- Windows 11✓
- Steam Deck✓ Verified
- Mac✕ no Mac version
- Linux✓ Proton Platinum
- 8,831 reviews88% positive
- Steam store page
- Released
- 2014
- Developer
- The Astronauts
- Genre
- Adventure, Indie
- Best version today
- The Steam purchase includes both the original and the Redux remaster rebuilt in Unreal Engine 4, and Redux is the newer version to start with.
- Time to beat
- About 4 hours for the main story HowLongToBeat
- Runs on
- Windows, Linux, Steam Deck
- Last checked
- October 31, 2026
Does The Vanishing of Ethan Carter run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?
| Windows 11 | ✓Sold for Windows today, no problem on record. Source |
|---|---|
| Mac (Apple Silicon) | ✕No Mac version is sold. |
| Linux | ✓Through Proton. ProtonDB: Platinum, runs perfectly out of the box. Source |
| Steam Deck | ✓Verified by Valve. Source |
Played it lately? Press Works for me or Doesn’t work on your platform, so the next player knows. One click, no account. How we check where it runs
Synopsis
A first-person mystery in which occult detective Paul Prospero arrives in a remote Wisconsin valley to find a missing boy. You explore the countryside freely, find crime scenes and use a supernatural sense to piece together what happened at each one.
What people say
Critics in 2014 praised its striking scenery, tense atmosphere and a compact, carefully written story that turns more personal than it first seems. Criticism focused on unclear signposting, open exploration that can feel tedious, mediocre mechanics, weak voice acting and a three-to-four-hour length. Recent players still say the visuals hold up, while opinions on the ending and the simple puzzles remain split.
Playability today
The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works
Runs today
5 / 5- ✓Sold or given away today by an official source
- ✓Runs on Windows 11 without fan patches
✓Single-player works without an internet connection
GOG sells a DRM-free version that plays offline (GOG).
✓All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
PCGamingWiki records no shut-down servers or lost content (PCGamingWiki).
✓Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
Native widescreen and modern resolutions (PCGamingWiki).
✓Full controller support or remappable controls
Controller support (PCGamingWiki).
- ✓Steam Deck Verified or Playable
- ✓No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
- ✓No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
✓No known game-breaking bugs in the current version
PCGamingWiki lists no unresolved issues (PCGamingWiki).
From the Steam store, Valve’s Steam Deck rating and the sources under each check. Checks not confirmed yet don’t count.
Design today
4.5 / 5✓Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Walking and examining objects use plain first-person controls on mouse and keyboard or a controller, and critics do not raise control complaints. Source: opencritic.com.
✓Menus, text and interface are clear on today's screens
The game uses almost no on-screen interface, so there are no menus or text to read at modern resolutions, and the visuals still look good. Source: opencritic.com.
✓Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
The game saves automatically as you progress through the valley, and at three to four hours a session rarely loses meaningful progress. Source: opencritic.com.
✗Hard to make progress without a guide
The game deliberately avoids guiding the player, and critics call its signposting occasionally unclear. Source: opencritic.com.
✓Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtracking
At three to four hours there is little filler, though one critic found the freeform exploration tedious at times. Source: opencritic.com.
✓Camera and movement never fight the player
First-person movement through the valley is smooth, and no critic raises camera or movement trouble. Source: opencritic.com.
Judged against games made today, from complaints that recur among players. Each reason links to its source.
Sources
- Steam store page (requirements, platforms)
- SteamSpy (Steam review counts)
- Steam Deck compatibility, Valve
- ProtonDB reports
- Metacritic
- OpenCritic
- PCGamingWiki: The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
- Steam Community: The Vanishing of Ethan Carter recent reviews
How does it play for you today?