Neither the Epic Games Store nor GOG offers its own launcher for Linux, which means there is no official client for SteamOS on the Steam Deck either. The easiest way to play games from both stores is Heroic Games Launcher, a third-party app you install in Desktop Mode through Discover and then add to Gaming Mode. This guide walks you through every step and explains what to expect when a game refuses to run. It applies to the Steam Deck running SteamOS and reflects the state as of 20 October 2026.
Why Epic and GOG need Heroic
The Steam Deck is a PC running SteamOS, a Linux system. Epic and GOG don’t release an official Linux launcher, so you can’t simply install them the way you would on Windows. Heroic Games Launcher fills that gap: you sign in to your Epic and GOG accounts, your library shows up, and you install and launch games from there. Windows games from outside Steam run on the Deck through Proton, the same compatibility layer that Steam games use on the Deck.
Heroic is not made by Valve, Epic or GOG. It is an independent project with its official site at heroicgameslauncher.com. On the Deck, though, you don’t download it from the website: it comes from the built-in app store.
Desktop Mode: getting there and getting around
Heroic is installed in Desktop Mode, not in Gaming Mode, where you normally play. To switch:
- Press the Steam button.
- Choose Power, then Switch to Desktop.
- To go back, use the Return to Gaming Mode icon on the desktop.
The desktop is KDE Plasma, a standard Linux desktop. Without a mouse, you control it like this:
- The right trackpad moves the cursor; clicking the right trackpad or pressing R2 acts as a left mouse click.
- Clicking the left trackpad or pressing L2 acts as a right mouse click.
- Bring up the on-screen keyboard with
Steam + X.
Valve covers the desktop in more detail on its Desktop FAQ page.
Installing Heroic Games Launcher from Discover
In Desktop Mode, apps are installed through Discover Software Center, which sits as an icon on the taskbar. Discover installs apps as flatpaks on the writable part of the drive, so SteamOS updates won’t break them.
- Open Discover from the taskbar.
- Search for
Heroic Games Launcher(useSteam + Xfor the keyboard). - Open the result (it is a flatpak from Flathub) and install it.
- When it finishes, launch Heroic from the application menu.
Signing in to Epic and GOG and installing games
Once Heroic is open, sign in to your Epic Games Store account, your GOG account or both. Your library then loads on its own and lists the games you own. Pick a game, install it and launch it straight from Heroic, much like you would in Steam.
Adding Heroic to Gaming Mode
Switching to the desktop for every session gets old quickly. Add Heroic to your Steam library as a non-Steam game so you can start it from Gaming Mode too:
- In Desktop Mode, open Steam.
- Choose Add a Game, then Add a Non-Steam Game.
- Select Heroic Games Launcher in the list and confirm.
- Return to Gaming Mode. Heroic now sits in your library under the Non-Steam tab.
What doesn’t work: compatibility is game by game
Not every Epic or GOG game will run on the Deck. Proton compatibility is a per-game question, and one game working tells you nothing about the rest of your library.
For games on Steam, Valve’s own rating helps you judge in advance; our guide to Deck Verified explains how it works.
Staying safe and stable
Valve gives three clear pieces of advice for Desktop Mode:
- Only install software that supports Arch Linux.
- Don’t run random commands or scripts from the internet.
- Anything you install outside flatpak, for example via pacman, may be wiped by the next SteamOS update. Stick to Discover.
If the Deck becomes unstable after you install something, Valve recommends closing or disabling third-party apps installed on the desktop first and then restarting the Deck. Further steps are in our guide for when the Deck isn’t working.
An alternative to Heroic is Lutris. It does more but takes more effort to set up, so for Epic and GOG most players will find Heroic the simpler option.
When a game won’t run through Heroic
Some games can be played through the cloud instead of a local install. Our GeForce NOW guide shows how to set it up on the Deck.
The other route is installing Windows. Valve doesn’t support it, the installation wipes the Deck, and dual boot with SteamOS isn’t available yet. Our Windows on Deck guide covers what that involves.
Join our Discord and ask other players which Epic and GOG games run well on their Deck: GamersTogether Discord.
FAQ
Neither the Epic Games Store nor GOG has its own Linux launcher. On the Deck, use Heroic Games Launcher, a third-party app that signs you in to Epic and GOG and lets you install and launch your games.
Switch to Desktop Mode, open Discover Software Center from the taskbar, search for Heroic Games Launcher and install it. It is a flatpak, so SteamOS updates won’t break it.
In Desktop Mode, open Steam, choose Add a Game and Add a Non-Steam Game, and add Heroic. In Gaming Mode you will then find it in your library under the Non-Steam tab.
No. Games run through Proton and compatibility varies from game to game. One game working doesn’t mean all of them will.
Discover installs Heroic as a flatpak on the writable part of the drive, so SteamOS updates won’t break it. Valve warns against running random commands and scripts from the internet and against installing software outside flatpak.
Information verified on 20 October 2026. Find more guides in our Steam Deck guides section.