Steam Deck will let you suspend play and continue on another device

Steam has announced a new dynamic cloud sync feature for Steam Cloud, as part of Valve’s preparation for the release of the Steam Deck. The feature will allow players to move between a Steam Deck and a desktop PC without having to exit the game on Steam Deck (which features a suspend function). Phew, it’s all getting very steamy in here.

“We anticipate that users will frequently suspend their Steam Deck without exiting the game, as is common with other hand-held gaming devices,” says the announcement. “With Dynamic Cloud Sync, if they then choose to play on another device (whether a PC or another Steam Deck), their progress will be there waiting for them.”

Who is this person with multiple Steam Decks around their house. Gabe?

The sync feature will see Steam automatically upload save game data to the cloud before the device enters sleep mode, allowing players to use another device, and if you later return to the Steam Deck and un-suspend it the device will again automatically download any save changes that have happened in the meantime.

One caveat is that this isn’t a built-in feature: Developers will need to manually add it to their games, though Valve recommends this in order to “give players the best experience possible.” If the feature is not enabled then the Deck will still sync saves with Steam Cloud, but only while the device is on and without the dynamic uploads when it enters sleep mode.