Epic names SteamOS as a target for its new Linux launcher and promises the AppImage back this month

Epic has put SteamOS on the list. Asked by GamingOnLinux what its plans are for Linux packaging, Epic Games Communications Director Jake Jones said: “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.”

What changed, and what didn’t

The new launcher entered public Preview on October 14 for Windows, macOS and Linux, according to VideoCardz. It first shipped on Linux as an AppImage, then that was swapped for a .deb aimed at Debian and Ubuntu. Jones’ answer is the confirmation that the AppImage is coming back in November while Epic works out packaging for other distros.

TechPowerUp reads this as the first time Epic has explicitly named SteamOS, which runs on the Steam Deck and Steam Machine. It also notes that Epic hasn’t said how the launcher will behave in SteamOS’s Game Mode, and that Windows games still need a compatibility layer. In the current Preview, the launcher handles that by downloading GE-Proton.

Fortnite is a separate question

Launcher support is not the same as Fortnite support. As The Verge points out, Easy Anti-Cheat Linux v2 is still the open question. When Epic announced the work, it said the Steam Deck “does not support the required features for our EAC v2 solution, but we are actively talking with Valve and hope to support it in the future.” We covered how EAC Linux v2 works back in October: it leans on Secure Boot, TPM 2.0 and a signed kernel instead of a kernel driver.

There’s no date for any of this, and Epic hasn’t said what SteamOS support will actually look like when it arrives.

PPR take: This is a small statement with a real upside. I like seeing a company name SteamOS out loud instead of leaving Deck owners guessing, and anything that gets Epic libraries onto handhelds without third-party tools is a win for people who own games on both stores. But let’s not pretend the hard part is done. The launcher is the easy bit; Fortnite is the headline game people actually want, and it’s locked behind an anti-cheat setup Epic itself says the Steam Deck can’t currently meet. Epic also hasn’t promised a Game Mode experience or a date, and the packaging is still shifting around under testers’ feet. So: good news, early days, and I’d hold off on cheering for Fortnite on Deck until Epic and Valve say something concrete.