Guide coverage: patches through 1.0.12
How to Fish on Steam Deck
How to Fish is fully Steam Deck Verified as of patch 1.0.11 (2026-09-01), and the same patch added the controller options that matter most on a handheld: toggle aiming, toggle sprinting, hold-to-attack and a nametag toggle.
What Verified actually covers
Valve’s Verified badge is a checklist: the game runs on Deck hardware, the text is readable on the small screen, the default controller layout works without configuration, and there is no launcher or compatibility warning to click through. It says nothing about how the game performs at high player counts, and it does not promise a stable frame-rate during an eight-player boss fight.
Install and launch
- Install from your Steam library as usual; no Proton version or launch option needs to be forced.
- Restart Steam after each game patch. Patch notes for 1.0.9 through 1.0.12 all end with “Restart Steam for update”.
- Check the version before joining friends: a mismatch is what produces the “Disconnected: Version mismatch” message.
Controller options added in 1.0.11
| Option | Where | Why it helps on Deck |
|---|---|---|
| Toggle aiming | Settings → Controls | You keep aiming without holding the trigger, which is easier on a handheld grip. |
| Toggle sprinting | Settings → Controls | Sprint stays on between presses, so you can use the other thumb for the camera. |
| Hold to attack | Settings → Controls | Continuous fire without tapping, useful for the SMG and the Assault Rifle. |
| Nametag toggle | Settings → Controls | Turning nametags off keeps the small screen readable during a busy co-op fight. |
Patch 1.0.8 also fixed PlayStation controller glyphs, so the button icons on screen match the pad you are actually using.
Settings worth changing on a handheld
- Frame-rate cap: patch 1.0.5 lowered the minimum locked FPS setting from 50 to 30, so a 30 FPS cap is available if you want longer battery life.
- Look sensitivity and inverted axes: the option to invert X and Y separately arrived in 1.0.5.
- Difficulty: since 1.0.9 you can switch between Easy, Normal and Hard from the main menu or in-game, and Easy cuts creature health by 25%.
- Patch 1.0.12 fixed FishNet overriding your max FPS whenever you joined a lobby, so a cap you set now sticks after joining.
When it will not connect
- Restart Steam on every device in the group, then retry the invitation.
- Use the Steam connection readout in the main menu (added in 1.0.9). If the Steam relay line is red, the connection failed during initialisation and no lobby will be reachable.
- If the screen goes black only after accepting an invite, use the black-screen steps instead.
Quick answers
Is How to Fish Steam Deck Verified?
Yes. How to Fish is fully Steam Deck Verified as of patch 1.0.11 (2026-09-01). Before that patch the game was playable but had not passed Valve’s full check.
Do I need Proton or launch options on the Deck?
No. A Verified game ships with a Valve-tested configuration, so it installs and launches from the library with no compatibility flags to set.
Can I play with PC players from the Deck?
Yes — it is the same Steam app, so Deck and PC players join the same lobbies. Both sides need the same patch version, which is why the notes ask you to restart Steam after every update.
Does GeForce NOW work too?
Yes, streaming through GeForce NOW was added in the same 1.0.11 patch as the Deck support.
Which patch should a Deck player be on?
Patch 1.0.12 or newer. It added Steam Cloud saves, which is what lets a PC save follow you onto the Deck.