According to Engadget, Bethesda announced on X today that the 1996 id Software game Quake is now a Steam Deck Verified title. The legendary “boomer shooter” has also been designated as Handheld Optimized for ASUS’s ROG Ally devices. Since launching its verification program, Valve has designated several thousand games as supported for the Steam Deck. The company is now preparing for more devices to run its SteamOS platform, extending verification to note broader OS compatibility. Valve’s own anticipated Steam Machine is also due out early this year, suggesting these verification checkmarks will carry more weight in 2026.
Verification Is The Real Game
So, Quake on a Deck. Big deal, right? It’s a nearly 30-year-old game that could probably run on a smart fridge at this point. But here’s the thing: this announcement isn’t really about Quake. It’s about the Steam Deck Verified program itself and where Valve wants to take it. Valve has been slowly, quietly building this whole compatibility layer into a legitimate platform feature. And now they’re starting to apply it to other companies’ hardware, like the ROG Ally. That’s a subtle but massive shift. They’re not just certifying games for their own gadget anymore; they’re building a universal seal of approval for any PC running SteamOS.
Why This Matters For 2026
This is where it gets interesting. Valve has a Steam Machine coming. Remember those? They’re giving it another shot, apparently. If Valve is successful in getting its SteamOS onto more devices—from handhelds to living room boxes—then that “Verified” or “Playable” badge stops being a nice-to-have for Deck owners and starts being a crucial quality filter for a whole ecosystem. Think about it from a developer’s perspective. Getting that green checkmark could mean the difference between a sale and a refund on a dozen different hardware configurations. Valve is basically trying to solve the eternal PC gaming headache of “will it run on my machine?” but for their own curated slice of the market.
The Boomer Shooter Bonus
Let’s not completely dismiss Quake’s role in this, though. Naming a foundational, beloved title like this is a smart PR move. It gets headlines (like this one!) and signals to a passionate, technically-inclined fanbase that Valve’s platform respects gaming history. That audience is exactly the kind of early adopter who buys hardware like the Deck and the Ally. It’s a nod that says, “Our modern, portable platform plays your old favorites flawlessly.” And in a world where backwards compatibility is still a messy battleground, that’s a powerful message. Basically, certifying Quake is a low-effort, high-reward way to build goodwill and demonstrate the platform’s versatility.
A Unified Front Against Windows?
Look, let’s be real. The ultimate goal here seems to be creating a viable, gamer-friendly alternative to Windows on PC gaming hardware. Microsoft’s OS works, but it’s bloated, update-heavy, and not built for a handheld-first experience. SteamOS is. By expanding the verification program, Valve is laying the groundwork for a future where you can buy a “SteamOS-ready” handheld or living room PC from multiple brands and have a consistent, curated library of games that just work. The ROG Ally getting “Handheld Optimized” tags is the first test case. The Steam Machine will be the next. If this works, that little verification badge might become one of the most important icons in PC gaming. Not bad for a day’s work announcing support for a game from 1996.
