Supported games and engines
Second Screen Gaming works on a game while it runs, so what it can do depends on how the game was built.
By engine
What each engine gets
| Engine | Fix | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Source and Source 2 | Configuration | Background audio and simulation are console variables, written to autoexec.cfg. The most reliable case. |
| Unreal Engine 4 and 5 | Configuration, usually | Settings in the game's Engine.ini, which exists once the game has been started. Unreal asks Windows which window is in front instead of believing activation messages, so the focus assist cannot stand in for it. |
| Unity | Focus assist | Run In Background is compiled into the game, so the focus assist answers focus changes instead. |
| SDL2 | Focus assist, SDL option | SDL minimizes or pauses a game when focus leaves it. The focus assist's SDL compatibility option loads a helper into the game that stops both, for that game only; it is switched off where anti-cheat is detected. |
| Godot | Rarely needed | Godot does not mute or pause on focus loss by default. |
| Any other game | Runtime assists | The borderless fit and the throttle exemption work on any game with a normal window. The focus assist works on engines that believe the activation messages Windows sends. |
Anti-cheat
Games with anti-cheat
When Second Screen Gaming detects anti-cheat in a game, it switches off the runtime assists, and it never tries to disable or get around anti-cheat. The borderless fit only moves and resizes the game's window, the way Windows itself does, so it stays available, and so do configuration fixes.
Detection is not a guarantee. Before using any tool with an online game, check that game's terms.
By game
What a particular game can take
The app answers that itself. Start the game and open Second Screen Gaming: it shows which fixes that running game can take before you turn anything on, and says why when one cannot work. Nothing is offered on a guess.
For a game you have not started yet, the table above is the best guide: what it gets depends on the engine it was built on.
Need help with a particular game? Request game support and tell us what problems you're having. Requests help us prioritize testing; support for every game cannot be guaranteed.