How to obtain the Epic Games Launcher on your Steam Deck

A screenshot of the Epic Games Launcher on the Steam Deck.

Image: Epic Games

A Steam Deck is primarily a portable, Linux- based computer system committed to running yourSteam games whenever and wherever you want With a little job, you can obtain accessibility to non-Steam game collections like Play Station Plus Cloud Streaming orXbox Cloud Gaming It’s also feasible to obtain the Epic Games Launcher dealing with your Steam Deck and also obtain accessibility to those Epic exclusives.

Our overview to mounting the Epic Games Launcher on your Steam Deck will certainly stroll you via every action you require to begin playing Epic games to your Steam Deck.


Switch to Desktop Mode

Before anything else, you’ll require to switch to the Steam Deck’s Desktop Mode to access the underlying Steam OS. Hit the Steam switch and also scroll toPower In the following food selection, pick Switch to Desktop Mode.

The Steam Deck’s Power menu with Switch To Desktop highlighted

Switch to Desktop Mode in the Power food selection.
Image: Valve through Polygon

In Desktop Mode, you can utilize the touchscreen to communicate with some points. More valuable, however, is making use of the best trackpad to relocate the computer mouse, the best trigger to left-click, and also the left trigger to right-click. Yes, the hitting is in reverse, however it type of jobs as soon as you obtain utilized to it.


Install Proton

Unlike obtaining Xbox Cloud Gaming on the Steam Deck (which goes through an internet browser), the Epic Games Launcher is its very own Windows- based application–much like PlayStation Plus To navigate this, you’ll require to set up Proton, an emulator that methods Windows programs right into operating on Steam OS (Linux).

Using SteamOS’s Discover to install ProtonUp-Qt.

Use Discover to set up Proton Up-Qt
Image: Valve through Polygon

In Desktop Mode, click Discover, the buying bag symbol on the left side of the taskbar. Hit Steam + X to bring up the on-screen key-board and also kind “ProtonUp” in the search bar. Click Install on Proton Up-Qt

Using Proton in SteamOS to install the latest version.

Install one of the most current variation of Proton.
Image: Valve through Polygon

Hit the Application Launcher (the begin switch on the job bar), and also most likely to Utilities to release Proton UP-Qt and alsoChoose Add Version Make certain the Compatibility Tool dropdown is readied to GE-Proton, and also choose one of the most current variation– since this writing, it’s GE-Proton 7-43

Once it’s set up, most likely to the taskbar and also right-click on the Steam symbol. Choose Exit, and afterwards relaunch Steam– either with the desktop computer symbol or by mosting likely to the Application Launcher > > Games > > Steam.


Install the Epic Games Launcher

Open an internet browser from the desktop computer (like Firefox) and also head to the Epic Games website to download and install theLauncher Make certain you get the Windows variation– it’ll be a.msi documents.

Don’ t launch it yet, though. First, you need to collaborate with Steam and also do some convincing.

Adding the EpicInstaller to the Steam Library

Add the EpicInstaller to the Steam Library.
Image: Valve throughPolygon

Open Steam In the lower left, click Add Game > > Add a Non-Steam Game In the brand-new home window, hitBrowse Navigate to / home/deck/Downloads/ ( or anywhere you saved the installer) and also transform the documents kind toAll Files Pick the EpicInstaller you simply downloaded and install and also struck open. Back in the very first home window, hit Add Selected Programs.

Forcing compatibility in SteamOS with Proton.

Use the current variation of Proton and also Force compatibility.
Image: Valve through Polygon

Open your Steam Library and also scroll to the brand-new EpicInstaller entrance. Right- click it with the left trigger and also most likely to Properties > >Compatibility Check package alongside Force using a particular Steam Play compatibility device Select one of the most current variation of Proton from the dropdown.

Go back to your Steam Library and also hit Play to release the installer. Hit Install when the brand-new home window appears and also wait.


Change the Target area

Now that it’s set up, you need to inform the Steam Library entrance to run the Launcher as opposed to theInstaller And to do that, you need to discover our means to the Epic Games directory site. Click on Home in the Places bar left wing. Over on the best side of the home window, click the burger switch to open up the food selection and also choose Show Hidden Files.

