Fix: Assassin’s Creed (AC) Syndicate Not Working on Steam Deck

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate is an amazing open-world game set in Victorian London. But if you’re trying to play it on your Steam Deck and it’s not working, don’t worry! There are a few fixes that can get you back to climbing rooftops in no time.

Why Isn’t It Working?

There are several reasons why Assassin’s Creed Syndicate might not work on your Steam Deck. Some common issues include:

• Game crashes on startup
• Black screen after launching
• Controller not working properly
• Performance problems or lag

Now, let’s go through some simple fixes.

1. Use Proton Compatibility

Steam Deck uses a compatibility layer called Proton to run Windows games. Sometimes, switching Proton versions can help.

1. Go to your Steam Library.
2. Find and select Assassin’s Creed Syndicate.
3. Click the gear icon and choose “Properties“.
4. Go to the “Compatibility” tab.
5. Check “Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool“.
6. Select different Proton versions, such as Proton Experimental or Proton GE.
7. Restart and try launching the game.

If the game still doesn’t work, try the next solution.

2. Enable Gamepad Support

Sometimes, the game doesn’t recognize the Steam Deck’s controls. To fix this:

1. Open Steam Input settings.
2. Choose a controller layout optimized for Assassin’s Creed Syndicate.
3. Use “Gamepad With Joystick Trackpad” if default settings don’t work.

After applying these changes, check if your controls are working properly.

3. Try Running It in Desktop Mode

Some games run better in Desktop Mode rather than Gaming Mode. Here’s how to switch:

1. Press the Steam Button.
2. Go to “Power” and select “Switch to Desktop“.
3. Open Steam in Desktop Mode.
4. Launch Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and see if it works.

4. Adjust Game Graphics Settings

If the game is lagging or crashing, lowering graphics settings can help.

1. Open the game’s settings.
2. Reduce textures, shadows, and effects.
3. Lower or turn off V-Sync.
4. Set resolution to 1280×800 (Steam Deck’s native resolution).

This can improve performance and stability.

5. Install Missing Dependencies

Some Windows games need extra files to run. Steam Deck doesn’t always install them automatically. You can use Protontricks to add missing dependencies.

1. Open Desktop Mode on Steam Deck.
2. Install Protontricks from the Discover Store.
3. Use Protontricks to install DirectX, Visual C++ Redistributables, and dotNet dependencies.

Restart your Steam Deck and test the game again.

6. Verify Game Files

Corrupted or missing files might cause the game to crash. You can verify them through Steam.

1. Go to your Steam Library.
2. Right-click Assassin’s Creed Syndicate and select “Properties“.
3. Go to the “Local Files” tab.
4. Click “Verify integrity of game files“.

Steam will check and download any missing or corrupted files.

7. Use Launch Options

Some launch options can help fix crashes or graphical glitches. Try adding these:

1. Go to “Properties” on Steam.
2. Under the “General” tab, find “Launch Options“.
3. Enter: PROTON_NO_ESYNC=1 PROTON_NO_FSYNC=1 %command%

Close the window and relaunch the game.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, one of these fixes helped you get Assassin’s Creed Syndicate running on your Steam Deck. If none of them work, the community is always coming up with new solutions.

Happy gaming!