Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is finally out, and the excitement around the new campaign and multiplayer modes is huge. But one question keeps coming up again and again – Can you play Black Ops 7 on the Steam Deck? Unfortunately, the answer right now is disappointing for handheld gamers.
Black Ops 7 currently does not work on the Steam Deck. Even though the Steam page still shows the rating as “Unknown,” the game simply does not launch on Valve’s handheld. This is not a performance issue or a graphical limitation. The problem is deeper and tied to Activision’s updated anti-cheat system.
Why Black Ops 7 Does Not Work on Steam Deck
Activision’s Ricochet anti-cheat now requires Secure Boot and TPM 2.0. These are hardware-level security features that help prevent cheating by locking the system environment. The Steam Deck does not support these features on SteamOS in any official way. While some advanced users try custom methods to enable Secure Boot, it is risky and can even brick the device permanently.
This makes Black Ops 7 unreachable on the Steam Deck in its current form. It follows the same path as other competitive shooters like Apex Legends, Destiny 2, Battlefield 6, and Valorant, all of which refuse to run without these strict security checks.
Even single-player content like the BO7 campaign will not start. The game fails to boot before any menu appears, so it is not only a multiplayer lockout. Nothing in the game is accessible.
Will Black Ops 7 Ever Become Steam Deck Compatible?
Right now, the best guess is no. The game will likely get an “Unsupported” rating soon. Ricochet anti-cheat is deeply tied to secure system-level features, and Valve would need to redesign parts of SteamOS to fully support requirements like TPM 2.0.
Unless Activision decides to create a Steam Deck–friendly mode without anti-cheat (which is extremely unlikely), the situation will remain the same.
So What Are Your Options?
If you want to play Black Ops 7 on a handheld, you still have alternatives. Windows-based gaming handhelds like:
These devices fully support Secure Boot and TPM 2.0, so the game runs without trouble—as long as your hardware meets the system requirements.
But for the Steam Deck running SteamOS, Black Ops 7 simply is not an option.
How to Run Black Ops 7 on Steam Deck
Even though Black Ops 7 does not officially support SteamOS, some users have managed to run the game by enabling Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 through unofficial tools. This is not the recommended method, but if you still want to try it, here is what to know before attempting anything.
Enabling Secure Boot through unofficial tools can brick your Steam Deck, break SteamOS updates, or cause security issues. Follow them only if you fully understand the risks.
A community tool called DeckSecureBoot (made by downthecrop on GitHub) can enable Secure Boot on the Steam Deck by:
- Creating your Secure Boot keys
- Flashing them automatically
- Updating BIOS settings
This tool simplifies older, more complicated steps. It works with both SteamOS and Windows installations.
What you need to do:
- Download the DeckSecureBoot ISO from GitHub.
- Flash it to a USB drive.
- Boot your Steam Deck from the USB.
- Follow on-screen steps to enable Secure Boot.
- Reboot and enable TPM 2.0 in BIOS.
After Secure Boot + TPM are active, SteamOS can theoretically launch Black Ops 7, but results may vary.
Even after enabling secure boot on SteamOS, the game may still crash or refuse to start, and performance could be less stable than on Windows. Any update from Activision could stop this workaround anytime. If you only want to play the campaign or jump into a few matches occasionally, it is safer to install Windows on the Steam Deck or use a Windows handheld like ROG Ally X.
