Steam Deck: Install games from the Epic Games Store

 

The Epic Games Launcher is currently not available for the Steam Deck or Linux in general. With an alternative launcher, you can still get the games on Valve's handheld PC.

By default, only the games in your Steam library can be installed on the deck. However, since an ordinary desktop operating system is dormant under the console interface, much more can be gotten out of the handheld PC.

Compatibility Notice

Not all Epic Games Launcher games will work on the Steam Deck. Since the operating system is based on Linux and uses the "Proton" compatibility layer, various errors can occur.

Since the games from Epics Launcher are not officially supported, you have two options: check ProtonDB or other online forums to see if someone has already tested the title in question, or simply try it yourself.

Instructions

In order to use the games from the Epic Store on the Steam Deck as well, we use the "Heroic Games Launcher".

Installing the Heroic Games Launcher

1. Start the Steam Deck and press the [STEAM] button.
2. Select “On/Off” in the side menu and then press “Switch to desktop”.
3. Opens the Discover software center.
4. Click on the search field in the top left and press [STEAM] + [X] to open the virtual keyboard.
5. Enter "heroic". The "Heroic Games Launcher" should now appear in the search results. Closes the virtual keyboard with the keyboard icon at the bottom right.
6. Tap the "Install" button next to the launcher.
7. Start the Heroic Games Launcher and log in with your Epic account.

Install and add games to Steam

1. Launches the Heroic Games Launcher in desktop mode.
2. Select "Library" from the menu to see the overview of your games.
3. Either click on the yellow download button for the respective game or select it and then press the large "Install" button.
4. Once the game has finished downloading, open Steam in desktop mode.
5. Click on "+ Add game" in the bottom left and then on "Add non-Steam game...".
6. Select the "Browse" button and navigate to /home/deck/Games/Heroic.
7. By default, Heroic saves the games you install here. If you have set a different path, you must select this.
8. Open the relevant game's folder and select All Files from the "Files of type:" drop-down menu at the bottom.
9. Select the EXE file in the game's root directory (or a subfolder) and click on the "Open" button.
10. Then press the "Selected programs Hi..." button.
11. Click on the Return to Gaming Mode shortcut.
12. Open the "Library" and navigate to "Non-Steam".
13. Select the game and click the gear icon, then click Properties.
14. Select "Compatibility" and check "Force Steam Play to use a specific compatibility tool".
15. If the game doesn't start or has other problems, you can also select a different version of Proton from the drop-down menu here and test it again.
16. Now you can click the "Play" button. Depending on the game, you have to log in again with your Epic account when you start it for the first time.

Alternatively, you can also add the "Heroic Games Launcher" yourself as a non-Steam game so that you don't have to switch between desktop and gaming mode. However, operating the launcher in gaming mode is a bit cumbersome and in our test, it often led to dead ends, from which we only got out by forcing the program to close.

If the game is running smoothly, you can also add custom artwork and fix the name to it in Steam desktop mode, which will then show up in gaming mode as well.