You’ll see brand-new grayed-out folders in the Dolphin home window– the ones with a before their names. Navigate right into the folders by double-clicking on them and also head to /. local/share/Steam/ steamapps/compatdata The folders below are simply collection of numbers, so you’re trying to find one of the most current (or, if you’re fortunate) one– that must be the one with Epic Games in it. If you require to dig about for it, utilize the burger switch and also Sort By > > Modified.

A SteamOS screenshot of the Dolphin File Manager displaying the Epic Games folder.

The Epic Games folder takes some excavating to discover.
Image: Valve through Polygon

From there, you require to maintain excavating a little to /[series of numbers]/ pfx/drive _ c/Program Files (x86)/Epic Games/Launcher/Portal/Binaries/ Win32/

Scroll toEpicGamesLauncher exe Right- click it, and also pick Copy Location.

Go back to your Steam Library and also right-click on the EpicInstaller entrance.

First, bring up the onscreen key-board with Steam + X and also relabel it to something friendlier like Epic Games Launcher.

Updating the Target and Start In entires for the Epic Games Launcher in SteamOS

Update the Target and also Start In entrances.
Image: Valve through Polygon

In the Target area, emphasize whatever other than the quotes Right- click the highlighted message and also paste in the address you simply replicated over.

Below that, highlight whatever other than the quotes in the Start In area. Right- click and also paste once again.Delete EpicGamesLauncher exe from completion– see to it the leave the quote.


Switch back to Gaming Mode

Get back to the desktop computer and also double-click on the Return to Gaming Mode symbol.


Launch the Epic Games Store

You’ll discover your brand-new Epic Games Launcher in the Non-Steam Games tab of yourLibrary The very first time you release it, it will possibly upgrade, and afterwards you’ll need to authorize right into your account. Hold off on that particular one secondly, however, and also established some controls to make life much easier.

Hit the Steam switch and also chooseController Settings Change the present format to Gamepad with Mouse Trackpad and afterwards chooseEdit Layout Scroll to Trackpads.

Editing the Steam Controller Settings to put mouse control on the Steam Deck’s trackpads

Edit the Controller Settings to obtain computer mouse control on your Steam Deck.
Image: Valve through Polygon

Set the Right Trackpad Behavior toAs Mouse Click in the R Click box, tab to the Mouse food selection, and also pick Left Mouse Click.

Set the Left Trackpad Behavior toScroll Wheel Click in the L Click box, tab to the Mouse food selection, and also pickRight Mouse Click Click in the Clockwise Command box and also established it Mouse > > Scroll Wheel Down, and also do the contrary for Counter Clockwise Command (or the other way around).

Now you’ve have some makeshift computer mouse controls for the Launcher (and also games) with the Steam Deck’s trackpads.

Pull up the key-board with Steam + X and also obtain checked in.


Some notes …

Putting anything past Steam onto your Steam Deck is asking it to do something it had not been specifically made for– and also you’ll meet differing levels of success doing it. Xbox Cloud Gaming functions quite possibly, Play Station Plus Cloud Streaming functions a little much less well, and also the EGS … is rather hit-or-miss. Let’s speak about the concerns we observed.

The Epic Games Launcher launches in a home window that’s simply not the best dimension for the Steam Deck’s screen, and also making that home window fullscreen makes it also huge for the screen. So that’s simply something you’ll need to cope with. Games operate in fullscreen uncreative, however.

From the Launcher, you can set up games typically. You’ll need to hold your horses while points download and install, considering that they can not (or will not) download and install behind-the-scenes.

Exiting out of games appears to create some complication in the application, so you could need to shut and also reactivate the Epic Games Launcher each time.

We obtained Maneater keeping up no problem, however there appears to be an issue with particular games– like Kerbal Space Program— that launch their very own launchers. Games like that simply do not function. There do appear to be workarounds (like including the.exe documents to Steam after mounting), however they’re a great deal much more extensive than we can cover below (or fit covering) and also have their very own concerns with controls and also compatibility.

You can avoid several of these issues with third-party software application emulators like Heroic or Lutris, however recognize that by utilizing such programs, you risk, nonetheless tiny, of obtaining prohibited or encountering various other issues with your Steam Deck.

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Source: Polygon

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