Can you play Microsoft Flight Simulator on Steam Deck?

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a no-fly-zone on Valve’s Steam Deck, deemed unavailable for aviation enthusiasts looking to take to the skies in handheld form.

It’s unclear if the ultimate aviation experience will see the light of day on the Steam Deck, considering the system requirements of Microsoft Flight Simulator. It’s a big, fairly demanding game—recommending an 8th generation CPU, 900-series GPU, 16 GB of memory, and at least 150 GB of available storage. That’s a tall order for any handheld device.

For big, immersive games like this, it’s a good idea to shoot for system specifications far north of what’s recommended to ensure an ideal gaming experience. The Steam Deck would be put to the task for a game like this.

To be clear, Microsoft Flight Simulator is unavailable—not unsuported. The title doesn’t (currently) show up on Steam Deck Verified. However, Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition does—deemed Unspported, tested on February 18th and noted: ‘Valve is still working on adding support for this game on Steam Deck.’

Microsoft Flight Simulator X: Steam Edition is a much older, far-less demanding iteration. It’s a safe bet to assume that this particular version will find availability on the Steam Deck before the newest iteration does.

Valve breaks down Steam Deck game compatibility into four categories: Verified, Playable, Unsupported, and Unknown; allowing users to quickly see which level of playability can be enjoyed.