Epic Games Store Linux support is coming "soon" after years of waiting

Until now, getting storefronts like the Epic Games Store running on the Steam Deck has usually meant relying on community tools such as Heroic Games Launcher alongside Proton. That could soon become a thing of the past, as Epic Games has officially confirmed that a native Linux version of its PC launcher is in development.

First reported by SteamDeckHQ, the confirmation came during an AMA hosted on the Epic Games Store's Discord server, where an Epic Games staff member revealed that Linux support is "coming soon." However, it won't be included in the upcoming preview build, as the company says bringing the launcher to Linux requires more work than simply creating a dedicated version of the existing software.

That's particularly interesting because Epic appears to have bigger plans than simply getting its storefront running on Linux. The company is reportedly looking at broader platform integration, potentially including support for Linux-native versions of games in the future.

At the moment, the Epic Games Store primarily distributes Windows versions of PC games, meaning a Linux launcher alone wouldn't suddenly make the entire catalog compatible with Linux. Epic could instead follow Valve's approach and rely heavily on a compatibility layer to run Windows games, similar to how Proton allows Steam games to work on SteamOS.

For Steam Deck owners, that could make accessing Epic's library considerably easier. While tools such as Heroic already provide a convenient way to install and manage Epic games on Valve's handheld, official support would remove another layer of complexity for users who simply want to access their games without relying on third-party solutions. Epic isn't the only major storefront looking toward Linux, either. GOG is also working on bringing its PC storefront to the operating system, potentially giving Linux users more alternatives to Steam.

The timing makes plenty of sense. Valve has continued expanding SteamOS beyond the Steam Deck, with the Linux-based operating system now increasingly positioned as a platform for handhelds and other gaming hardware. With the Steam Machine also entering the picture, supporting Linux gives competing storefronts a chance to reach a growing audience outside Windows.

There's also a longer-term benefit for Epic and GOG. By supporting Linux now, both companies can hedge their bets in case Windows becomes less dominant as a gaming platform in the future. For Steam Deck and Steam Machine users, though, the biggest takeaway is simple: getting games from competing PC storefronts onto Linux could soon become much less of a hassle.

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