Torchlight II's public beta adds native Linux and Steam Deck support, plus WASD movement

XD, the current owner of Torchlight II, has added Linux and Steam Deck support to the 2012 action RPG's opt-in public_beta branch, along with WASD movement, directional audio and more controller fi...

AI-drafted from 3 sources. This story was written with AI from the outside reporting listed under Sources, and checked by automated tools before it went up. The originals have the full detail.

Torchlight II is 14 years old and still getting updates. The team now looking after Runic Games' 2012 action RPG has pushed a public beta update that adds support for Linux and Steam Deck, along with WASD movement on the keyboard.

The game passed through a few owners after Runic closed in 2017, and XD bought the rights in late 2025, as GamingOnLinux sets out. XD has been shipping a run of updates on a separate, opt-in Steam branch called public_beta. Earlier ones brought controller support and put Steam login back for online play. This is the next step.

What is in the update

The headline items, according to the patch notes:

• Linux support on the beta branch, which also makes the game playable on Steam Deck. GamingOnLinux lists it as a native Linux build rated Playable on the Deck.
• WASD movement, switched on in the settings.
• Directional audio and a surround sound toggle, though surround is not available on Linux yet.
• A fix for clicks landing in the wrong place when you move the mouse quickly, and tidier prompts on things like fishing spots and shrines.
• A batch of controller fixes, including a crash when closing a teammate's info panel in multiplayer.
• HDR highlights for spells on macOS with the Metal renderer.

How to try it

The default version of the game is untouched. To opt in, right-click Torchlight II in your Steam library, open Properties, go to Betas and pick public_beta. The team warns that, given the game's age, some setups and mod combinations may still break, and asks for bug reports with your game version and operating system.

Online play is still the sore point. The default branch still uses TapTap.io accounts for multiplayer, a requirement XD brought in before the beta branch existed. The beta already logs in with your Steam account, and the post says Steam login for the default branch is being tested.

One more thing that will matter to some readers. As GamingOnLinux points out, the beta notes credit AI-assisted coding tools with opening up "more possibilities for reviewing the code and addressing longstanding issues" in a game this old.

Sources

• Torchlight 2 Public Beta Update Adds Linux and Steam Deck Support (Steam)
• Discussion: Torchlight 2 Public Beta Update Adds Linux and Steam Deck Support (Reddit)
• Classic ARPG Torchlight II returns with lots of improvements using AI assistance (GamingOnLinux)

Image: Image: Torchlight II on Steam