Persona 3 Reload on Steam Deck: Best performance improvements

Ishan Vashishth
Image of the protag from Persona 3 Reload on the screen of the Steam Deck OLED.

Persona 3 Reload has been making waves in the gaming community, sparking joy and nostalgia among fans. Now that the remake is here, a question looms large: Is Persona 3 Reload on the Steam Deck? 

The Persona game series is known for being a visual feast for the eyes, and Persona 3 Reload is no exception. The beloved RPG has come back with a vengeance, being remade from the ground up and bringing with it stylishly updated graphics and even a new cast of voice actors.

The release of Persona 3 Reload marks a significant moment for both long-time enthusiasts and newcomers to the series. As players eagerly get stuck in, the compatibility with various gaming platforms, especially the Steam Deck, remains a topic of great interest. 

With that in mind, here’s everything we know about whether Persona 3 Reload is playable on the Steam Deck.

Akihiko, Protagonist, Yukari, and Mitsuru in Persona 3 Reload

Is Persona 3 Reload on the Steam Deck?

Persona 3 Reload is playable on the Steam Deck and has received the top commendation from Valve.

With the Persona 3 Reload launch finally upon us, the highly-anticipated remake has achieved the highest acclamation by Valve. According to its Steam page, the game is ‘fully verified’ for the Steam Deck, meaning there shouldn’t be any performance issues playing the Atlus RPG straight out of the box. This includes full support for the handheld device’s controls, display, and system functionalities. 

While its verification status should mean you can look forward to an uninterrupted and optimal playing experience with Persona 3 Reload, that wasn’t the case at launch. The r/Steam Deck Subreddit was full of reports of significantly low frame rates in certain areas of the game.

How to change Proton on Steam Deck

According to GamingOnLinux, a brand-new Proton Hotfix update has been released by Valve to rectify the issue. All it requires is changing the Persona 3 Reload Proton version on the Steam Deck. Here are the steps:

  1. Select Persona 3 Reload
  2. Press the ‘Options’ button
  3. Navigate to ‘Properties’
  4. Select ‘Compatibility’
  5. Pick ‘Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool’
  6. Select ‘Proton Hotfix’ from the list

The Persona 3 PC specs only call for 30GB of storage space before you can dive into the dark hour and awaken your heart.

Picking up one of the best microSD cards for Steam Deck will ensure you have plenty of space to install Persona 3 Reload and more. Especially if you haven’t yet picked up the 1TB Steam Deck OLED or upgraded the SSD.