If you want to pick up Palworld on Steam Deck or have already done so, you may be wondering two things; what’s the best settings to run the game, and how well does this game actually runs on Steam Deck? I am going to answer both of these questions for you.

The Steam Deck runs Palworld well enough. It is not the best running game on Steam but using the correct settings you can make it run smoothly for the most part. You won’t have any issues that would make you go “screw it, let’s play something else.”

Let’s start with the best settings for Palworld. I recommend running the game on Medium. Medium is the sweet spot where you can experience a problem free session. If you try to go any higher, it’ll cause problems.

I will discuss performance later in the article but let me give my settings recommendations:

Best Settings For Palworld

  • Vsync: Off.
  • Motion Blur: Off.
  • Anti-Aliasing: TSR.
  • View Distance: Medium.
  • Grass Detail: Medium.
  • Shadows: Low.
  • Effects Quality: Medium.
  • Texture Quality: Medium.

On top of these settings you will also need to adjust some things in Steam Deck Quick Access Menu:

  • Frame Limit: 30 frames per second.
  • Allow tearing: Off.
  • TDP Limit: 12 watts.
  • Scaling Mode: Stretch (or auto).
  • Scaling Filter: FSR.
  • Performance Impact And Alternate Settings

By applying my recommended best settings for Palworld, your game will run between 25-30 FPS. In my testing there were occasional texture pop-up and unfortunately it stays that way throughout the game.

When the base is crowded or you’re facing multiple enemies at a time, the FPS drops but nothing major. Even in the most demanding situations the game kept itself between 25 to 30 FPS.

If you want to increase FPS to 40+ you can play on very low settings but remember, the texture will look horrible. But I understand not everyone wants a pretty looking game, some prefer a higher FPS over graphics.

Medium settings are best for keeping a balance between visuals and FPS. Meanwhile, those who prefer higher FPS can try Low Settings:

  • View Distance: Low.
  • Grass Detail: Low.
  • Shadows: Low.
  • Effects Quality: Low.
  • Texture Quality: Low.

Common Palworld Errors And Their Fixes On Steam Deck

Palworld has many known issues with its gameplay and performance. These issues can be resolved by modding Palworld. There are some Palworld mods you can use to fix some known issues with the game including Pals getting stuck, improved FPS performance, and more.

  • Stuck Palworld Rescuer: This mod will fix an issue where Pals get stuck somewhere, causing them to not do their job.
  • Hunger Pal Rescuer: This mod will fix an issue where Pals get stuck, become hungry and die. It detects hungry pals and respawns them at the Pal Box.