As FSExpo 2021 nears in a few days, earlier this week, X-Plane developer Laminar Research posted a teaser on Twitter showcasing a Steam Deck running the desktop version of X-Plane, eagle eyed viewers may notice that the logo displayed on the picture doesn't include any version numbering, a possible scenario that the future iteration of the flight simulator may drop the numbering from its title. This is likely the first time that a portable gaming device is able to run the full desktop version of the simulator.

In the post, the developers included a picture of X-Plane running on an early production model of the much anticipated Steam Deck. The picture is accompanied by the caption “The @Steam Deck expands your horizons…”. This is undoubtedly good news for new users with low budgets who are looking to join the ever expanding flight-sim community. Additionally, Steam Deck will enable users to access the simulatos on the fly without the need to carry a heavy laptop/PC around.

Currently, Steam Deck, a portable/handheld gaming computer starting at $399 USD, is seen as a cheaper alternative to PCs where it can run a good portion of the games currently available on Steam. More information can be found on Valve’s website. The demonstration doesn't stop there:

In a second post, the developers demonstrate that joysticks can be linked to/used on Steam Deck, surprisingly revealing the possibility of a quick makeshift flight sim setup using the Steam Deck as the computer. However, it is unclear at this stage what graphics the simulator can be run at or if plugins will be supported on Steam Deck. Nevertheless, an exciting time for the flight sim community, we'll keep you in the loop on this front. We'll be at FSExpo which is happening in the coming weekend, covering the happenings around the event, Laminar Research has confirmed that the succesor to X-Plane 11 will be unveiled.