Steam Deck Owner Rents Theater to Play Games on Massive Screen

A person who owns a Steam Deck has arranged to use a movie theatre to play 8-player split-screen co-op of Minecraft and Call of Duty: Black Ops II on a large screen using the handheld device made by Valve.

Despite its portability, Valve’s Steam Deck has been utilized in various innovative ways, from powering Star Wars droids at Disneyland to controlling moon exploration vehicles. Recently, a Steam Deck owner took the handheld on a night out to the movies and used it to host an 8-player co-op gaming session on the cinema’s large screen.

Visual_Performer1665, a user on r/SteamDeck, shared images on a post (https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1cf1ntf/i_rented_out_a_movie_theatre_again_and_used_my/) showcasing their Valve handheld being utilized for multiplayer gaming with friends. However, there was a unique aspect to their setup – instead of the usual gaming monitor, the Steam Deck was connected to a cinema screen. They were able to play Minecraft, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and Super Smash Bros Ultimate, all with 8-player split-screen co-op on the big screen.

“Indeed, I am the same wild youngster who leased an entire movie theater last year to celebrate my graduation with the Steam Deck! This time around, I have chosen to do something similar but on a larger and more extravagant scale,”exclaimed Visual_Performer1665 in their Reddit post.

Private rental of cinema screens for gaming is not a novel concept. Several independent cinemas in the area already provide this service, allowing for exclusive gaming sessions and screenings. However, the option to have up to eight players on a split-screen using a PC gaming handheld is a remarkable addition to the experience.

I Rented Out A Movie Theatre (Again) and Used my Steam Deck to Play Co-Op games! byu/Visual_Performer1665 inSteamDeck

To ensure functionality, the Steam Deck required a dual-boot setup with both Windows and SteamOS. By installing Windows on the device, users were able to utilize Nucleus Co-Op, a free and open-source program that enables split-screen capabilities for games that do not offer it natively.

With the installation of Nucleus Co-Op and the use of a Steam Deck dock and two USB extenders, the Steam Deck was able to be connected to a projection screen through HDMI. As reported by Visual_Performer1665, this setup resulted in Minecraft running at a smooth 60 FPS and Call of Duty: Black Ops II running at the same frame rate on its lowest graphical settings. To test the capabilities of the Steam Deck, a Super Smash Bros Ultimate tournament was conducted through emulation, which showcased flawless performance on the handheld device.

According to Visual_Performer1665’s comment, the cost of renting out the movie theatre is approximately $600. Although this may seem like a steep price, it covers the rental of the screen for four hours as well as complimentary food and drinks. The Redditor’s intention in sharing their experience of playing games on the Steam Deck in a cinema setting is to encourage others to do the same.