PSA: Valve’s new Aperture Desk Job is playable on PC too

You just need a controller

Roughly a month ago, coinciding with the launch of the Steam Deck, Aperture Desk Job was released. In typical Valve fashion, it serves as a short tech demo for a new piece of hardware (similar to the Vive or Index), and it once again reminds us that Valve does make games. But I’ve also seen a lot of confusion as to whether or not this is a Steam Deck exclusive: it’s not. The Aperture Desk Job PC version is fully playable without a Steam Deck, just note that you need a controller.

Clocking in at 4.33 GB, the 30-minute-ish tech demo is best enjoyed on a Steam Deck; but if you haven’t picked one up yet, you can still fully experience it for yourself on PC. They’re serious about needing a controller, too! If you boot it up, amid a warning that “this game has been optimized for play on the Steam Deck,” you’ll also get a “controller required” prompt, rendering you unable to do anything until you connect one (outside of menu manipulation).

And that’s pretty much it! Again, I can’t count how many people I’ve encountered that thought this was a Steam Deck exclusive, and were ignoring it until now. If you have a spare 30 minutes this weekend, give it a go!