Epic Games Store Is Coming To Linux With Native Steam Deck Support

Comments made by employees in the Epic Games Discord seem to indicate that there are plans at Epic to push forward with a native Linux client for the Epic Games Store. While solutions like the Heroic Games Launcher exist to allow Epic Games to be more playable on the Steam Deck, the addition of official Linux support should be beneficial and more straightforward to set up.

At this point, however, it's not unclear whether the EGS on Linux would utilize Valve's Proton, and not using it would limit the playable game selection to native Linux games. That is, unless the EGS integrates the Wine compatibility layer or provides its own Proton alternative.

This move may also bring us closer to a working version of Epic's Easy Anti-Cheat on Linux, which would enable experiences like Fortnite on the Steam Deck and Steam Machine. Easy Anti-Cheat currently has some compatibility on Linux, but none of the kernel-level support required by some games.


There's no formal release window for the Linux branch of the Epic Games Store app beyond "soon," but the assertation that Epic will likely do more than have a running Linux build is reassuring. Hopefully that means an Epic Games equivalent to Proton or broader efforts to improve Epic and Unreal Engine's Linux compatibility are on the way.

In its coverage on this news, GamingOnLinux points out that Epic recently hired a security engineer to "champion Linux anti-cheat capabilities." This illuminates the possibility that EAC may finally get the Linux kernel compatibility we've been hoping for.  They also confirmed plans for GOG Galaxy to come to Linux, though community efforts have been covering that functionality for some time as well.

In any case, news like this highlights the growing strength of Linux gaming. Hopefully we'll have more good open source gaming news to share with you soon.