Let's Duck! co-op roguelike targets Proton on Steam Deck, native Linux later

Basemint Studios has announced Let's Duck!, a top-down co-op roguelike where player ducks gain combat abilities from wearable outfits, with planned support for Steam Deck and Linux through Proton. The studio completed a free Steam Playtest in November 2026 that covered the first three maps, and intends to release the full game in 2027 with ten maps, cooperative play for up to four players online, and a demo scheduled for Steam Next Fest from February 22 to March 1, 2027.

The game is built on Unreal Engine 5.8 with Windows as the primary target platform. Basemint Studios has stated explicit intent to support Steam Deck via Proton first, with a native Linux build as a secondary goal rather than a launch guarantee. The title includes full controller support, 41 Steam achievements, 12 interface languages, a colourblind mode, and streamer-friendly music licensing.

Linux support path and technical details

• Proton-first strategy: The studio prioritizes Steam Deck compatibility through Proton rather than a native Linux port at launch, reflecting a common Unreal Engine 5 developer approach that defers native builds until after Windows release stabilization.
• Unreal Engine 5.8 foundation: The game uses Epic's latest engine generation, which has seen substantial Linux and Vulkan backend improvements but still requires Proton for most Linux deployments due to anti-cheat integration and platform-specific middleware.
• Controller and accessibility features: Full controller support is planned alongside a colourblind mode, with 67 gear pieces distributed across three equipment slots that auto-activate skills based on player movement rather than manual activation.
• Online co-op architecture: Up to four players can join online sessions, with skill combinations determined by equipment loadouts that may exhibit synergistic or conflicting behaviors in group play versus solo runs.

Why it matters

The Proton-first, native-later approach illustrates the continuing reality that Unreal Engine 5 titles rarely ship with day-one Linux binaries, even from studios expressing goodwill toward the platform. For Steam Deck users, this means compatibility will depend on Proton's handling of UE5.8's rendering and networking stacks, with no verified performance data available from the concluded playtest. The planned Steam Next Fest demo will provide the first public opportunity to assess Proton compatibility before the 2027 full release.