You don't only have access to your puchased Steam games with the Steam Deck -- it can also run titles from Epic Games and GOG.

It’s fair to say that the Steam Deck has redefined what we call PC gaming, by making the experience portable. But of course, you’re limited to games in the Steam library.

While the Steam library has a huge collection of games, other titles are only available from third party services, such as Epic Games. Meanwhile, some of your older favorites can probably be found on GOG (formerly known as “Good Old Games”).

Incredibly, both of these services can be installed. Here’s how to install Epic Games and GOG titles on Steam Deck.

Designed to allow Linux users to access the Epic Games store and the GOG.com store, Heroic Games Launcher is free and open source software.

Once installed, Heroic can be used to connect to your Epic Games and/or GOG account(s), whereupon it will find your library of games and import it. Games can be installed as and when required, and more can be added when you feel like it, either on your main PC, in a browser, or using Heroic.

If you have games on Epic Games or GOG that you want to play on Steam Deck, Heroic is ideal. While there is an alternative called Lutris (which covers all Linux gaming options), Heroic is a simpler, more focused approach.

Setting up Heroic Games Launcher on Steam Deck is straightforward, but there is something you might want to do first.

If you’re planning to install extra non-Steam games on Steam Deck, you probably need a microSD card for additional storage. A Class 10 SDXC card is best for this, including any branded for the Nintendo Switch. It’s a particularly wise idea of you opted for the 64GB Steam Deck model.

The main reason for this is that third party games can currently only be stored on the Steam Deck’s internal storage. Consequently, you’ll need to make space by moving large Steam-based games from the internal storage to the microSD card:

In your Library, use the controls to select the game you wish to move

This should provide more space for installing titles from other platforms. Epic Games are often quite large titles, although most games you might have acquired from GOG.com are probably comparatively modest in size.

If you’re concerned about breaking warranty or have some other reason to be concerned, don’t worry. A Steam Deck is capable of running most PC games, including those on Epic Games. You may notice some crossover between the Epic Games and the Steam libraries. Epic Games has given many games away over the past few years. It's simple to get free games from Epic Games and many gamers have grown a library of such games, preferring this to spending money on the exact same titles on Steam.

Furthermore, Steam Deck runs a special version of Arch Linux, and has a desktop mode where more games can be installed, if desired. In short, it’s completely safe to install non-Steam games on Steam Deck.

Before proceeding, you might want to make things easier for yourself by grabbing a USB keyboard and mouse and a USB type-C hub for the Steam Deck.

While you can use the device’s on-screen keyboard (perhaps the most widely-used Steam Deck shortcut, activated with Steam + X), it is far easier to sign in to Epic Games with a physical keyboard.

Otherwise, you’ll be using the right-hand touchpad as a laptop touchpad to control the mouse pointer on your Steam Deck.

Start by accessing Steam Deck’s desktop mode. This is straightforward:

In the desktop environment, find the shopping bag icon on the left-hand side of the taskbar. This is the Discover app, a software store. Click to open, then enter “heroic” in the search bar.

Heroic Games Launcher should be displayed. Click Install, and wait for the process to complete.

Before you can install a game, you need to sign in to your Epic Games account.

Staying in the desktop mode Steam Deck, click Manage Accounts then on the Epic Games panel tap Log in.

Enter your Epic Games account credentials and if you have two-factor authentication set up this will also be required.

You can then install your games:

Various configurations are available to help you ensure your games run. If there is a problem, the correct settings can usually be found online. Use a search term such as:

“installation settings [game title] for Steam Deck”

You can also add new titles to your Epic Games account (free and paid) from the Steam Deck. Note that it will inform you the device is incompatible, but you don’t need to worry about this. Simply proceed to add it to your account, and it will shortly appear in the game library in the Heroic launcher.

The process to install GOG games on Steam Deck with Heroic is quite similar.

You are more likely to require the Settings option with GOG titles. This is because most of them are pre-2005 titles, and varying compatibility requirements.

Options available to you include switching the Proton or Wine versions (software that enables Windows titles to run on SteamOS) and even editing initialization and configuration files for the game in question. In most cases, someone will already have had success here, so again it is worth taking a moment to search the internet as explained above.

After you have completed the setup of your preferred additional distribution system on the Steam Deck, click the Steam button in the lower-left corner and select Restart.

This will reboot the Steam Deck into the main console interface.

Here, you will find the Heroic Games Launcher listed, which you can select with the D-pad and launch with A. In the following screen, select Play to open the launcher.

You can then either select a game to play or install a new one.

Once you're bored with a game, you can uninstall it. This is a little anti-intuitive, but the process is simple nonetheless:

Wait for the process to complete before installing any other games.

While the process could be simpler (and will probably become easier over time) getting Epic Games and GOG running on Steam Deck is a one-time set-up and configuration.

Once the games are installed, you can launch them whenever you like, just as you can with other titles on the Steam Deck.

Although there is an alternative to Heroic Games Launcher in Lutris, that solution is more complicated and has a wider remit. Heroic Games Launcher is the simpler option for running Epic Games on Steam Deck.

Deputy Editor for Security, Linux, DIY, Programming, and Tech Explained, and Really Useful Podcast producer, with extensive experience in desktop and software support. A contributor to Linux Format magazine, Christian is a Raspberry Pi tinkerer, Lego lover and retro gaming fan.

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