In addition to Steam, you can also install the Epic Games Store and play games from there on the Valve Steam Deck. Here’s how to do it.
The Steam Deck is, of course, a handheld console designed to play games from Steam. But it’s also a complete PC, so that means you have options as you do on your PC. Steam has always been able to add games from other sources to your library, and the same applies to the Steam Deck. But what about Epic? How do you play Epic Games Store titles on the Steam Deck?
If for some reason you flashed Windows to your Steam Deck, installing the Epic Games Store is not a problem at all. But it’s a different story if you want to stick with SteamOS. While Epic Games officially supports Linux with its Easy Anti Cheat software, the company stopped short of bringing its games store to the platform.
That’s where the Linux community steps up to the plate. Windows-based games can work fine on Linux and the Steam Deck, and it’s no different if you have a library of Epic titles. It’s not even that difficult to get them onto the Steam Deck. Here’s what you need to know.
Using the Heroic Games Launcher
Source: Heoric Games Launcher
Although you can install the Epic Games Launcher, I recommend using the third-party Heroic Games Launcher, which is basically a community-made version of the Epic Games Store that runs natively on Linux. Fortunately, it’s extremely easy to install it on the Steam Deck. For this, it’s best to have a keyboard and mouse connected to your Steam Deck, but you can get by without it.
- Press the Steam button on the Deck.
- Go down to Power and select Desktop Mode.
- Once in Desktop Mode, click on the Discover icon on the toolbar (or find it in the all apps menu if you removed it).
- Search for Heroic Games Launcher.
- Hit Install.
- Launch the Heroic Games Launcher and sign in with your Epic Games account.
How to add Heroic Games Launcher to Steam
All should now be working well, but you don’t want to be in a situation where you have to come to Desktop Mode all the time to access the Launcher. So we need to enable Heroic Games Launcher through Steam to work in Gaming Mode. Before leaving desktop mode, follow these steps:
- Open the Steam desktop client.
- Click Games in the toolbar.
- Choose the option to Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library.
- Check the box next to Heroic Games Launcher.
- Click Add Selected Programs.
- Now, close Steam and go back to the desktop.
- Double-click/tap on the Return to Gaming Mode icon and the Steam Deck will reboot back into the handheld-friendly UI.
You’ll now find Heroic Games Launcher in your library on the non-Steam tab. Just open it up, hit Play and the app will launch full screen. From here you can select your games to install or play as you wish. You won’t have to worry about setting up any sort of control scheme for Heroic Games Launcher, it supports the Deck’s controls out of the box.
Using Proton to emulate the Epic Games Store
The official Epic Games Store client doesn’t have a native Linux client, hence why this is even a problem to begin with. However, as you may know, you can run non-native Linux games on Linux using a tool called Proton, and what’s great is that Proton isn’t just for games. This is how we’re going to get the real Epic Games Store on the Deck, by essentially emulating it. Be forewarned though, this is a very longwinded and tedious process, and it will require a little know-how.
- Press the Steam button on the Deck.
- Go down to Power and select Desktop Mode.
- Once in Desktop Mode, go to store.epicgames.com and download the Epic Games Launcher installer..
- Then, open Steam and click Add a Game in the bottom left corner, then click Add a Non-Steam Game, and click Browse.
- Navigate to the Downloads folder and switch the file type to All Files, and you should see the Epic Games Launcher installer.
- Click the Epic Games Launcher installer, select Open, and then click Add Selected Programs.
- Find the Epic Games Launcher installer in your library and right click it in the sidebar, and then click Properties.
- Go to the Compatibility tab and check the box that says Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool.
- Hit Play on the Epic Games Launcher in your Steam library and once the installer pops up, click Install.
At this point, Epic Games Launcher is technically installed, but you might have a hard time actually finding the app and opening it up. Next, you’re going to have to actually set up Steam so that it can launch the Epic Games Launcher.
- Open the file manager, go to Home, click on the hamburger drop down menu in the top right, and click Show Hidden Files.
- Navigate to /.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata.
- Sort by Modified and Newest First in the hamburger menu, and go into the numbered folder that’s the newest.
- Navigate to /pfx/drive_c/Program Files (x86)/Epic Games/Launcher/Portal/Binaries/Win32/.
- Right click on EpicGamesLauncher.exe and select Copy Location.
- Pull up the installer in your Steam library, right click on it in the sidebar, and click Properties.
- In the Shortcut tab, you’ll need to replace the text in the Target and Start In text boxes.
- For Target, paste what you copied in step 5, and make sure it’s surrounded by quotes, one at the start and one at the end.
- For Start In, paste what you copied in step 5 but this time delete EpicGamesLauncher.exe from the end so that it ends in /Win32/ instead. Make sure this text is surrounded by quotes too.
- (Optional) You can rename the generic installer name to Epic Games Launcher and even add the Epic Games icon if you want by downloading it from the internet and clicking the box to upload it.
- Go back to Gaming Mode.
- Click Play on Epic Games Launcher in your library. It should launch and will probably need to update.
- To get proper controls for navigating the Epic Games Launcher, press the Steam button and go to controller settings.
- Then change your template to the Web Browser control scheme.
- Sign in, and enjoy the Epic Games Launcher to the best of your ability after this grueling installation process.
How to install titles from Epic Games on Steam Deck
Installing games on the Steam Deck with the Epic Games Launcher or Heroic Games Launcher is no different from any other store or launcher. When you’re signed in, your whole library will be available to install. The usual caveats apply, though. In most cases right now, online multiplayer titles won’t work if they have anti-cheat. And don’t get excited about Fortnite, even though Epic supports Linux with EAC, it hasn’t been enabled.
The thing you also miss is any kind of compatibility information. Valve tests the games on Steam for performance on Steam Deck, you don’t have that benefit when running them from elsewhere. So it’s a lot more trial and error. However, resources like ProtonDB are worth checking out because if a Steam version works there’s a good chance you can get the same game running through Epic.
Heroic Games Launcher also allows you to change Proton versions and use the WineGE custom versions which might help you get something running well. Keep tabs on the WineGE Github repo for updates on games it specifically adds support for.
Considering Epic Games still gives away two free games a week this is a handy way to get more games on your Steam Deck. It’s nowhere near as seamless as Steam, but once the initial setup is done, the rest is fairly easy. Heroic Games Launcher will continue to improve as well so the experience will only get better.
Steam Deck
Valve’s first portable gaming PC, the Steam Deck, is one of the coolest handheld gaming consoles on the market, with a huge library of games to play and the ability to take them on the go.