Despite Some Controversy in the Gaming Scene, Epic Games is Still an Amazing Resource for Expanding Your Steam Deck’s Library
Main image courtesy of Kotaku.
Since its debut in 2018, the Epic Games Store has carved out a place for itself in the wider PC gaming marketplace. Amidst a sea of other stores like Ubisoft Connect, GOG, and of course the ever mighty Steam, the Epic Games Store stood out due to the monumental success of Fortnite and its generous free game offerings each week. It’s fair to say that it has stood the test of time despite various criticisms it faced upon its inception.
If you’ve been keeping up with Epic’s weekly free games, you’ve likely accrued a sizable collection of titles by now. Some of which could be great additions to your Steam Deck’s library. Thankfully, while Epic Games doesn’t come natively installed on the Deck, there are a few ways to get it up and running. In this guide, we’ll be showing you two ways to install Epic Games on the Steam Deck.
The main barrier to getting Epic Games on Steam Deck is the operating system. Steam Deck runs on SteamOS, which is basically a tricked out version of Linux. Linux has a lot of customizability, making it a very attractive option for those in computer science and other STEM fields. However, it can be a hassle to use for everyone else; a lot of programs and features you may be used to from Windows or Mac aren’t easily accessed. Epic Games is just one of many programs that need some finagling to get working on Linux.
Now, there is a way to get another OS like Windows 10 or 11 running on Steam Deck, but that’s a pretty involved and inconvenient process if all you're looking to do is add the Epic Games Store. For this guide, we’ve found two different methods for installing Epic Games: the Heroic Games Launcher and manual installation. TheGamer has a nice breakdown of these installation processes that we’ll be following.
The Heroic Games Launcher is not only the most streamlined way to get Epic Games up and running but it is also the method that gives you access to more than just Epic Games. Heroic is a launcher that runs natively on Linux and puts Epic Games, GOG, and the Amazon Prime Games app all in one place. You’ll be able to browse, install, and play games from all these platforms with a single Heroic installation.
We’ll first have to venture into the Steam Deck’s Desktop mode. It’s a feature that lets you utilize the Steam Deck more like a normal PC where you can open browsers and download new programs. To enter Desktop mode, press the Steam button, go to the Power Menu, and select “Switch to Desktop.” Make sure Steam is still running in the background so that you can access the on-screen keyboard and various buttons. You may consider using an external keyboard and mouse for an easier time traversing desktop mode.
Now that you’re in Desktop mode, you can open the Discover app. Think of it like the app store on your phone. It’s an easy way to find and download applications that are compatible with the Steam Deck.
At the bottom left of your desktop, click on the Steam Deck icon and open the Discover app. From there, use the search bar to find the Heroic Game Launcher and install it.
With Heroic installed, you can go ahead and open it. It will prompt you to log into Epic Games (and GOG if you so please).
Once you’ve logged in, you should now add Heroic to your Steam library as a non-Steam game. This will allow you to open Heroic from Game Mode instead of Desktop Mode. Open the Steam application in Desktop Mode, go to Games, and select “Add Non-Steam Game.” Select the Heroic Games launcher from the list of applications that appear.
Now we’re not quite done yet, as you might find some of your games on Epic won’t work without the right version of Wine. What is Wine you may ask? Wine is a compatibility layer that allows Windows applications to run on Linux and similar platforms operating systems. It translates Windows API calls into ones Linux can understand. It’s somewhat like an emulator, only you don’t need an entire Windows installation.
In addition to Wine, there is also Proton, a souped up version of Wine created by Valve that features a lot of patches and improvements for running Windows games on Linux. We’ll be using Proton as we configure our Wine settings.
Heroic automatically chooses a version of Wine based on the game you’re playing, but if you’re having issues with a particular game, you may need to manually change it. Hover over the game in your Heroic library and click the cog icon. In the Wine tab, there will be a “Wine Version” dropdown that lists various versions of Proton. Try some of these out and see which gets your game running smoothly.
You can also install other versions of Proton from the Wine Manager section of the Heroic Games Launcher. You should generally stick with the latest versions but check ProtonDB for in depth compatibility notes. Once that’s sorted, you’ll be free to fire up your games on Epic.
Remember, by installing Epic Games, we’re asking the Steam Deck to do something it technically wasn’t built for. While most of your games on Epic should work, some will need some tweaking and a few just might not work. Fortnite for instance will not function on Heroic (or any Linux machine for that matter) due to its anti-cheat system.
Maybe you don’t want all the bells and whistles that come with the Heroic Games Launcher. There is a way to download and install Epic Games similar to how you would on a normal PC, though it’s a more drawn out process.
In Desktop Mode, instead of using the Discover app, open your browser and download the Epic Games installer directly from their website. Still in Desktop Mode, open Steam in and add the installer to your library as a Non-Steam Game.
Now that it’s in your library, you’ll need to configure the target and start file locations as well as the compatibility. To find the correct target file location, you’ll need to look in this file path:
In that location, you’ll need to search through the folders to find Epic Games. The best way to do this is to select the folder with the highest or longest number. From there, follow this file path:
There you will find the EpicGamesLauncher.exe. Right-click it and select Copy Location.
Find the Epic Games installer in your library, right-click it, and open Properties. Click Shortcut and paste in the target file location. Do the same in the Start In section, only this time you’ll want to delete the “EpicGamesLauncher.exe” at the end of the path.
Now click on Compatibility on the left and choose "Force the use of a specific Steam Play Compatibility tool." It will give you a number of Proton options that you can choose from. Play around with them to find which one gets your games running with minimal bugs and crashes. But barring any issues with Proton, you should be good to go.
Now that you have Epic Games on your Steam Deck, what are you looking forward to playing? Let us know down in the comments.
