[OUTDATED] Steam Deck Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) Installation Guide

Your guide to ESO installs on Steam Deck from: Proton7, control setup, error fixes, video settings, launcher closing & battery life.

Edit: As of the new update from Zenimax, ESO is now stated as playable for Steam Deck. After checking, everything works fine.

📗 Intro

I was introduced to The Elder Scrolls Online a year ago by a friend, and I’ve been hooked ever since. 😄 When my Steam Deck finally arrived, I tore open the box and rushed to try out ESO.


Spoiler: It's beautiful 🤩

But alas, as you may have already seen, ESO’s been given an “🚫 Unsupported” rating via the Steam Deck Compatibility program. This is likely due to needing a few tweaks to get ESO installed and running properly.



Fear not, people of Tamriel! With a few easy steps, YOU can run ESO perfectly on the Steam Deck, and it’s my favorite way to play. 🥳

Don't have your Steam Deck, yet? Favorite this guide and come back when you're ready for some portable questing & dungeon running 😉

CAUTION ⚠️⚠️⚠️

Before you download & install ESO, you MUST download the latest version of GE-proton7 in 'Desktop Mode' from the ProtonUp-Qt app, then Enable it & Add Launch Options in Steam Deck settings. I'll walk you though that process in this guide.

If you don’t, the game won’t install & you’ll have to delete, re-download & re-install.

📖 Skim through all of these steps first, before starting the process.
It’ll save you a lot of hassle later.

1. Install ProtonUp-Qt & GE-Proton7 in Desktop Mode

1. Switch into Steam Deck 🖥️'Desktop Mode' by holding the Steam Deck's Power Button, then select 'Switch to Desktop' from the menu.



2. Once 🖥️'Desktop Mode' has loaded, double click the 🛍️'Discover Software Center' app icon, on the lower left in the taskbar (looks like a blue shopping bag).

👉 In Desktop Mode, You can use the right side Steam Deck touchpad like a mouse to move the pointer and click by pressing down on the touchpad until it clicks.

3. Click the 🔎 search bar at the top of the Discover Software Center window.

4. Hold the “Steam” button (on the left side of your Steam Deck) + X button on the Steam Deck controller to open the ⌨️ keyboard.

5. Type in the 🔎 search box:

ProtonUp

6. Click the "Install" button next to the app's name to install ProtonUp-Qt




7. Open ProtonUp-QT from the Discover Software Center window by clicking the application name, then clicking the "▶️Launch" button at the top right corner of the window.




8. In the Proton-Up-QT - Wine/Proton Installer window, click the “Add Version” button in the bottom left of the window.

NOTE: Unlike this screenshot, you won't have any "Installed Compatibility tools" listed in the window if this is your first time using the ProtonUp-QT app.

9. Select the Compatibility tool and Version:

• Under the Compatibility tool: drop down box, select: GE-Proton
  
• Under the Version: drop down box, select the most recent version available of GE-Proton7

NOTE: GE-Proton7-31 was the most recent version when I created this guide, but choose the highest version # available

10. Click the “Install” button.




11. Wait until it downloads, then click the “Close” button at the bottom of the window.

NOTE: These versions of Proton are much more compatible for unsupported games, like ESO, than the built-in ones.

2. Enable GE-Proton7 in Gaming Mode

⛔️DON’T DOWNLOAD OR INSTALL ESO YET

1. Go back to Steam Deck 🕹️ Gaming Mode: On the Desktop, Double Click or Double Tap the shortcut with the Steam Deck logo that says ‘Return to Gaming Mode’



2. Press the “Steam” button on your Steam Deck, then click on “Library” to open your Steam Library.

3. Tap the 🔎 Search bar on Steam Deck's touchscreen at the top left of the screen and hold the "Steam" button + X on the Steam Deck controller to open the keyboard.

4. 🔎 Search:

 Elder Scrolls Online 

and tap on the game Elder Scrolls Online to go to ESO’s Steam Page

5. Tap the ⚙️ cogwheel button on the right side of the ESO Steam Page screen.



6. In the menu that appears, Tap: Properties



7. Tap, Compatibility from the menu on the left side

8. Tap to check the check box ✅ next to ‘Force the use of a specific Steam Play Compatibility Tool’ & make sure the newest GE-Proton7 version, that you downloaded earlier, is selected.

3. Add Launch Options

⛔️STILL DON’T DOWNLOAD OR INSTALL ESO YET

1. In this same Properties menu, Tap or Scroll up to the “General” section on the left side of the page.

2. Tap on the ‘Launch Options’ text entry box

3. Copy and paste or open the Steam Deck keyboard (Hold the "Steam" button + the "X" button on the Steam Deck controller) to type the below command options in the text entry field/box exactly as it appears below, with a space between the commands (not an Enter, not a comma, and not a new line between commands and DOUBLE CHECK ALL THE SPELLING & CAPITALIZATION 👀):

 PROTON_ENABLE_NVAPI=1 PROTON_SET_GAME_DRIVE=1 %command%

4. Push the “B” button on the Steam Deck controller twice to return to the ESO Steam Page

4. Download & Install ESO

TIP: It’s MUCH easier if you use a mouse (Bluetooth or USB) 🖱️ NOW to complete ESO Installation. The on-screen pointer is very small when: Selecting Settings, Country, Scrolling down the long TOS Agreement windows, and clicking Agree, etc.

