Do you own a Steam Deck and want to play games that weren't purchased on Steam, such as from the Epic Store, GOG, or Amazon? This guide will show you step by step how to get games from other platforms onto your Steam Deck. All you need is the Heroic Games Launcher and a little patience.
Enable desktop mode on Steam Deck
To get started, first switch to desktop mode on your Steam Deck. It's very easy:
1. Press the Steam button .
2. Select Power .
3. Click Switch to Desktop .
You are now in the desktop mode of SteamOS. Here you can access additional programs and install the Heroic Games Launcher.
Install Heroic Games Launcher
The Heroic Games Launcher is an open-source launcher that lets you launch games from other platforms on your Steam Deck. To install it, open the Discover Store in desktop mode - this is SteamOS's app store.
1. Open Discover Store: Similar to Google Play or the Microsoft Store, you can download programs directly here.
2. Search for Heroic Games Launcher: Type "Heroic" in the search box. Heroic Games Launcher should be the first to appear.
3. Start installation : Click Install and wait until the installation is complete.
Sign in and set up your game library
After installation, open the Heroic Games Launcher. Now it's all about logging into your accounts (e.g. Epic Games, GOG) so you can access your games. Logging in can be a bit cumbersome due to two-factor authentication, but after this one-time step, you can access your entire library.
1. Login to your accounts: Follow the login instructions and complete two-factor authentication.
2. Sort game library: In the launcher you can filter games by store (e.g. Epic or Amazon), which provides more clarity.
Install games and make them available for Steam
Now it gets exciting: You can select games and download them directly, just like in the Steam library.
1. Select and install game: Click on the game you want and start the download. Installed games will automatically appear at the top of your list.
2. Add games to Steam: To make sure the game is displayed in SteamOS gaming mode, you can add it to Steam in the Heroic Launcher settings. To do this, go to Settings and activate “Add games to Steam automatically” .
Optimize Proton Settings
If your game is having trouble starting, changing the Proton version may help. Proton is a compatibility layer that allows Windows games to run on Linux.
1. Change Proton version: In the settings of the Heroic Launcher you will find an option that allows you to switch between different Proton versions. We recommend the latest version or Steam Experimental .
2. Fix error messages: If errors occur, it often helps to try a different version of Proton and, if necessary, return to the default settings.
Start games in gaming mode
After adding it to your Steam library, you can launch the game directly from Gaming Mode:
1. Switch back to gaming mode .
2. Find your installed game in the Steam library and start it.
Uninstall games
If you want to remove a game later, you have to switch back to desktop mode:
1. Open the Heroic Launcher.
2. Click on the game you want and select Uninstall .
Conclusion
The Steam Deck can do more than just Steam games - with the Heroic Games Launcher you can get the most out of your game collection. With easy installation and the ability to use Proton compatibility settings, playing games from different stores is almost as convenient as playing on Steam itself.