MAKO Frame Generation 5.0.0 drops Lossless Scaling requirement on Steam Deck

MAKO Frame Generation version 5.0.0 drops the Lossless Scaling requirement on Steam Deck; Steam Deck HQ reported on Nov. 12, 2026. The update removes the need for that plugin while keeping the older option available for users who want it. Eugenio Segala developed the tool, which Steam Deck HQ says now uses its own frame generation technology instead of relying on lsfg.

To try the plugin, users need the Decky Plugin Framework with developer mode turned on for Decky. They install a ZIP file in Game Mode after grabbing the latest GitHub release, steps Steam Deck HQ presents as the way to use the updated plugin on a Steam Deck.

MAKO FG runs on 64-bit and 32-bit x86 games, Flatpak runtimes and self-contained AppImages. It covers Fixed and Adaptive Frame Generation plus SDR, HDR and Flow Scale. The plugin supports frames up to 8,294,400 pixels, the area of 3840×2160, and 8192 pixels per side, though the analysis grid may be capped at higher resolutions.

Players can select MAKO FG, LSFG Quality or LSFG Performance for each profile and power mode, though moving between MAKO FG and LSFG requires a restart. LSFG and LS1 call for the user’s own Lossless Scaling setup, but a failed LSFG start reverts to MAKO FG without changing the saved choice. If a DLL is missing, the saved model choice stays in place. Only a present DLL that fails validation causes the editor to change that choice.

Flow Scale sacrifices motion detail to cut GPU cost, while Ultra Performance combines 60% Flow Scale and MAKO Scaler once Scaling is on. The live-switching MAKO FG Mode settings include Quality, Balanced, Performance and Extra Performance, and they set how often motion gets a full estimate at 2× and 3×. For profiles without a saved choice, MAKO Scaler serves as the default scaling method, and previously saved choices stay in place.

Optional burst and rolling capture let users save real frames locally for offline comparison, with an L3 + R3 shortcut when the feature is armed. Rolling capture holds recent frames until they are saved, and burst capture stops Frame Generation. The Count Real Frames Only setting removes generated frames from the MangoHud counter, and it requires a restart.

When the game clock passes the display at the selected multiplier, Adaptive pacing restores normal pacing within seconds, which cuts queue buildup and stutter. OpenGL games running through Zink get fixed swapchain failures and uneven pacing after loading screens from MAKO. Titles with large thread-local allocations, including certain native ports, no longer fail to launch MAKO FG. Steam Deck HQ also notes RADV display-compression and Game Mode composition workarounds that address color speckles and tearing in Zink games.

For games Steam launches with its older Vulkan loader, including non-Steam AppImages, MAKO fixes Frame Generation and stops related X11 window crashes. On Proton 8 and 9, MAKO applies Wine’s workaround when an enabled Renderer first launches, so offscreen Frame Generation works in games such as Half-Life 2. Users who see incorrect video or UI can set WINE_DISABLE_VK_CHILD_WINDOW_RENDERING_HACK=0 before mako-launch.

Generated frames space out evenly when total output remains below display refresh outside Gamescope, adding up to one real-frame interval of latency. Spacing turns off if it would slow the game. The Mailbox Presentation setting is optional for FIFO hangs or failures. It is off by default and requires a restart, and where supported, MAILBOX replaces queued frames with newer ones, which may reduce smoothness.

Lossless Scaling brings frame generation to games without a native implementation, which can make lower frame rates feel smoother on Steam Deck. Underlying performance stays the same even though a game running at about 30–40 FPS can look considerably smoother, because the tool does not add rendered frames. The Lossless Scaling plugin is something XDA’s author says he cannot game without on his Steam Deck.

Below 30 FPS, Lossless Scaling adds noticeable delay and can produce visual artifacts in fast-paced games. It also uses GPU resources that may lower the base frame rate. Controls can feel off, and the plugin is not suitable for competitive games, especially when the base frame rate falls below 30 FPS. Turning on Lossless Scaling can reduce the base frame rate, especially on games where the Steam Deck’s APU is already struggling to hold a steady 30 FPS.

OptiScaler is a free alternative that brings FSR to games with native DLSS but not FSR. It still requires a native implementation and does not directly replace Lossless Scaling. Every game works with Lossless Scaling, including titles with native FSR support. Elden Ring, Street Fighter 6 and PUBG: Battlegrounds lack baked-in support for FSR or DLSS, so players are stuck with the game’s own rendering options.

IGN’s April 27, 2026, report dates the Steam Deck launch to February 2022 and the OLED model’s arrival to November 2023. According to XDA on Sept. 6, 2026, the handheld is over four years old with an 8-CU RDNA integrated GPU. Newer mainstream handhelds such as the ROG Xbox Ally X offer 16-CU RDNA 3.5 integrated graphics or better.

IGN’s April 27, 2026 report says Steam Deck 2 is in the works at Valve with no firm release window. Pierre-Loup Griffais says the next device requires meaningfully greater performance instead of just 20 to 50 percent more at the same battery life. IGN cited a fully charged Steam Deck draining in 90 minutes while running God of War on default settings as proof that battery life remains poor even on native SteamOS.

The writer at Steam Deck HQ is still worried about frame generation across the device and says he has never gotten any of these features to work. He views Lossless Scaling as better than FSR Frame Gen and has heard many good things about MAKO despite its heavy AI foundation. He stays open to more options for improving the Deck experience and wants to see how MAKO measures up against lsfg.