Key Highlights:
- Just Cause 2 Steam Deck Verified status has officially arrived on Steam.
- The 2010 open world classic is now the first game in the series to receive Valve’s highest compatibility rating.
- This update fixes a long-standing launch issue that previously affected Steam Deck players.
More than 16 years after its original release, Just Cause 2 has received an unexpected update from Square Enix, officially earning Steam Deck Verified status. The surprise certification makes Avalanche Studios’ acclaimed open world action game the first entry in the franchise to receive Valve’s highest compatibility rating for its handheld PC.
While the Just Cause series has remained dormant since 2018’s Just Cause 4, the update gives Steam Deck owners a much smoother way to experience what many fans still consider the strongest game in the franchise.
Back in 2023, Square Enix had to cancel Just Cause Mobile due to financial struggles in the aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Unlike the other entries, which remain listed as Playable, Just Cause 2 has now passed Valve’s full verification process. That means the game has been tested to ensure it works from beginning to end with controls, interface and performance suited to the Steam Deck experience.
The update is particularly notable because it resolves a long-standing launch problem that prevented many Steam Deck users from playing the game without manual workarounds. Previously, the game could become stuck on an “Updating Executable” screen, forcing players to replace the executable file themselves before it would launch correctly.
That issue has now been resolved, allowing the game to start normally on Steam Deck without requiring any additional fixes. Although players may still briefly see the “Updating Executable” message during startup, the game now continues loading after a short wait instead of hanging indefinitely.
I remember Just Cause 2 standing out because of the freedom it gave players to experiment. Even today, few open world games encourage the same level of creative destruction, and that sandbox remains the biggest reason to revisit it despite its age.
Performance also appears to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the update. Testing has shown the game comfortably running at 60 FPS with modest battery usage, while less demanding areas can push performance even higher. Larger firefights remain the most demanding moments, making a 60 FPS cap the most consistent option for portable play.
Although the timing may seem unusual for a largely single-player title released in 2010, it continues to enjoy a dedicated audience. Steam player numbers remain modest compared to the game’s peak years, but the new verification gives existing owners another reason to revisit Panau without compatibility concerns.
Originally released in 2010, Just Cause 2 remains the highest-rated entry in the franchise with a Metacritic score of 84. The game went on to sell more than six million copies, helping establish the series as one of Square Enix’s best-known open world action franchises.
Whether this update is simply a welcome quality-of-life improvement or an indication that Square Enix has renewed interest in the series remains unclear. For now, Steam Deck owners can finally play Just Cause 2 without the launch issues that affected previous versions.
Source – SteamDeckHQ