Big Walk is not a demanding game — it is a stylized open island, not a cinematic blockbuster — but it is not free either. Here are the official requirements from the Steam page, plus what they mean in practice for your group.
For Steam-specific features, pricing, achievements and current Deck status, use the Big Walk Steam guide.
The short version: a desktop PC from around 2017 runs it fine on minimum settings, and Apple Silicon Macs with an M1 or newer qualify. If a machine is below minimum, the official first fix is to lower the Render Scale.
Windows minimum requirements
| Component | Minimum |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 (64-bit) |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-7700K or AMD Ryzen 5 1600X |
| Memory | 12 GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB · AMD Radeon R7 370 2GB · Intel Arc A380 6GB |
| Storage | Steam page does not list a size; the island build is light |
Windows recommended requirements
| Component | Recommended |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 11 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-10600K or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X |
| Memory | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB · AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT 8GB · Intel Arc A750 8GB |
Mac requirements
| Tier | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Minimum | macOS 15 on Apple Silicon (M1 or newer), 16 GB RAM |
| Recommended | macOS 15 with an M3 or newer, 16 GB RAM |
Only Apple Silicon is supported — Intel Macs are out, and the minimum 16 GB RAM is higher than the Windows bar. If you are choosing between an old Intel Mac and anything else, the game is not playable on the Intel side.
What the specs actually mean
- Steam Deck and handhelds: the GTX 750 Ti-class bar means Steam Deck's APU sits comfortably above minimum, and players report it as a workable way to walk. We do not treat this as an official Deck Verified claim — check Valve's badge on the store page.
- 12 GB RAM is the real gate on Windows. Many budget laptops still ship 8 GB, which is below minimum. If you are under 12 GB, expect to lean on Render Scale and Quality before you start a host session.
- A controller works on every platform. Keyboard and mouse, most gamepads, and the Switch 2's mouse mode are all supported per the official FAQ.
Performance tips (official order)
- Settings > Graphics > lower Render Scale — reduces GPU load.
- Settings > Graphics > lower Quality — reduces CPU & GPU load.
- Slowly raise Render Scale back up until it looks right and still runs smooth.
If a session still stutters, apply a frame-rate cap or VSync, close overlays, and update graphics drivers — the same order as the troubleshooting hub. A machine that barely meets minimum should not host: the official FAQ notes the host's frame rate affects everyone's network quality.