How to fix the Baldur’s Gate 3 not loading on Steam Deck

Baldur's Gate 3 is an exciting and immersive game that many players enjoy on the Steam Deck. However, there may be instances where the game fails to load properly, causing frustration among players. In this blog post, we will discuss several troubleshooting steps to help you fix the issue and get back to adventuring in no time.

Update Your Steam Client

One common reason for games not loading correctly is an outdated Steam client. It's important to keep your Steam client up to date to ensure compatibility with the latest games. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to update your Steam client:

1. Launch the Steam client on your Steam Deck.

2. Click on "Steam" in the top left corner of the window.

3. Select "Check for Steam Client Updates" from the drop-down menu.

4. Wait for Steam to check for updates and follow the prompts to install any available updates.

5. Once the update is complete, restart your Steam client.

Verify Game Files Integrity

Corrupted game files can also cause issues with game loading. Verifying the integrity of game files can help identify and resolve any corrupted files. Follow these steps to verify the integrity of Baldur's Gate 3 game files:

1. Open the Steam client on your Steam Deck.

2. Go to your Steam Library and locate Baldur's Gate 3.

3. Right-click on the game and select "Properties" from the context menu.

4. In the properties window, navigate to the "Local Files" tab.

5. Click on the "Verify Integrity of Game Files" button.

6. Wait for Steam to verify the game files. If any issues are detected, Steam will automatically download and replace the corrupted files.

Check Proton Compatibility

Proton compatibility is essential for running Windows games on Linux-based systems like the Steam Deck. In some cases, compatibility issues can prevent Baldur's Gate 3 from loading properly. Follow these steps to check Proton compatibility:

1. Open the Steam client on your Steam Deck.

2. Go to your Steam Library and locate Baldur's Gate 3.

3. Right-click on the game and select "Properties" from the context menu.

4. In the properties window, navigate to the "Compatibility" tab.

5. Check if "Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool" is enabled.

6. Select a different compatibility tool from the drop-down menu, such as Proton Experimental.

7. Click "Apply" to save the changes.

Switch to Proton Experimental and Delete Baldur's Gate 3 Folder

If switching to Proton Experimental doesn't resolve the issue, you can try deleting the Baldur's Gate 3 folder. This can help remove any conflicting files that may be causing problems. Here's how you can do it:

1. Close the Steam client and navigate to the game installation directory.

2. By default, the directory should be located at "Steam/steamapps/common/Baldur's Gate 3".

3. Delete the entire Baldur's Gate 3 folder.

4. After deleting the folder, reopen the Steam client and reinstall the game.

Utilize Launch Parameters

Launch parameters can be used to modify the game's startup behavior and potentially resolve loading issues. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to utilize launch parameters for Baldur's Gate 3:

1. Open the Steam client on your Steam Deck.

2. Go to your Steam Library and locate Baldur's Gate 3.

3. Right-click on the game and select "Properties" from the context menu.

4. In the properties window, click on the "Set Launch Options" button.

5. Enter the desired launch parameters, such as "-windowed" or "-nointro", to modify the game's behavior.

6. Click "OK" to save the changes.

Try Different Rendering Mode

Sometimes, the rendering mode can affect game loading. Switching to a different rendering mode can help resolve any rendering-related issues. Here's how you can try different rendering modes for Baldur's Gate 3:

1. Launch the game on your Steam Deck.

2. Go to the game's settings or options menu.

3. Look for the graphics or display settings.

4. Change the rendering mode to a different option, such as DirectX 11 or OpenGL.

5. Save the changes and restart the game to see if the issue is resolved.

Reinstall Baldur's Gate 3

If all else fails, reinstalling Baldur's Gate 3 can be a last resort to fix any persistent loading issues. Here's how you can reinstall the game:

1. Open the Steam client on your Steam Deck.

2. Go to your Steam Library and locate Baldur's Gate 3.

3. Right-click on the game and select "Uninstall" from the context menu.

4. Follow the prompts to uninstall the game