ARC Raiders Steam Deck not launching after anti cheat popup – full fix guide

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If ARC Raiders refuses to boot on your Steam Deck and keeps stopping at the anti-cheat / GPU warning popup, you’re not alone. A lot of players see the Easy Anti-Cheat screen or a driver warning, then a black screen or crash, no matter which Proton version they choose.

The good news: ARC Raiders is now officially Steam Deck Verified and works fine for most players with the right setup, mainly Proton 10 or Proton Experimental.

Understanding the ARC Raiders Steam Deck anti cheat popup problem

Why ARC Raiders Steam Deck gets stuck on the anti cheat loading screen

ARC Raiders uses Easy Anti-Cheat and also shows a GPU driver warning window meant for Windows PC users. On Steam Deck, the game runs through Proton (a compatibility layer), not native Windows. Sometimes Proton doesn’t handle this popup properly. That’s why:

  • You see the anti-cheat or driver warning window
  • You can’t control it with the gamepad
  • The game closes or freezes after this screen

Older Proton versions especially had trouble with this dialog, which is why many people couldn’t even reach the main menu.

ARC Raiders Steam Deck status in 2025 (important context)

As of late November 2025:

  • ARC Raiders is officially Steam Deck Verified
  • Proton 10.0-3 and recent Proton Experimental builds contain special fixes just for ARC Raiders, especially around popups and dialog handling (Xalia fix).

So if your Steam Deck still can’t boot the game, it usually means:

  • Wrong Proton version selected
  • Old Proton files cached
  • The popup is not being clicked correctly
  • First launch needs to be done from Desktop Mode

Let’s fix that step by step.

Basic checks before advanced ARC Raiders Steam Deck not launching fixes

These first steps are simple but can save you a lot of time.

Update SteamOS and Proton on your Steam Deck

  1. On your Deck, press the Steam button.
  2. Go to Settings → System → Check for Updates.
  3. Install any SteamOS updates and restart.
  4. In your Library, search for Proton Experimental and make sure it is installed (or updated).

New Proton versions are literally what made ARC Raiders run properly on Steam Deck, so this step is important.

Verify ARC Raiders game files on Steam Deck

  1. Highlight ARC Raiders in your Library.
  2. Press the Options/Menu button (three horizontal lines).
  3. Go to Properties → Installed Files.
  4. Choose Verify integrity of game files.

If any file was broken or missing, Steam will re-download it. Corrupted files can also cause crashes right after the anti-cheat screen.

If the game still won’t boot after this, move to the Proton fixes.

Fix 1: Use the correct Proton version for ARC Raiders Steam Deck not launching

Right now, two Proton choices work best for ARC Raiders on Steam Deck:

  • Proton 10.0-3 (current stable default for many users)
  • Proton Experimental (has extra fixes for new issues and popups)

How to switch to Proton Experimental for ARC Raiders Steam Deck

Many guides and players recommend Proton Experimental because it includes a specific fix for ARC Raiders’ popup dialogs and makes them properly clickable.

To force Proton Experimental:

  1. In Gaming Mode, highlight ARC Raiders in your Library.
  2. Press the Options/Menu button.
  3. Select Properties.
  4. Go to the Compatibility tab.
  5. Tick “Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool”.
  6. From the dropdown, select Proton Experimental.
  7. Back out and try launching the game again.

If Proton Experimental was already selected, switch to Proton 10 (or 10.0-3), or Proton Hotfix, then try again.

Using Proton Hotfix or Proton GE if you still can’t boot ARC Raiders on Steam Deck

Before the latest Proton updates, many players used Proton Hotfix or GE-Proton to run ARC Raiders. Some users still report better luck with these:

  1. Install Proton Hotfix from your Steam Deck Library (if not already installed).
  2. In Properties → Compatibility, select Proton Hotfix instead of Experimental.
  3. Launch ARC Raiders.

If Proton Hotfix still doesn’t work for you, you can also try a GE-Proton build (community version), but usually Proton Experimental or Proton 10 should be enough for newer updates.

Fix 2: Bypass the GPU driver warning and anti cheat popup on ARC Raiders Steam Deck

One of the most confusing parts is that warning popup about AMD or outdated GPU drivers. On Steam Deck you normally ignore it.

How to correctly click the popup for ARC Raiders Steam Deck anti cheat screen

Several Steam Deck players found a weird but simple trick: you must physically tap “No” on the warning popup using the touchscreen, not just the controller.

Try this:

  1. Launch ARC Raiders in Gaming Mode.
  2. Wait for the GPU driver / AMD / anti-cheat warning popup to appear.
  3. Do not use the gamepad to move the cursor.
  4. Use your finger on the touchscreen to tap “No” (or “Cancel”).
  5. Wait patiently – the game may take a long time on the next loading screen, but should continue to the main menu.

Players report that tapping No with your finger is more reliable than using the touchpads or thumbsticks. Some say the popup becomes responsive only with direct touch input.

If it works once, future launches usually skip the popup or become much more stable.

Fix 3: Reset Proton data and force compatibility for ARC Raiders on Steam Deck

If you’ve switched Proton versions many times, there may be old Proton data cached for ARC Raiders. Cleaning that up can fix stubborn crashes.

Delete Proton files for ARC Raiders Steam Deck

From community reports, the general idea is:

  1. In Gaming Mode, go to Settings → Storage.
  2. Find ARC Raiders in the list of games.
  3. Look for options like “Delete compatibility data” (this clears Proton data for that game only).
  4. Confirm and delete.

