The Fallout franchise is one of Bethesda's largest (along with The Elder Scrolls), so it comes as no surprise that fans want to know the best way to play the games. With the Fallout TV show now available to binge on Prime, even more fans have flocked to the games and franchise, boosting the number of players for each game. If you're wondering if your Steam Deck can handle the game and what the best settings for it would be, this guide is for you.
Can Fallout 3 run on the Steam Deck?
Fallout 3's Steam Page says that the game is "playable" on the Steam Deck. However, the game has worked perfectly for me, and a lot of fans online have had the same experience. The major issue that Steam mentions for the game is that the game's launcher/setup tool might require a touchscreen or virtual keyboard or be difficult to read. I will say that the setup tool did have a very small font, but that wasn't too big of a deal for me. The other issue Steam notes is that entering text may require manually invoking the virtual keyboard. I haven't really had this issue so far, but it is something to look out for while playing the game. Overall, the game runs extremely well on the Steam Deck with minimal issues.
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Best settings for Fallout 3 on the Steam Deck
Since Fallout 3 is an older game, you can play around with the settings more than you can with games that come out today. Like with most Steam Deck games, there are a few different "best settings," depending on what you are wanting to achieve. You will want to have different settings if you want your battery to last longer than you would have if you want to have the best graphics possible on the game.
If you want to save battery life, I recommend using medium settings for everything. While this does lower the quality of the graphics, it ensures that you can play much longer than you could if you were running it at maxed graphics. If you run everything on medium, you will get around 60 FPS consistently, which is perfect for the game.
For those of you who don't mind draining your battery or having your Steam Deck docked, you can bump the settings up to high. Even on high settings, the game will consistently get 60 FPS unless you're loading into a new area or surrounded by numerous enemies. However, even then, you will have around 50 FPS. I started to see my framerate drop below 40 when I was playing on ultra high, so I stick to high. This game is one of those that can truly shine on the Steam Deck without any trouble at all.
For more information on Fallout 3, check out Where does Fallout 3 take place? Answered.
Erin has been writing about video games since she can remember. She started her professional career covering RPGs, Strategies, and MMOs a few years ago. She has an MA in Composition and Rhetoric and is working toward a PhD. When she isn't writing, she spends her time playing games, reading, or with her dogs.