Performance Overview
Performance in Disney Dreamlight Valley is a mixed bag. Indoors you can get a steady 60 frames per second, but doing anything outside can cause the framerate to plummet.
Currently, I’ve got it running at around the 45 frames mark, with highs reaching 55 and lows hitting 36. It’s not a major issue by any means, but if you’re expecting a smooth 60, that ain’t happening yet.
Your options really boil down to 45 with good graphics, or around the 30s with super-nice graphics. Though if you go for the latter, expect dips below 30 fairly often.
One of the big settings that make the difference is the resolution scale. By default, with the setting set to one, characters look a little blurry on the Steam Deck’s 800p screen. When hooked up to a TV, this is less of a problem due to FSR upscaling, but if you’re playing in handheld mode it’s definitely worth upping that to at least 1.5 to get the visuals nice and crisp.
Overall everything chugs along nicely, though. The framerate could be smoother, but it’s still very playable 45 frames. Plus the art direction helps to keep the game feeling full of life and fresh, so the lack of a smooth 60 isn’t a dealbreaker.
Recommend Settings
The settings below are designed to keep the game around the 45-frames-per-second mark. It will dip, and it will go higher. That’s just the nature of this version of the game. It’s not steady. Still, as mentioned, it’s not a dealbreaker. It works and performs well enough that gameplay can safely take centerstage.
One area that is somewhat maddening is the lack of fullscreen. When you first boot up Disney Dreamlight Valley on Steam Deck, it will fill the entire screen. But should you wish to change a setting, the resolution will default down to 1280×720. To get it back to 1280×800, and in turn fill the screen, you need to uninstall the game and reinstall it.
It’s a minor gripe in the grand scheme of things, but it irks nevertheless.
All that said, it’s worth keeping in mind Disney Dreamlight Valley is an Early Access game, so it’s not expected to work perfectly just yet, and all of these issues could very well be fixed in future updates.
| Disney Dreamlight Valley (In-game Settings) | |
| Display Mode |
Full Screen |
| Resolution | 1280×720 |
| Resolution Scale | 1.5 |
| Refresh Rate | 60 hz |
| Graphics Preset | PC Medium |
| Shadow Resolution | PC Low |
| Distance Quality | PC Medium |
| Texture Quality | Default |
| V-Sync | On |
| Steam Deck Settings (Quick Access Menu) | |
| TDP: 10 (40-60 frames) | Estimated Battery Life: 2 Hours |
| Docked Mode Resolution: 1280×700 | FSR: On (Docked Mode) |
| GPU Usage: 80% | Temperature: 65 degrees |
| Extra Info | |
| Fills the Entire Steam Deck Screen | No |
| Valve Grading | Verified |
| Performance Rating: 3/5 | |
Issues Overview
I’ve been playing Disney Dreamlight Valley since launch and I’ve seen many of its bugs and glitches fall by the wayside with each subsequent patch.
That’s not to say it’s a bug-free experience, and as a live service game there’s every chance further bugs could be introduced with each update. But at the time of writing? It holds up really well, and bugs and glitches aren’t a major concern.
Conclusion
Disney Dreamlight Valley remains one of the most-played games on Steam Deck and for good reason. The gameplay loop of making Disney friends and tending to your village is something that players can sink hundreds of hours in before they come up for air. Who doesn’t want to go gem hunting with Scar from Lion King while Donald Duck has a breakdown in the background?
Performance isn’t perfect, but for an Early Access game that’s this satisfying to play, living with a shaky 45 frames is a dealable trade-off.
And let’s face it, the most important thing is this: The main game is as enjoyable on the Steam Deck as it is on PC and console, and that’s all that really matters.
Disclosure: Review code provided by PR. | All screenshots captured on Steam Deck.| To learn more about our review policy click here. | Alternatively, click here to find out why you can trust me.
