Epic Games Launcher for Linux to officially support SteamOS and Steam Deck
Game developer Epic Games has confirmed that its Linux launcher will support Valve's SteamOS. Whether Fortnite will run on the system remains unclear.
Game company Epic Games has confirmed that its new Epic Games Launcher for Linux, the app used to buy and start games, will officially support SteamOS, the Linux-based system developed by Valve and used on Steam Deck handheld gaming devices. This widens the options for Linux players who want to use Epic's services.
The confirmation came from Epic Games Communications Director Jake Jones, speaking to the outlet GamingOnLinux. Asked about replacing the AppImage format with Debian and Ubuntu .deb downloads, he said the new launcher is still in preview. The company plans to support as many Linux distributions as possible, including Fedora, SteamOS, Cachy, Omarchy and others. Epic is testing and evaluating packaging formats for distribution and plans to restore AppImage this month.
The Fortnite question remains open
In October, Epic Games said it was "investigating" making Fortnite compatible with SteamOS. At that time the launcher was in preview, but SteamOS was not specifically listed as a supported distribution.
Launcher support does not automatically mean Fortnite will arrive on SteamOS. Support for Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) Linux v2, the anti-cheat system used by the game, is still unresolved. When announcing its work on bringing Fortnite to Linux, the company said the Steam Deck "does not support the required features for our EAC v2 solution", but that it is actively talking with Valve and hopes to support it in the future.
