Careful — this popular new game is corrupting Steam Decks
A popular new game can corrupt your Steam Deck and render it unusable immediately after being installed.
The Steam Deck is easily the best handheld gaming PC you can buy, but a new game that launched with native Linux support for the Steam Deck is corrupting some devices. The Jackbox Megapicker, a free launcher for Jackbox party games, is corrupting the installation on SteamOS on the Steam Deck and Steam Deck OLED, according to multiple sources.
GamingOnLinux first reported the story, which has been confirmed by both the developers and Valve’s Pierre-Loup Griffais, following user reports of corrupted installations on Reddit and Discord a few days ago. After installing the game, the Steam Deck would refuse to load. It doesn’t completely ruin the device, but if you install The Jackbox Megapicker, you’ll be forced to reinstall SteamOS from scratch. That includes creating your own recovery media with Valve’s SteamOS image and completely wiping all data from the device.
A hotfix has been issued to select Proton by default for the Jackbox Megapicker until the issues with corrupting the Steam installation are addressed. To avoid issues, don't override the compatibility selection to the Linux Runtime.
— Pierre-Loup Griffais (@Plagman2) July 31, 2024
The developers say to avoid installing the game on the Steam Deck for the time being. “Unfortunately at this time, we’ve seen a handful of reports come in regarding issues with the Megapicker on Steam Decks … it is our current recommendation that Steam Deck users refrain from downloading The Jackbox Megapicker until further notice,” the developers wrote in a Steam forum post on Tuesday.
Valve’s hotfix for the issue forces the game to run through the Proton compatibility layer, bypassing the native Linux version that seems to be the source of the issue. Even with the hotfix, it’s best to avoid installing The Jackbox Megapicker on the Steam Deck until the developers have issued an update.
The Jackbox Megapicker just launched on Monday, and there’s currently a sale on all Jackbox titles on Steam to celebrate its release. This is just a launcher, and the games themselves aren’t causing issues with the Steam Deck. It’s not hard to see why you’d want to use a launcher if you have multiple Jackbox titles, though — there are 10 different collections available, as well as several standalone party games.
It’s fair to ask how a launcher like this could corrupt the SteamOS install in the first place, and that’s exactly what users are asking. It’s concerning that a single game could completely corrupt the Steam Deck. We haven’t seen anything like this before.
Given that Valve is aware of the issue, hopefully it’s looking into what’s causing the issues on the Steam Deck and addressing anything within SteamOS that’s opening the door for software to impact the operating system in such a big way. If you happened to install The Jackbox Megapicker and your Steam Deck is acting up, the developers recommend reaching out to the Jackbox support team.
Jacob Roach is the lead reporter for PC hardware at Digital Trends. In addition to covering the latest PC components, from…
Asus’ new gaming keyboard is the sleeper hit of Computex 2024
I wasn't expecting a new version of Asus' excellent ROG Azoth keyboard, but that's exactly what I saw at Computex 2024. The aptly named ROG Azoth Extreme is an upgraded version of the base model, fit with a suite of changes and performance improvements worthy of the Extreme tag.
As a certified keyboard snob that likes to mess with boards like the Meletrix BOOG75 and Keychron Q1 HE, the Azoth Extreme presents an interesting dilemma. It has all the hallmarks of a mainstream gaming keyboard, but with plenty of enthusiast guidance. In some ways, such as the adjustable gaskets, it even goes beyond what you can find in the DIY market.
A complete refresh
Acer has 3 new OLED gaming monitors, including one with a 480Hz refresh rate
Acer just opened up its metaphorical bag of goodies at Computex 2024, and a whole lot of monitors fell right out. There's a lot to sink your teeth into, but we've got our eyes on the OLED models -- one of them more than the others.
The Predator X27 F3 combines a WQHD OLED display with a 480Hz refresh rate, coming close to the best of both worlds for gamers. You won't have to choose between crisp visuals and high refresh rates here. However, its price is high enough to make your eyes water just as much as the lightning-fast gameplay might.
An OLED gaming handheld rises up to challenge the Steam Deck
In an unexpected turn of events, computing hardware manufacturer Zotac has announced it will unveil a new OLED gaming handheld next week at Computex 2024. All we know so far is that it's called the Zone and it has a 7-inch AMOLED touchscreen and two-stage adjustable triggers.
The announcement promises "high-performance," "quality controls," and "top-end specs" for the device -- but we'll have to wait until next week to see if the numbers warrant these descriptions.