What a time to be alive if you're a gamer. We now have a device like the Steam Deck, a powerful, handheld PC capable of playing AAA titles anywhere you go. And in many cases, it's bringing titles to handheld gaming that once would have been thought impossible, like Halo.

At one point, you needed an Xbox console to enjoy Halo. But the new Microsoft embraces all PC gaming equally, and thanks to its support of Steam, that includes the Steam Deck. But surely you can't play Halo Infinite on the Deck, right? This Linux-powered handheld running Microsoft's latest FPS?

Well, believe it. Unfortunately, since Microsoft hasn't done any work to optimize the game for the Steam Deck, it's not a perfect experience. But it mostly works.

Simply download Halo Infinite and play

You might have been expecting some crazy workaround to be needed, but there isn't. All you need to do is go to the Steam store on any device, acquire Halo Infinite, then, once it's in your library, download it to the Steam Deck. It's not enormous, but you're still recommended to have 50GB of free space, so if you're on the entry spec Steam Deck, you will definitely need a microSD card.

While it should launch, it's not guaranteed. You might need to change the version of Proton you're running first. You can do this from the properties menu of any individual game.

Use ProtonDB to help you

Gaming on Linux systems has never been an exact science, but the community usually figures things out. In the case of a title such as Halo Infinite, you should keep checking its page on ProtonDB. This is a community-run resource where players will receive feedback on their experiences with different games on Linux, specifically on the Steam Deck.

More importantly, it's one of the best resources to help you troubleshoot any problems. It might be better to use a specific version of Proton, set your frame rate to a lower value, or disable some settings, for example. The information in ProtonDB is invaluable to a Steam Deck owner and is the first place to check for compatibility information and potential fixes.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection also plays on Steam Deck

Halo Infinite isn't the only Halo game you can enjoy on the Steam Deck. You can also play The Master Chief Collection, albeit with some limitations. The single-player campaigns actually play fairly well on Linux and the Steam Deck, but the multiplayer is still hampered by anti-cheat incompatibilities.

Nevertheless, there's a lot of Halo gameplay to be had, but just like with Infinite, it's worth keeping tabs on its ProtonDB page. While big updates to MCC are less likely going forward, there have been instances where the game was patched, and it completely broke compatibility.

Regardless, it's perfectly possible to play all of Microsoft's Halo games on the Steam Deck without relying on cloud gaming. That's a definite win.