epic games on steam deck

Excellent question! The Epic Games Store (EGS) works very well on the Steam Deck, but it's not as simple as clicking "install" from Steam. You have to set it up as a non-Steam game. Heres a breakdown of the main methods, from easiest to most powerful. Method 1: The Easiest Way - Heroic Games Launcher (Recommended for Most Users) This is the most popular and user-friendly method. Heroic is a native Linux app that acts as a front-end for both the Epic Games Store and GOG. How to do it: Switch your Steam Deck to Desktop Mode. Open the Discover Store (the shopping bag icon). Search for "Heroic Games Launcher" and install it. Launch Heroic, log in with your Epic (or GOG) account. Your library will appear. You can install games directly to a folder (like an SD card). Crucially: After installing a game, Heroic gives you a button to "Add to Steam." This creates a shortcut in your Steam Gaming Mode library. Switch back to Gaming Mode, find the game in your library, and use a community controller layout or configure controls as needed. Pros: Clean, native Linux application. Handles login, updates, and DLC. Easy "Add to Steam" integration. Also works for GOG games. Cons: Doesn't have the actual Epic Store client interface (no friends list, store browsing in Gaming Mode). Method 2: Using the Official Epic Games Launcher This installs the actual Windows EGS client using Proton (Steam's compatibility tool). How to do it (via Lutris or Bottles): Tools like Lutris or Bottles (installable from the Discover Store) automate the process of installing Windows software on Linux. In Desktop Mode, install Lutris. Find an "Epic Games Store" installer script within Lutris. It will download the installer and set up a Wine/Proton prefix for you. Run the Epic Launcher through Lutris, log in, and install your games. You can then add individual games, or the launcher itself, to Steam as a non-Steam game. Pros: You get the full, familiar Epic Launcher experience. Access to friends list and the store directly. Cons: More complex setup. Runs through a compatibility layer (slightly less performance overhead than Heroic, usually negligible). Updates and management are more manual. Method 3: Adding Epic Games to Steam Manually (Advanced) If you already have game files (e.g., from a PC), you can add the Windows executable (.exe) directly to Steam as a non-Steam game. Steam will run it with Proton. This requires knowing the correct executable and launch arguments. It's more work for each game and handling updates is messy. Important Considerations & Tips Proton is Key: Whether through Heroic or Lutris, most Epic games will need a specific Proton version (like GE-Proton, which includes extra fixes for media and anti-cheat) to run. You can select this in Heroic's game settings or in Steam's compatibility properties. Anti-Cheat (EAC/BattlEye): This is the biggest hurdle. Games like Fortnite, Rocket League, and Fall Guys use kernel-level anti-cheat that does not work on the Steam Deck/Linux. Always check ProtonDB (website) or the game's store page to see if it's labeled as "Deck Verified" or check reports for the Epic version. Performance: Performance is generally identical to the Steam version of the same game, as both are running through Proton. Shader compilation caching (which Steam does automatically) might be less smooth for Epic games, potentially causing minor stutters initially. Storage: Install games to your microSD card! Both Heroic and Lutris let you choose the install location. Format the card as ext4 or btrfs for best performance (SteamOS can do this). Quick Recommendation Summary For most users: Start with Heroic Games Launcher. It's the simplest, most integrated solution. If you need the full Epic social/client features: Use Lutris to install the official Epic Games Launcher. Before buying/installing any multiplayer game: CHECK PROTONDB to ensure the anti-cheat works. The Steam Deck's openness is its strength. While it takes a few more steps than Steam, playing your Epic Games library is very much a reality and a great experience.