Epic Games Confirms SteamOS Support for Its New Launcher

Epic Games seems to be finally making a move that Steam Deck owners have been waiting for. The company has confirmed that its rebuilt Epic Games Launcher will support SteamOS. This could give Valve handheld users a more direct way to access their Epic Games Store libraries. However, Fortnite remains a separate challenge, and its arrival is far from guaranteed.

Epic Games Launcher is officially targeting SteamOS

Epic Games Communications Director Jake Jones confirmed the plans while speaking to GamingOnLinux (via VideoCardz). The company wants to support several Linux distributions, including SteamOS, Fedora, Cachy, and Omarchy.

Hey Liam! 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. We’re testing and evaluating packaging formats for distribution, and we’ll restore AppImage this month.

Interestingly, the new Epic Games Launcher is already available in Preview. Epic released it in October for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The rebuilt launcher promises faster startup times, smoother navigation, and an improved game library.

However, SteamOS support does not have a confirmed release date yet. Epic is still evaluating different packaging formats for Linux distributions. Jones also confirmed that the company plans to restore AppImage downloads during November.

For Steam Deck owners, this could eventually eliminate some reliance on third-party solutions. Players currently use tools such as Heroic Games Launcher to access Epic and other game libraries. An official Epic client could make that experience more straightforward. That said, native launcher support doesn’t guarantee every Epic game will run on SteamOS. Windows-only titles may still require compatibility tools such as Proton or Wine.

Fortnite remains the biggest roadblock

It should be noted that Epic’s launcher announcement doesn’t confirm Fortnite support. The problem involves Easy Anti-Cheat, particularly the requirements of its newer Linux solution. Epic previously acknowledged that Steam Deck lacks certain features required by its EAC v2 implementation.

The company says it is working with Valve and Linux distribution maintainers. However, Epic hasn’t provided a timeline for resolving the compatibility issue.