👉 You can also tap on the screen to move the pointer around (touchpads don't work during this part of installation), it's just that the buttons and tap targets are extremely small.

1. NOW, FINALLY, you can download & install the game while in Steam Deck Gaming Mode from your Library. 🥳 (Next step is a super important issue that'll pop up during intall)

2. During installation the client will STOP / GET STUCK on a completely black screen.
Don't Panic!😅You have to open the onscreen keyboard (STEAM button + X) and hit the Enter button on the keyboard.

• It will appear as if nothing has happened after pressing the Enter button, but the client will become visible again and installation will continue on it's own after a few moments. You may need to run the install from Desktop Mode, if installation doesn’t complete in Game Mode.

NOTE: If you get an error while installing, see the Installation Errors & Fixes section of this guide below for fixes.

3. Use your mouse or touchscreen to click through the settings and scroll to the bottom of the TOS / Game Policy text windows by tapping the down arrow on the touchscreen in the window or use the scroll wheel on your mouse and click "Accept" for each one, there are several. (This is where using a mouse comes in handy)

4. It will seem like the installation is hanging on the launch window for 2-5 minutes (“Loading…” with the spinning circular ESO logo), but it will eventually continue on. ESO may also need to download large updates while on the launcher screen - so watch the launcher progress bar.

5. Once it’s finally finished installing and you can see the ‘Play’ button illuminated in the ESO launcher - ⛔️DON'T PUSH PLAY YET.

👉Restart your Steam Deck (Hold the Power button, and choose the "Restart" option)

6. After restart, click the "Play" button for ESO from your Steam Library in Gaming Mode, and once the ESO launcher has loaded, tap on the touchscreen (or use your mouse to click) on the “Play” button to head to the character select screen. Tap on the screen to choose your character, and load into the game world.



7. You’ll now need to enable controller mode in the ESO settings to use the Steam Deck controls (Skip ahead to the Enable Controller Support section of this guide below). Then, I'll walk you through how to close the ESO launcher to stop game stuttering and give suggestions for video settings for optimal gameplay.

If you get an error or the game fails to load, see the Installation Errors & Fixes section of this guide below for fixes.

5. Installation Errors & Fixes

‘Unable to Load Applications List’ Error Message

During installation some people get the “Unable to load applications list” error.

NOTE: My understanding of this error is that a network connection problem prevents your Steam Deck from getting updates from ZeniMax’s servers, so it can’t complete ESO installation.

Many with Google WiFi routers or with Google Fiber as their ISP report getting this error message during instalaltion.

To get around this, disconnect from your current WiFi / network and try these options:

• Connect to a mobile hotspot on your phone and install again
  
• Use a USB C to Ethernet dongle or a USB C Hub with Ethernet and use a wired internet connection while installing again (Google Fiber users reported problems installing on both Ethernet and WiFi)
  
• Use a different WiFi network you can get access to and install again: Go to a library, a restaurant or coffee shop, your office, a friend, family member or neighbor’s house, etc

Once you solve this for installation and the initial game updates, you can connect to your usual network / WiFi router and launch the game normally.

‘Login Error’ Error Message

If you get the login error message after hitting the "Play" button in the ESO launcher, quit the game and Restart your Steam Deck.

Check for updates to the Steam Deck or ESO in your Steam Game Library, then download and install them. Then, restart Steam Deck and launch the game again. This restart ensures all updates are applied correctly.

If you still get a Login Error message:

• Check the current status of the ESO servers for outages/planned downtime at the Service Alerts section of the ESO Support Forums[help.elderscrollsonline.com]
  
• Check for an error with your internet connection:
  
  1. Power Cycle & Update Firmware in your Home Network Equipment
     
  2. Check that your Router has Open Outbound ports for ESO[help.elderscrollsonline.com]
     
  3. Check for ongoing internet outages

6. Enable Controller Support

🕹️ Next, you will need to go into the ESO settings and turn on controller support to use the Steam Deck controls

1. Once you’ve hit the "Play" button, logged in, selected your character, and are loaded into in the game, hold the "Steam" button + ⬅️Left direction on the D-pad (This functions as a shortcut to the “Escape” button on the keyboard, that opens the ESO menu)

2. Use touchscreen or a mouse to tap/click:

Settings > Gameplay > Scroll down to the ‘GAMEPAD’ section > Change Gamepad mode to “On” by tapping/clicking the dropdown box.



3.From the left menu, scroll back up above "Settings" and tap on the "Resume" option in the menu to return to the game.

