How to fix Madden NFL 25 not working on Steam Deck

While the crowd is going wild in whole stadiums and living rooms with today's launch of Madden NFL 25, Steam Deck owners are seeing quite a different—and frankly, frustrating—reality. Although formidably able as a handheld gamer in its own right, the Linux-based operating system poses a large obstacle to the popular football simulation on the Steam Deck.

While EA Sports has not officially supported the Steam Deck for Madden NFL 25, players are all on their own in this rude environment. Incompatibility issues, performance bottlenecks, or probably game crashes are common enemies for any player bold enough to play the game on this platform.

In the following sections, we will describe some of the possible solutions and workarounds, including insights and tips that can help users overcome them. While there is no single solution to guarantee you can play Madden NFL 25 on a Steam Deck, knowing where the limitations are and being aware of available options dramatically increases the chance of playing the game on said hardware.

EA Sports Madden NFL 25 Not Working on Steam Deck: How to Fix

The real reason behind Madden NFL 25 not working on the Steam Deck is due to the implementation of an anti-cheat system that wasn't daeveloped to work on a Linux-based operating system like SteamOS. As before, the same issue plagued earlier Madden titles from working on the Steam Deck.

Of course, if you want to bypass this limitation and get the opportunity to play Madden NFL 25 on your mobile device, the best route would be to install Windows on your Steam Deck. You can set up dual-booting on your device, and with that, you will avoid the anti-cheat restrictions and just play your game.

Now, if you have already completed this part and still face issues regarding the initial startup, then there is nothing to be worried about. There is no definite fix of this error, but these steps might turn things around. So let's find out in detail these possible solutions:

Restart the Game and Then the Deck

One of the most prevalent steps to troubleshoot would be to restart the game itself. If it doesn't, then powering off your Steam Deck and turning it back on often corrects minor software issues or other conflicts that might cause problems with the game. If none of these steps help, then we will move to the next potential fix.

Check the Integrity of Game Files

If you're still running into issues with Madden NFL 25 after getting Windows installed on your Steam Deck, then it's time to verify the integrity of the game files. This will ensure there isn't any missing or corrupted data in your game installation.

First, check the integrity of your files. To do this, go into your Steam Library, right-click Madden NFL 25, select Properties, then the Local Files tab. Click "Verify Integrity of Game Files." Steam will then search for issues within the game and replace corrupt files found. This may resolve the issue.

Check for Updates

It would optimize the game for a proper gaming experience and may resolve compatibility issues. Check whether your game and OS are updated to the latest versions. Open your Steam game library, click on Madden NFL 25, and check for any updates. Also, do the same for your Windows system and check whether there are any pending updates to install. Most of the time, you might be asked to restart your system once the update has been installed, so that the changes can take place.

Lower the Graphics Settings

If you've managed to launch Madden NFL 25 on your Steam Deck but are running into some performance issues, such as stuttering or low frame rates, consider reducing the in-game graphical settings. Lowering the visual quality may further increase performance, especially on a handheld possessing little processing power. Try reducing resolution, turning off higher-end graphical features, and tuning the frame rate to your best performance goals on this Steam Deck.

Reinstalling the Game

 If none of the above troubleshooting measures work, there might be a need to reinstall Madden NFL 25. This is a bit more time-consuming but can work magic in handling some deep-seated issues that prevent the proper running of the game in your Steam Deck. Completely uninstall the game, then restart your device and reinstall the game.

While these steps might give a hand, there are no guarantees that Madden NFL 25 will work properly on a Steam Deck because of the incompatibility issues embedded.