Some players report that deleting the Proton data and then forcing Proton Hotfix or Experimental lets the game launch properly, especially after recent patches.

Force a specific Proton version again after clearing data

After deleting compatibility data:

  1. Go back to your Library.
  2. Open ARC Raiders → Properties → Compatibility.
  3. Tick “Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool”.
  4. First try Proton Experimental.
  5. If that fails, try Proton Hotfix.

Then launch the game and repeat the touchscreen “No” popup trick if needed.

Fix 4: Launch ARC Raiders from Desktop Mode first on Steam Deck

Some users noticed ARC Raiders will only behave correctly if the popup is handled once in Desktop Mode.

How to open ARC Raiders in Desktop Mode on Steam Deck

  1. Press the Steam button.
  2. Go to Power → Switch to Desktop.
  3. In Desktop Mode, open Steam (normal PC-style window).
  4. In your Library, right-click ARC Raiders.
  5. Choose Properties → Compatibility, and pick Proton Experimental or Proton Hotfix.
  6. Click Play.

When the GPU warning / anti-cheat popup appears:

  1. Use your mouse or touchpad to click “No” or “Cancel”.
  2. Wait and see if the game reaches the main menu.

If it works in Desktop Mode once, close the game and switch back to Gaming Mode, then try launching there again. For many players, the popup stops causing problems after that first proper launch in Desktop Mode.

Fix 5: Extra tips if ARC Raiders still crashes or won’t boot on Steam Deck

If you’ve tried all the main fixes and ARC Raiders still refuses to work, here are some extra ideas.

Check for known ARC Raiders Steam Deck issues after updates

Big patches sometimes break Linux/Steam Deck support temporarily. For example, a recent update caused crashes for some Steam Deck users until they adjusted Proton versions or cleared Proton data.

When the game suddenly stops working after it was fine before, it might be because:

  • ARC Raiders received a major patch
  • Proton itself was updated

In that case, check:

  • Steam Community discussions for ARC Raiders
  • r/SteamDeck and r/ArcRaiders
  • Proton update news (like Proton Experimental changelogs)

Often someone posts a fresh workaround (for example, “use Proton Experimental again”, or “switch back to Proton Hotfix”).

Lower background load and keep the Deck cool

While this doesn’t directly fix anti-cheat popups, it can help avoid crashes right after boot:

  • Close any background apps in Desktop Mode (like browsers or other launchers).
  • Avoid heavy downloading updates while launching ARC Raiders.
  • Give your Deck a few minutes to cool down if it’s very hot.

Consider a quick reinstall of ARC Raiders on Steam Deck

Reinstalling is annoying, but sometimes it’s the fastest way to remove weird config issues:

  1. Uninstall ARC Raiders from your Steam Deck.
  2. Restart your Deck.
  3. Reinstall the game.
  4. Immediately set Proton Experimental (or Proton 10) under Properties → Compatibility.
  5. Launch and use the touchscreen “No” popup method again.

Because ARC Raiders is now officially supported and Steam Deck Verified, a clean install plus the correct Proton version usually does the trick unless there is a brand-new bug.

Frequently asked questions about ARC Raiders Steam Deck not launching

Why does ARC Raiders show a GPU driver warning on Steam Deck?

The warning is designed for Windows PCs with old AMD drivers. Steam Deck doesn’t use Windows drivers; it uses Linux drivers under SteamOS, so the message is basically a false alarm. Most guides say to just tap “No” and ignore it.

Is ARC Raiders actually supported on Steam Deck now?

Yes. After Proton 10.0-3 and related updates, ARC Raiders is officially Steam Deck Verified, and media sites plus Steam Deck–focused blogs confirmed that it runs well with the right Proton version.

Which Proton should I use for ARC Raiders Steam Deck in 2025?

Best options right now:

  1. Proton Experimental – contains explicit fixes for ARC Raiders popup dialogs and other games.
  2. Proton 10.0-3 (stable) – often works out of the box now that ARC Raiders is Verified.Steam.

If both fail, try Proton Hotfix or a recent GE-Proton build, and remember to:

  • Delete compatibility data (Proton cache) for the game
  • Launch once in Desktop Mode
  • Tap “No” on the warning popup with touchscreen

My ARC Raiders runs but crashes in matches on Steam Deck – is that related?

That’s a slightly different issue. Some players report match-loading crashes, sound cut-outs, or performance problems that are fixed with launch options (like forcing DX11 or adding -norhithread) and in-game settings tweaks.

Those are performance and stability problems, not startup/anti-cheat issues. But once your game finally launches, you can look up “best ARC Raiders Steam Deck settings” and “ARC Raiders sound bug fix” for more optimization guides.

Summary: ARC Raiders Steam Deck anti cheat popup fix in simple steps

If you don’t want to read the whole thing again, here is the quick version of what usually works:

  1. Update SteamOS and make sure Proton Experimental is installed.
  2. Verify ARC Raiders game files from Properties → Installed Files.
  3. In Properties → Compatibility, force Proton Experimental (or Proton 10 / Hotfix).
  4. Delete compatibility data (Proton data) for ARC Raiders from Storage if you already tested multiple Protons.
  5. Launch ARC Raiders and use the touchscreen to tap “No” on the driver/anti-cheat warning.
  6. If it still doesn’t work, switch to Desktop Mode, launch from there, click “No” with a mouse once, then return to Gaming Mode.
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