Epic confirms its new launcher will support SteamOS and Steam Deck

Epic Games says its new launcher will support SteamOS, the Linux-based system on the Steam Deck and Steam Machine. Communications director Jake Jones confirmed it in a statement to GamingOnLinux in early November, naming SteamOS alongside Fedora, CachyOS and Omarchy as distributions Epic plans to cover.

There is no date for SteamOS support yet, and the launcher is still in Preview. Just as important, Epic has not said Fortnite is coming to the Deck. That is a separate anti-cheat problem, and it is still unsolved.

What's confirmed

The statement. Jones told GamingOnLinux that the new Epic Games Launcher "is still in Preview and we plan to support as many Linux distributions as possible, including Fedora, SteamOS, Cachy, Omarchy, and more." It is the first time Epic has named SteamOS as a target, as The Verge and Notebookcheck both point out.

Packaging. The Linux Preview first went out as an AppImage, a single portable file, then switched to a .deb package for Debian and Ubuntu. Jones said Epic is testing packaging formats and will "restore AppImage this month", meaning November.

The Preview itself. Epic's new launcher entered public Preview on October 14 for Windows, macOS and, for the first time, Linux. Epic's store post says it was rebuilt to start faster and navigate more quickly. VideoCardz reports Epic's own test put cold start at 5.47 seconds against 10.07 seconds for Steam, though the two clients were tested under different conditions.

Windows games. On Linux the Preview handles Windows-only games with a one-time compatibility download. GamingOnLinux found it installs GE-Proton, a community build of Valve's Proton, inside the launcher's own folder.

Fortnite is not included. In October Epic said the Steam Deck "does not support the required features" for its new Easy Anti-Cheat Linux v2, and that it is talking with Valve. The Verge repeats that caveat in its write-up of the SteamOS news.

Background

Epic first said a native Linux client was coming in August, and the October Preview made it real. Until then, the usual way to play an Epic library on a Steam Deck was a third-party app such as Heroic Games Launcher, which signs in to your Epic account and runs games through Proton.

The bigger news in October was Fortnite. Epic is rebuilding its Linux anti-cheat as EAC Linux v2, which leans on a signed kernel, signed kernel modules and Secure Boot with attestation. Epic plans to pilot it in Fortnite first, then offer it to other developers once it has proven itself. Those security features are exactly what SteamOS on the Deck does not currently provide in the form Epic wants.

Epic is not the only store moving here. GOG said on November 5 that a native Linux version of GOG Galaxy is coming in 2027, which we covered in GOG Galaxy is coming to Linux in 2027.

My take: a launcher is nice, Gaming Mode is what counts

Heroic is a great community project, and for plenty of Deck owners it works. It is also a bit of a hobby: you sign in to Epic inside a third-party app, add games to Steam as non-Steam shortcuts, and swap Proton versions when something breaks. An official Epic client could remove a lot of that, but only if it behaves in Gaming Mode with a controller. If I still have to drop into Desktop Mode to launch it, it is a downgrade from Heroic, not an upgrade.

It reminds me of when EA and Ubisoft launchers first ran under Proton. Technically they worked, but each one was a launcher inside a launcher, and every extra login screen on a handheld is friction. Valve solved that for its own store by building the Deck around Steam. Epic now has to prove its client can sit politely inside someone else's interface.

The AppImage detail is the part I'd watch. SteamOS keeps its system files read-only, so a .deb package is the wrong shape for it. A portable file that lives in your home folder is the right one. If Epic ships that this month, Deck owners can try the Preview without hacks.

As for Fortnite, I wouldn't hold my breath. Epic's anti-cheat plan depends on Secure Boot and attestation, and Valve has to agree to that on its own hardware. Easy Anti-Cheat did gain Proton support before the Deck launched in 2022, but that took real engineering on both sides. This is a bigger ask.

What we don't know yet

• A date. Epic has not said when SteamOS support arrives or when the Preview becomes a full release.
• Gaming Mode. Epic has not said whether the launcher will offer a controller-friendly interface on the Deck.
• Fortnite on Deck. It depends on whether Valve can meet EAC Linux v2's requirements, and neither company has given a timeline.
• Other anti-cheat games. Epic says EAC v2 will go to other developers later, but not when.

Quick facts

FAQ

Will the Epic Games Launcher run on Steam Deck?

Epic says it plans to support SteamOS, which runs on the Steam Deck and Steam Machine. It has not given a release date, and the launcher is still in Preview.

Can I play Fortnite on Steam Deck now?

No. Epic says the Deck lacks features its new Easy Anti-Cheat for Linux needs, and that it is talking with Valve about it. Launcher support does not change that.

How do I play Epic games on Steam Deck today?

Most owners use a third-party client such as Heroic Games Launcher, which runs Windows games through Proton. An official Epic client would give a supported alternative once it arrives.

Which Linux versions does the Epic launcher Preview support?

The current Linux build is a .deb package for Debian and Ubuntu. Epic says it will bring back the AppImage version in November and wants to support more distributions over time.

More: Steam now shows average Steam Deck framerates before you buy.

Sources: Epic Games Store (launcher Preview announcement); The Verge; VideoCardz; GamingOnLinux; Notebookcheck. Image: Notebookcheck feed image.