About
Genshin Impact is a free-to-play open-world action RPG set in the fantastical land of Teyvat, developed and published by HoYoverse. Players explore a vast elemental world, build teams of characters with unique abilities, and progress through a sprawling story involving the seven nations of Teyvat.
Released in September 2020, it became a global phenomenon with hundreds of millions of registered players and billions in revenue driven by its gacha monetization system. While not officially supported on Linux or Steam Deck, the community has established working Proton-based setups. The game's enormous file size (~100 GB and growing) and regular version updates are key practical considerations for Deck users.
Identity
Launch
- Binary
- GenshinImpact.exe
- Needs files
- none beyond the binary
Proton
- Version
- proton_experimental
- Winetricks
- —
⚙ Setup notes
Install: Genshin Impact is not on Steam. The recommended Deck approach is to install the HoYoPlay launcher via Heroic Games Launcher (Epic Games version) or by adding the HoYoPlay installer .exe as a non-Steam game and running it under Proton Experimental.
Launch: After HoYoPlay installs and downloads Genshin Impact (~100 GB+), you can either keep launching through the HoYoPlay launcher.exe non-Steam entry, or point a non-Steam entry directly at the game's GenshinImpact.exe (the global client; the CN client exe is YuanShen.exe). Force Proton Experimental (or stock Proton 10) in either case.
Launcher: In HoYoPlay settings, disable Auto-Launch at Startup and set Close Window to Exit Launcher so the launcher doesn't stay resident.
Anti-cheat: Genshin's anti-cheat generally runs under Proton, but it is version-sensitive: as of HoYoPlay v1.5.2+ the community recommends stock Proton 10+ to launch the actual game, since the anti-cheat behaves differently under GE-Proton. Some users also report needing to briefly disconnect the network while the launcher loads to avoid an anti-cheat CPU-usage spike.
Proton: Prefer Proton Experimental / stock Proton 10; GE-Proton can work for the launcher but is less reliable for the game's anti-cheat.
Performance: On Deck, target 45 fps with low/medium settings.
The one thing to know
Not on Steam: Requires HoYoPlay launcher install under Proton.
Storage: Massive download (~100 GB+); ensure sufficient storage before starting.
No official Linux support: HoYoverse may break compatibility after updates.
Anti-cheat: Generally runs under Proton, but version-sensitive (use stock Proton 10+, not GE-Proton, for the game) and may need a brief network disconnect at launcher load; verify after each game/HoYoPlay patch.
Performance: Target 45 fps on low/medium settings; stable 60 fps is not reliably achievable on Deck hardware.
Updates: Regular game version updates require re-testing compatibility.
Community guides
Write-ups and threads from people who got this (or a similar) game running. deckport links to them — it doesn't reproduce them.
- pimylifeup How to Play Genshin Impact on the Steam Deck - Pi My Life Up ↗
- steam Run Games from HoYoPlay Launcher with Steam Overlay (Steam Community Guide) ↗
- github Heroic Games Launcher — Anime Games Wiki (includes Genshin notes) ↗
- androidauthority Android Authority: Can You Play Genshin Impact on Steam Deck? ↗
- github Community install walkthrough (non-Steam launcher + Proton) — GitHub Gist ↗
Get the artwork
deckport never hosts game images. Open this game on SteamGridDB, pick
the cover / hero / logo / icon you like, and drop them into the
game folder under .deckport-art/ before you push it to the
Deck. The importer files them under the right names automatically.
Run it on your Deck
Two files: the one-time importer (deckport.py) in your
Deck's home folder, and this game's install helper. Copy the game
into ~/Games and run the helper with Steam closed — it
writes the recipe (binary, launch options, Proton version)
and registers the shortcut with artwork.