Zenless Zone Zero has finally released, and I'm thrilled to share that it's running on the Steam Deck. However, it does require some manual installation. Don't worry; I'll guide you through the process in this post. I'll also have a separate video for the best settings and gameplay tweaks. This one is all about getting the game installed and running on your Deck.
First, you'll need to switch to Steam Deck Desktop Mode. You can do this by going into the power options and selecting "Switch to Desktop." Once your Deck restarts in desktop mode, open your internet browser. I recommend using Chrome for its convenience, especially if you have your Google Sync and other settings. If Chrome isn't installed, go to the Discover store, search for Chrome, and install it.
Next, go to zen.hoyoverse.com, hit the download link at the top, and select "Download via Hoyoverse Play." Save the download to an easy-to-find location, like the Downloads folder. Note: Roblox doesn't work despite attempts to get it running, so it’s best to delete it if you have it.
Once the download is complete, open the folder, but don't run the installer directly. Right-click on it and select "Add to Steam." Ensure Steam is running in the background. If the installer doesn't show up in your library, restart Steam. Once it's in your library, find the Zenless Zone Zero installer, go to the settings cog, and select properties. Set the compatibility to Proton Experimental, which should be on your Deck by default. Make sure it's up to date.
After setting compatibility, hit play to launch the installer. Follow the installation process, agreeing to the terms and doing a quick installation. If you prefer, you can set it up on an SD card using custom installation. Once the Microsoft C++ installation completes, hit finish and launch the Hoyoverse player. You'll need to download the game, which defaults to the compatibility folder. Changing this location can cause issues, so it’s best to leave it as is.
Once downloaded, hit start game. You'll need to link your account, and I recommend using a controller. For cross-device compatibility, log in with an email and password instead of social logins. The game will do some updates before you can start playing.
If you want to ensure everything is up to date and make more advanced tweaks, you can rerun the installer. This doesn’t reinstall the game, just the launcher, keeping your game files intact. This method can be a bit annoying but ensures everything stays updated.
To access the game directly, open the Dolphin file explorer, go to Home, Deck, and look for the Steam hidden folder. If you don't see it, check the menu icon and ensure "Show Hidden Files" is ticked. Go into the Steam folder, then SteamApps, and Compact Data. Look for the folder with the most recent installation, which should have a long number. Inside, navigate to pfx, drive_c, Program Files, and then Hoyoverse. In the Hoyoverse folder, go to games, then the Zenless Zone Zero folder. Find the ZenlessZoneZero.exe file, right-click on it, and add it to Steam. Set its compatibility to Proton Experimental as well.
For convenience, rename the installer shortcut in Steam to something recognizable, like "Zenless Zone Zero Installer," and keep the new game shortcut as "Zenless Zone Zero." Don't delete the installer shortcut, as removing it will also remove your entire game.
If you prefer to replace the installer shortcut with the game directly, right-click on the game executable, copy its location, and paste it into the Target field of the installer shortcut properties in Steam. Make sure to surround the path with quotation marks. In the Start In field, paste the location without the .exe at the end. This will let you launch the game directly without the launcher.
Switch back to Game Mode and find the game under the non-Steam library section. Ensure the shortcut is set to Proton Experimental. If it doesn’t start correctly, try toggling between desktop and game mode.
I'll have a best settings guide up soon to help you get the most out of the gameplay. If you came here from the gameplay video, I hope you enjoy the game!