4. Now, the Steam Deck controller is enabled. We want to use the gamepad on the login screen, instead of the keyboard. To do this:

• Return to the Settings screen, this time by pushing the "Options"button on the Steam Deck (‘hamburger button’ with 3 horizontal lines next to the X and Y buttons, that functions like the Pause button on a typical controller)
  
• Scroll down to ⚙️Options in the ESO menu and press the A controller button to select it
  
• Go to GAMEPLAY and press the A controller button
  
• Scroll down with the joystick to USE KEYBOARD LOGIN and press the A controller button to toggle it to OFF
  
• You may also choose to use the gamepad chat window if you don't like using the Steam Deck's keyboard, by going to "USE KEYBOARD CHAT" and press the A controller button to toggle it to OFF. If you change your mind, you can always come back here and toggle it back to ON.

5. Press the "B" controller button 3 times to exit the menus and resume the game

To return to the Settings screen in the future, you’ll push the Options button on the Steam Deck controller

7. Close ESO Launcher Every Session

⚠️MAKE SURE TO CLOSE THE LAUNCHER AFTER YOU LOG-IN & START PLAYING THE GAME EACH TIME TO PREVENT GAMEPLAY STUTTERS / RANDOM FREEZES

With the game running:
1. Press the “Steam” Button on your Steam Deck controller

2. If the Game Title at the top isn't selected, scroll up with the left joystick to the Game Name / Logo “The Elder Scrolls Online”



3. Move your joystick to the right & down to scroll. Under the “Switch Windows” section scroll down and hover over the “Launcher” text

4. Press the “X” button on the Steam Deck controller to Close Window



5. Scroll up with the left joystick to the “Resume Game” option and press “A” on the Steam Deck controller to return to the game

NOTE: You’ll need to remember to do this each time you play the game

My understanding is this is caused by a problem with the way the ESO Launcher interacts with and uses system memory / CPU / GPU resources. Hopefully it'll be fixed in a future Proton7, Steam Deck, or ESO update. 🤞

8. Video Settings

The game defaults to the “high” preset. You can leave it on high, but after some testing we’d recommend customizing settings to maximize frame rates and battery time if you're unplugged:

1. Press the Option button on the Steam Deck controller.

2. Scroll down to "⚙️Options" and press the "A" button on the controller to select it.

3. Scroll up to the "Video" option and press the "A" button on the controller to select it.

4. Scroll down to adjust Graphics settings to our recommended settings for performance:

• Graphics Quality: Medium
  
• Texture Quality: Medium
  
• Anti-Aliasing: None
  
• FSR Mode: Performance
  
• Subsampling Quality: Low
  
• Shadow Quality: Low
  
• Screen Space Reflection Quality: Off
  
• View Distance: lowering it
  
• Grass: Low
  
• Depth of Field: Off
  
• Bloom: Off
  
• Distortion: Off
  
• Sunlight Rays: Off

3. Press “Y” on the controller to save your settings. It may take a few moments for the game to reload on the loading screen with the new video settings.

9. Battery Life & Steam Deck Performance Settings

Steam Deck has powerful built-in tools to further tweak performance and adjust power usage. You'll find these in Steam Deck's Performance Settings menu:

1. Press the Steam Deck’s “…” button and scroll down to the battery icon 🔋

2. Under the Performance Settings section, go to "Use per-game profile" and press the "A" button on your Stream Deck controller to toggle this to on. This ensures that your ESO Performance Settings are adjusted and saved independent of your other game settings.



3. In this menu, adjust the Steam Deck's performance settings to maximize frame rate: 👇

• Move the Frame Rate Limit slider to 40fps
  
• Move the Refresh Rate slider down to 40Hz
  
• Turn on Half Rate Shading
  
• Move the Scaling Filter slider to FSR
  
• Move the FSR Sharpness slider to 2

🔌 When plugged in try: 30fps, 60Hz, with FSR set to 2

🔋 For slightly longer battery life, try 40fps with a 40Hz refresh rate and FSR set to 2. I get about 4.5 hours of battery life in ESO with these 40 FPS settings, and gameplay still appears pretty fluid.

💬 Let us know in the comments what performance and graphics settings you like best in ESO on the Steam Deck.

👍Rate ⭐Favorite 🥇Award & 💬Comment!

You’ve done it! You’ve got ESO installed and running on Steam Deck 🎮
Congratulate yourself with a Dungeon run 🐲 or take on a new quest 🧭

👍 Rating, Adding this guide to your ⭐ Favorites, Steam 🥇 Awards, and letting others know in the 💬Comments if it worked for you, helps people find this guide easily and motivates me to make more guides.

Special Thanks

Special Thanks to Phaceit for testing this installation walkthrough, providing feedback on this guide’s clarity, and pushing me to post this on Steam to help others 🙌

Got Questions?

Hope you’ve found this guide helpful and thanks for reading all the way through. If you’ve got any questions or found any updates to the process, be sure to reply with a comment below! Will be keeping this guide updated.

Thanks! - Hanz0 💜