Will Hollow Knight: Silksong run on the Steam Deck?
Hollow Knight: Silksong is Steam Deck Verified with a Platinum ProtonDB rating from 339 reports — a light 2D engine that plays beautifully at native 800p on the Deck.
Short answer: yes — Hollow Knight: Silksong is Steam Deck Verified with a Platinum ProtonDB rating from 339 reports, and our own derived verdict is green at native 800p. That verdict comes from Valve's compatibility data and our spec model, not a measured frame rate — we don't have measured Deck FPS for this title yet.
Yes — Hollow Knight: Silksong is one of the best Steam Deck games you can own. It carries Valve's Deck Verified badge, and an independent signal backs that up: a Platinum tier on ProtonDB from 339 community reports. Native 800p at max settings on a 2D engine that asks very little of the hardware — the "can it even run?" question is settled. See the full rundown on the game page. What's left is how high the frame rate climbs, whether you cap it for marathon sessions, and just how many hours you get per charge.
Verified, not yet measured by us. Silksong carries Valve's Deck Verified badge, and our own derived verdict is green at native 800p — but that verdict is derived from Valve's compatibility category plus our published spec model, not a measured frame rate. We don't have measured Deck FPS for this title in our benchmark overlay yet, so treat the figures below as informed estimates, not confirmed results. See our methodology for how we test and rate.
Why it's an ideal Deck game
Hollow Knight: Silksong, released in 2025, is a hand-drawn 2D metroidvania — the same family of clean vector-style art and 2D physics that made the original such a joy to run. There is no heavy 3D geometry, no demanding ray tracing, no large-world streaming to choke a handheld. This is exactly the workload the Steam Deck eats for breakfast.
The Deck's hardware is wildly over-specced for a game like this. Its AMD Zen 2 4-core CPU, RDNA 2 GPU with 8 compute units, and 16 GB of shared LPDDR5 are tuned to push modern 3D titles at 800p inside a 15 W power envelope. A polished 2D engine asks for a tiny fraction of that — Steam's own recommended spec sheet lists just 8 GB of system RAM, half the Deck's 16 GB. The 8 CU GPU has tons of headroom, so the Deck should hold the frame cap without breaking a sweat and without spinning up the fans.
The precedent held up, and it's no longer just an assumption. The original Hollow Knight is a flagship Steam Deck title — Steam Deck Verified, running flawlessly, and famous for sipping battery across very long play sessions. Silksong is built on the same light 2D foundation, and now carries its own Deck Verified badge plus a Platinum ProtonDB tier from 339 reports to back it up — the same story, confirmed independently rather than just inferred from family resemblance.
The handheld experience
Native resolution is 800p (1280x800), and our derived verdict is green across the board at that resolution. The FPS figures below are estimates, not numbers we've measured on this title — see the honesty note above.
| Setting | Resolution | Target | Verdict | Estimated FPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max, high refresh | 800p (native) | 90 Hz OLED | 🟢 | ~90 fps (estimated, locked) |
| Max, 60 fps cap | 800p (native) | 60 fps | 🟢 | 60 fps (estimated, rock solid) |
| Max, battery saver | 800p (native) | 40–45 fps cap | 🟢 | 40–45 fps (estimated) |
Across the board this reads as a green-light experience: Valve's Deck Verified badge and our own derived verdict agree — maximum settings at native resolution, no compromises needed, with frame rate limited only by whatever cap you choose. We haven't measured battery life for this title either; based on the engine's light footprint we'd estimate roughly 5–8+ hours depending on your refresh and TDP choices, but treat that as an estimate, not a confirmed figure.
Battery life and the OLED refresh
This is where Silksong should really sell the Deck. A light 2D engine pulls the GPU well below its 15 W ceiling, so the whole system runs cool and efficient. That low draw is exactly what drives the long playtimes the original Hollow Knight is loved for — and why a single charge could stretch to a full evening of play.
On the OLED model, the 90 Hz panel adds a real benefit: locking to 90 fps makes the precise platforming and combat feel noticeably crisper and more responsive than a 60 Hz cap. If you'd rather maximize endurance, cap to 60 fps — or drop to the lowest matched pair your panel offers, 45 Hz/45 fps on the OLED and 40 Hz/40 fps on the LCD — and the battery stretches even further for long flights, commutes, or couch marathons. Either way you're choosing between "buttery and snappy" and "play forever," not fighting to hit a playable frame rate.
Deck vs the rest
The Steam Deck is arguably the perfect home for Silksong, but it's far from the only good option across Valve's lineup:
- Steam Machine — total overkill for a 2D metroidvania. It will pin any cap effortlessly and drive a big TV at high resolution. Great on the couch, but you lose the portability that suits this game so well.
- Steam Frame — fine when streamed from a host machine. Silksong isn't a VR or headset-native experience, but it streams cleanly for casual play.
For most players, the handheld wins. If you want more titles in this vein, see our best Steam Deck games roundup, browse the full games library, or read the Steam Deck overview for hardware details. You can also compare the Steam Machine if a living-room setup is more your speed.
Frequently asked
Yes. Silksong is Steam Deck Verified with a Platinum ProtonDB rating from 339 community reports, and our own derived verdict is green at native 800p max settings. As a light hand-drawn 2D game it sits far below the Deck's capabilities, so frame rate is limited only by your chosen cap. We haven't measured FPS on this title ourselves — that verdict is derived from Valve's compatibility data and our spec model, not a benchmark.
Yes — it is. Valve lists Hollow Knight: Silksong as Steam Deck Verified, and the game backs that up independently on ProtonDB with a Platinum tier from 339 reports. Steam also lists full controller support, matching the original Hollow Knight's controller-first design.
We haven't measured battery life for Silksong ourselves, so treat this as an estimate rather than a confirmed number: likely excellent, roughly 5–8+ hours, among the best you'll see on the Deck, since a light 2D engine keeps power draw well down. Cap to 60 fps (or the lowest refresh your model allows — 45 Hz on the OLED, 40 Hz on the LCD) for the longest sessions, or run the OLED's 90 Hz for the snappiest feel.