Excellent news skater punks: The not too long ago launched Steam model of Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater 1+2 is now playable offline. However in completely wack and peculiar information: This offline mode is just for Steam Deck customers.
First launched in 2020, Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater 1+2 is an excellent remake of the primary two video games within the iconic skateboarding franchise. It initially launched on consoles and PC through the Epic Video games Retailer. And for 3 years, the one approach for PC gamers to purchase and revel in THPS 1+2 was by means of Epic’s storefront. Final month, that modified, when Activision lastly remembered to carry the sport to Steam. Sadly, this model of THPS 1+2 nonetheless got here saddled with an always-online requirement on PC, identical to the Epic Video games Retailer version. As you’ll be able to think about, this pissed off many gamers. Nevertheless, a brand new replace added offline assist, however in a complicated and considerably unprecedented transfer, this function is simply accessible on the Steam Deck, Valve’s vastly well-liked transportable PC.
On October 18, just a few weeks after it lastly leaped to Steam, Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater 1+2 obtained a small 1.1 patch. There have been solely two notes within the replace’s tiny changelog: A keyboard overlay error that occurred on Steam Deck was mounted, and offline mode was added to that very same platform.
Followers nonetheless attempting to get across the bizarre requirement
After all, followers assumed that they might dupe the sport and Steam into pondering they had been taking part in THPS 1+2 on Steam Deck even when taking part in on their desktop pc or laptop computer, and thus take pleasure in offline play with out utilizing Valve’s handheld. However to this point, individuals are struggling to discover a workaround.
On Reddit, customers are sharing completely different concepts for console instructions that might trick the sport, however nothing appears to be working but. Meaning, at the very least for now, that the one method to play the sport with out an web connection is on a Steam Deck. And even when (or extra probably when) gamers and modders determine how you can correctly trick the sport and Steam into letting them play offline on a desktop, it’s weird that any of that is occurring in any respect.
Kotaku has contacted Activision concerning the offline mode’s Steam Deck requirement.
I’ve not seen a writer do one thing like this on Steam Deck earlier than. Loads of video games don’t assist the transportable PC, and simply as many have been up to date so as to add graphical choices or tweaks designed to make the sport run higher on it. However I’ve by no means seen a recreation utterly lock out options or choices when performed on a desktop. Even Aperture Desk Job, Valve’s small Steam Deck recreation meant to point out off the hand held system’s options, is totally playable on desktop.
But, not so with THPS 1+2, which appears to be holding a much-requested offline mode hostage and solely letting Steam Deck customers take pleasure in it. Certain, it is smart that Activision would need the sport to be playable offline on Steam Deck, because it makes it simpler to play the sport wherever and that results in extra individuals shopping for it earlier than highway journeys and the like. However to utterly lock that mode away from everybody else on Steam is sort of weird, and albeit fairly shitty.
.