the Steam Deck is a significant boon. As you might have noticed from a YouTube trailer showcasing its upcoming release on Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, PS5, and PS4, Atomfall is making waves as one of the most anticipated indie titles of 2025. Created by Rebellion, the brains behind Sniper Elite and Zombie Army, Atomfall diverges from their usual formula by offering a sprawling open world set in the aftermath of a fictional take on the 1957 Windscale nuclear disaster in Lakeland, Great Britain. Here, players must navigate survival in a hazardous environment while unraveling the mystery of this alternate history event.
The game has generally been well-received, with praise directed at its vast world design, intriguing enemy variety—which includes mutants, cultists, robots, and soldiers—exploration mechanics, and the ample freedom it grants players to complete objectives in multiple ways. Given its availability on Xbox Game Pass, many gamers are eager to dive in, especially those who prefer the portability of handheld gaming devices like the Steam Deck, and are curious to find out how Atomfall performs on these platforms.
Fortunately, Atomfall being Steam Deck Verified is a promising indicator. Valve has tested it, ensuring it performs admirably on the system. Its modest PC requirements further suggest that if your device can handle the Deck, Atomfall will likely run smoothly, if not better, on similar or more advanced handhelds such as the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go.
For those wondering about the optimal settings for Atomfall on the Steam Deck and other handhelds, aiming for about 40 FPS with higher settings can strike an excellent balance between visual quality and gameplay fluidity. Keeping settings at Medium and using a 100% resolution scale generally delivers a solid 35-40 FPS, though slight adjustments like lowering the render scale or shadow quality might help maintain that 40-ish FPS sweet spot if needed. On the more powerful handheld devices, you can push graphics settings higher without a significant drop in performance, though expecting desktop-grade performance remains a stretch.
Atomfall is scheduled to launch on March 27 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PS5, and PS4. There’s a tempting discount too—CDKeys offers the $49.99 Standard Edition for $38.69 and the $69.99 Deluxe Edition for $51.99, which includes Early Access and some nifty cosmetic extras. And if a gaming subscription service is more your style, Atomfall will be included with Game Pass from day one, making it even easier to jump into this vibrant post-apocalyptic world.
