Can You Play Baldur’s Gate 3 Offline on Steam Deck?
Yes, you absolutely can play Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) offline on your Steam Deck. This is a major boon for those who love gaming on the go or who frequently find themselves in areas with spotty or non-existent internet access. While an internet connection is needed for the initial download and potentially for cloud saves, once the game is installed on your Steam Deck, you can dive into the Forgotten Realms without needing to be online. Let’s break down everything you need to know about playing BG3 offline on the Steam Deck, along with answers to frequently asked questions.
Setting Up for Offline Play
Before you can enjoy BG3 offline on your Steam Deck, it’s essential to set things up correctly. This process is straightforward, ensuring you won’t be tethered to a Wi-Fi connection once you’re ready to game.
Initial Download and Installation
First and foremost, you’ll need an internet connection to download and install Baldur’s Gate 3 from the Steam store. Ensure that you have sufficient storage space available on your Steam Deck, as BG3 is a substantial game. Once the download and installation are complete, you are ready for some offline action.
Steam’s Offline Mode
The key to playing offline is enabling Steam’s Offline Mode. To do this, with an active internet connection:
- Open the Steam client on your Steam Deck.
- Click on “Steam” in the top left corner.
- Select “Go Offline” from the dropdown menu.
- Steam will prompt you with a warning message about switching to offline mode.
- Confirm to enter Offline Mode.
Once you’ve completed these steps, Steam will transition to offline mode. The next time you start Steam while disconnected from the internet, it will automatically launch in offline mode, provided you’ve checked the “Remember my password” box on the login window.
Cloud Save Considerations
By default, Steam games will synchronize your save data to the cloud while you’re online. This is incredibly useful for playing on multiple devices or ensuring your game progress is safe. However, when playing offline, these cloud saves won’t sync until you’re back online. Be aware that any progress made offline won’t be reflected in your online saves until you reconnect and Steam has a chance to sync. If you wish to keep your save data local only, you’ll have to change the settings to not sync your save data to the cloud. This can be an advantage if you have to swap between online and offline play.
Larian Account and Offline Saves
Baldur’s Gate 3 uses a launcher, and it was initially thought logging out of your Larian account was necessary to save offline but now, if you are not connected to the internet when starting up the game, it will automatically let you save locally. This means that whether you are online or offline, you’ll have no issues saving.
Optimizing Baldur’s Gate 3 on Steam Deck
While the game is playable offline, optimizing your settings can make the experience even better. Here are some recommended adjustments:
Visual Settings for Steam Deck
For the best balance of visual quality and performance on the Steam Deck, consider these settings within the game’s Options > Video menu:
- Aspect Ratio: 16×10
- Resolution: 1280×800
- Vsync: Disabled
- Model Quality: Medium
- Detail Distance: Low
- Instance Distance: Low
- Texture Quality: High
- Texture Filtering: Anisotropic x4
Refresh Rate and Frame Rate
It’s recommended to slightly adjust the screen refresh rate to 40Hz for optimal performance and aiming for a target of 30-40 frames per second (FPS). This provides a smoother gaming experience without overly stressing the hardware or draining the battery.
DirectX vs. Vulkan
For playing on Steam Deck, DirectX 11 is the preferred graphics API, as it tends to provide better stability compared to Vulkan, which has had some reported issues in the past.
FAQs: Baldur’s Gate 3 Offline on Steam Deck
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify playing BG3 offline on your Steam Deck:
1. Can I play Baldur’s Gate 3 entirely offline once it’s installed?
Yes, once installed, you can play Baldur’s Gate 3 on your Steam Deck entirely offline. No internet connection is required to play the game after initial download, as long as you have logged in with steam in offline mode.
2. Will I lose my game progress if I play offline?
No, you won’t lose progress, as game saves are saved locally, but you won’t be able to sync the save data until you connect to the internet. If you are having issues saving offline, log out of your Larian account in the Launcher.
3. Can I play with friends in a LAN game while offline?
Yes, if you and your friends are in the same house, you can use family sharing and offline mode to play a LAN game together. Note that this only applies to local networks.
4. What happens to my cloud saves if I play offline?
Your cloud saves will not sync while offline. They will be updated when you reconnect to the internet. Any changes you make offline will be reflected to your cloud saves when you go back online.
5. Is there a time limit on how long I can play offline?
No, there is no practical time limit. You can play in offline mode indefinitely.
6. Does playing offline affect achievements?
Yes, any achievements you earn while offline will be synced when you connect back online if your save data is synced to the cloud.
7. How much storage space does BG3 require on Steam Deck?
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a large game, so ensure that you have at least 125 GB of free storage space on your Steam Deck for a smooth gaming experience. This can fluctuate between updates and DLC.
8. What is the ideal battery life when playing BG3 on Steam Deck?
Battery life varies depending on settings, but it generally ranges from 2 to 8 hours. You can optimize battery life by adjusting settings and utilizing lower refresh rates.
9. Does playing BG3 offline impact performance?
Playing offline shouldn’t have a significant impact on performance. Performance is more dependent on your chosen settings and the game itself, not the internet connection.
10. Can I play other Steam games offline on my Deck?
Yes, any Steam game that doesn’t require an internet connection to play can be played offline once installed and updated, if you start steam in offline mode.
11. Do I need to reconnect to the internet regularly to keep playing offline?
No, you don’t need to reconnect regularly, however, if you wish to back up your save data, you’ll need to sync it to the cloud with an internet connection.
12. Can I use mods in offline mode?
Yes, mods can still work in offline mode, as long as you have installed them.
13. Is Baldur’s Gate 3 better than Diablo 4?
While it’s a matter of preference, Baldur’s Gate 3 offers a more in-depth story and a compelling single-player experience, while Diablo 4 focuses more on action and loot.
14. Can I play BG3 solo without any companions?
Yes, the game allows you to play solo and enjoy the story without companions, if you so choose.
15. Is BG3 still being updated?
Yes, the developers are constantly releasing updates, including patches, fixes and new content.
Conclusion
Playing Baldur’s Gate 3 offline on the Steam Deck is not just possible; it’s a seamless and enjoyable experience. With proper setup, optimal settings, and understanding of the limitations of playing without an internet connection, you can dive into the expansive world of BG3 anytime, anywhere. Whether you’re on a long journey or just prefer to game offline, the Steam Deck and Baldur’s Gate 3 are a winning combination.