Fix: The Outlast Trials Keep Crashing on Steam Deck

The Outlast Trials is the latest first-person survival horror video game developed and published by Red Barrels. The game was recently released on May 18, 2023, via early access for Microsoft Windows. It is the third installment in the Outlast series, serving as a prequel to the first two games, and features test subjects in a mysterious Cold War experiment. Although the game was released as early access, the Outlast Trials game has been verified by Steam to be played on Steam Deck. However, some Outlast Trials players report that the game keeps crashing on Steam Deck while launching.

Many Steam Deck users have started installing the Outlast Trials game and tried playing it. But it seems that the performance of the Outlast Trials game or the overall smooth gaming experience was missing on Steam Deck. At the same time, some Steam Deck users face the startup crashing issue with the Outlast Trials game. Luckily, the Mesa update for SteamOS may have fixed the performance issue for many games.

Fix: Outlast Trials Keep Crashing on Steam Deck

If you’re still encountering the startup crashing or the game not launching issue on Steam Deck, follow this troubleshooting guide to resolve it. Here we’ve shared a couple of possible workarounds for you that should come in handy. So, without wasting any more time, let’s get into it.

1. Reboot Steam Deck

First, you should restart your Steam Deck via the Software Updates section to ensure there is no temporary system glitch. Sometimes a temporary system glitch or cache data issue can trouble you. To do so:

Press the Steam button on Steam Deck.
Select Power > Choose Restart.
Wait for the device to reboot and check for the issue again.

2. Force Reboot Steam Deck

If you’re still facing the same issue, then make sure to force restart the Steam Deck by following the steps below to clear out any potential glitches or system-related conflicts. Sometimes you may need to use the force reboot method if your Steam Deck is powered on but unresponsive or stutters a lot. To do this:

Press and hold the Power button for at least 3 seconds. If it remains unresponsive, try long-pressing the Power button for around 10 seconds to reboot the system again forcefully.

3. Check for SteamOS Updates

An outdated SteamOS version can trouble you greatly regarding bugs, stability issues, security issues, etc. It’s better to check for SteamOS updates on Steam Deck manually by following the steps below.

Press the Steam button on the left side of the Steam Deck.
Go to Settings > Head over to the System tab.
Select Check for Updates on the right side > If an update is available, tap on Apply.
Now, wait for the software update, and tap on Restart to apply changes.

4. Check for Outlast Trials Updates

It can also be possible that the outdated game version is conflicting with the system to run properly due to some bugs. You should check for the game update by following the steps below.

Open your Steam Library > Under the Outlast Trials library page, select Manage.
Choose Properties > Select the Updates tab.
Make sure to select Automatic updates > Reboot the Steam Deck.
It’ll automatically install whenever a new update is available for Outlast Trials.

5. Check Onboard Storage Space

You should also check for the available data storage space on your Steam Deck because low disk space can cause several issues with the Outlast Trials launching and performance. Just press the Steam button on Steam Deck > Go to Settings > Choose Storage. If the available storage space becomes low, delete or uninstall unnecessary apps/games from the console to free up some space.

6. Reinsert the MicroSD Card

Sometimes a corrupted MicroSD card on the Steam Deck console can also cause multiple issues with the Outlast Trials game crashing while startup. It’s worth mentioning that you should fully format the MicroSD card before start using it with your Steam Deck. To format a microSD card:

Make sure to properly insert the MicroSD card into the memory slot on the bottom side.
Press the Steam button on Steam Deck > Go to Settings.
Choose System > Select Format SD Card.
It may take a couple of minutes to complete the format.

Note: Any UHS-I (class 3 or better) microSD card is supported. Steam Deck does not support UHS-II. If your MicroSD card is older enough or gets corrupted often, it’s time to get a new One.

7. Enable Steam Cloud Synchronization

If you have somehow disabled the Cloud Synchronization feature earlier on your Steam Deck, then you should enable it to properly cloud sync the game with servers.

Press the Steam button > Select the Steam menu at the top-left corner.
Go to Settings from the list > Navigate to the Cloud tab.
Checkmark the Enable Steam Cloud Synchronization box.
Select OK to save the changes.
Once done, restart the Steam Deck to apply changes.

8. Force Change Proton Version on Steam Deck

It’s also highly recommended to forcefully change the Proton version on the Steam Deck by following the steps below because it can greatly impact the game’s launching or performance.

Select Outlast Trials from the Library.
Go to Settings of the game > Go to Properties.
Choose the Compatibility option in the left sidebar.
Make sure to tick mark the checkbox > Select Proton Experimental.
You can now select the version you want to test out.

9. Ensure Outlast Trials is Verified on Steam Deck

Check whether your Deck is verified or not for the Outlast Trials game to play seamlessly without further modifications. The Steam ‘Deck Verified’ system has four categories to indicate how well games will work on it. If a game is Playable or Unsupported, you can see what requirements of Verified are not currently met by referring to the Steam Deck Compatibility section on the game’s Steam Store page.

Verified: The game works great on Steam Deck by default. No additional modification is necessary.
Playable: The game works, but the user may require manual configuration. This could include adjusting controller configurations or using a mouse or touchscreen to navigate a launcher.
Unsupported: The game is currently not considered playable on Steam Deck.
Unknown: We haven’t tested this game for compatibility yet. Feel free to try it, but we don’t have any information about how it works.

10. Reinstall Outlast Trials

It’s better to uninstall and reinstall the Outlast Trials game on your Steam Deck by following the steps below. The chances are high that reinstalling the game might fix several conflicts or issues with launching for sure.

Press the Steam button on Steam Deck to open Settings.
Scroll down in the sidebar and select Storage.
Select the Outlast Trials game that you want to uninstall.
Now, press the X key to Uninstall the game.
Wait for the game to be deleted completely.
Once done, reinstall the Outlast Trials game via the Steam Store again.

11. Factory Reset Steam Deck

You should also perform the factory reset method on Steam Deck to delete all the data and settings to the default state. It can also help you to fix crashing issues with the game. To do so:

Press the Steam button on Steam Deck to open Settings.
Under the System menu, scroll to the bottom and select Factory Reset.
If prompted, make sure to confirm & proceed.
The process may take some time to complete.
Once done, go through the initial setup process for the first time.

12. Contact Steam Deck

If none of the methods worked well enough, contact Steam Support to create a support ticket. The chances are high that Steam support will assist you further on it.

That’s it, guys. We hope this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.