Valve has detailed the latest update for its handheld gaming device Steam Deck, and it will include the ability to transfer installed games and game files between PCs and Steam Decks via a local network.
The Steam Local Game Network Transfers–as they are officially called–will let a user to copy both installation and update files from one PC to another, or from a PC to the Steam Deck, so long as both devices are connected to the same local area network. The feature will also let each user decide with whom they would prefer to transfer with–no one, only devices logged in to the same account, devices owned by friends of the active account, or any Steam user.
We just shipped a new version of the Steam Deck client for everyone. This update includes the brand new local network transfer feature, allowing for game install transfers from PC to PC, or PC to Deck! https://t.co/nHUMPloTY2 pic.twitter.com/pBqZUbaPzc
— Steam Deck Updates (@ondeckupdates) March 16, 2023
The official Steam blog post for the feature does supply a list of requirements in order to make the local game transfers work, and that list includes the following: