Steam Deck's flawed verification system is facing criticism over the game rating.

This is not a good look for Valve and the Steam Deck - apparently the software company has just updated its Steam Deck rating of Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced, labelling it as "Playable", which is technically correct but also wrong at the same time. The crux of the issue lies in the fact that GTA V Enhanced utilizes the BattlEye anti-cheat software, which effectively blocks Linux platforms from accessing online play.

This means that while the single-player components of these games may function on the Steam Deck, Grand Theft Auto Online remain inaccessible to users of Valve's handheld gaming PC. Grand Theft Auto V is indeed playable on the Steam Deck, offering a smooth experience with high framerates even on higher graphical settings.

However, GTA Online is a significant and integral part of the game's overall package and it remains completely unplayable due to the BattlEye restrictions. This partial functionality raises questions about whether the "Playable" designation truly reflects the game's compatibility with the Steam Deck.

These recent ratings stand in stark contrast to Valve's previous handling of similar situations. For instance, when Ghost of Tsushima's PC port launched on Steam in May 2024, it received an "Unplayable" rating due to the incompatibility of its Legends multiplayer mode with SteamOS. This earlier decision seemed to prioritize transparency and accuracy in informing users about potential limitations.

The inconsistency in these ratings calls into questions Valve's Deck Verified program. The current system may not be nuanced enough to accurately represent the complexities of modern games, especially those with significant online components. Valve needs to implement a more granular rating system or, at the very least, provide clearer explanations of any limitations within the "Playable" category.

This situation also highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Linux gaming platforms like the Steam Deck. While BattlEye does technically support Linux, it's ultimately up to individual developers to implement this support in their games. Rockstar Games, so far, hasn't, even though it has already mentioned that it's working with Valve on a workaround after numerous complaints last year.

For now, Steam Deck owners looking to fully experience games like GTA V Enhanced will need to consider alternative options, such as installing Windows on their device or opting for Windows-based handhelds like the Asus ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go.

Given that BattlEye is expected to also be available in Grand Theft Auto 6, Rockstar needs to figure out a way to make it work on the Steam Deck. If not, it stands to miss on a sizable chunk of the handheld PC gaming market where the Steam Deck is currently one of the top choices.