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Can you play free Epic games on Steam Deck?

Yes. Claim the game on the Epic Games Store in any browser, then install it on your Deck with the free Heroic Games Launcher and add it to Steam so it shows in Game Mode. Here's the step-by-step, what Epic's new Linux launcher changes, and what's free on Epic today: Sorry We're Closed, Gladiator: Blades of Fury, Balloon Strike, Epic World - Hunt For Quest, Quiztopia: The Ultimate Trivia, Highway Driving, Dark Mystery, Horse Racing, Funtoon's World, Horror Adventure, Math Fun, Maze - The Amazing Labyrinth, Mountain Racing, Super Kids Racing - Mini Edition.

Updated . We check every morning.

Short answer

Yes. Claim the free game on the Epic Games Store in any web browser (even on your phone), then install it on the Steam Deck with the free, open-source Heroic Games Launcher, which you get from Discover in Desktop Mode. Heroic runs the Windows version through Proton and can add it to Steam so it shows up in Game Mode. Epic's own new launcher, in preview since October 14, 2026, runs natively on Linux, but Epic officially supports only Ubuntu, Fedora and Debian, not SteamOS. Most single-player games work; games with anti-cheat may not. Free on Epic right now: Sorry We're Closed, Gladiator: Blades of Fury, Balloon Strike, Epic World - Hunt For Quest, Quiztopia: The Ultimate Trivia, Highway Driving, Dark Mystery, Horse Racing, Funtoon's World, Horror Adventure, Math Fun, Maze - The Amazing Labyrinth, Mountain Racing, Super Kids Racing - Mini Edition.

Updated . Steps from the Heroic Games Launcher wiki and Epic's launcher FAQ; live list from FreeGG's daily check of the Epic Games Store.

🛒 Step 1: Claim the free game (no Deck needed)

  1. Open the game's page on store.epicgames.com in any browser: the Deck's browser in Desktop Mode, your PC, or your phone (claiming from a phone).
  2. Sign in, click Get, then Place Order. The price shows $0.00.
  3. That's it: the game is in your Epic library for good, even if you don't install it until later (do you keep them?).

Claim before the free window ends, which is every Thursday at 10 AM CT (when Epic's free games change).

🦸 Step 2: Install it with Heroic Games Launcher (easiest)

  1. Press the Steam button, choose Power, then Switch to Desktop.
  2. Open Discover (the app store), search for Heroic and install Heroic Games Launcher. The Flatpak is the recommended version on Steam Deck.
  3. Open Heroic, click Log in and sign in to the same Epic account you claimed with. Your free games appear in the Library.
  4. In Wine Manager, download the latest Proton-GE. When you install a game, pick the Windows version and that Proton-GE build.
  5. Play it once in Desktop Mode (some games ask you to link your Epic account on first launch).
  6. On the game's page, open the three-dot menu and click Add to Steam (or turn on Add games to Steam automatically in Heroic's Settings). Back in Game Mode, it's under the Non-Steam tab.

Source: Heroic wiki: Steam Deck and Linux Quick Start Guide. Heroic says to install and update games in Desktop Mode; running Heroic itself in Game Mode isn't supported. Heroic also handles free GOG games.

🆕 What about Epic's new Linux launcher?

  • On October 14, 2026, Epic released a preview of its rebuilt Epic Games Launcher for Windows, macOS and, for the first time, Linux (Epic's announcement).
  • Epic officially supports Ubuntu 22.04+, Fedora 43+ and Debian 12+. Other distributions, including the Deck's SteamOS, "may work but aren't officially tested or supported" (launcher FAQ).
  • Epic's FAQ also says many games are Windows-only builds that still need a compatibility layer like Proton.
  • Fortnite still isn't on Linux. Epic is rebuilding Easy Anti-Cheat first and says the Steam Deck doesn't yet support the features its new anti-cheat needs; it's talking to Valve about it.

Until SteamOS is supported, Heroic is the simpler, tested route on a Deck. The preview is still worth watching if you also game on a Linux desktop.

✅ Will this week's free game actually run?

  • Search the game on ProtonDB, where players report how well Windows games run on Linux and Steam Deck. Reports are for the Steam version, so treat them as a guide.
  • Single-player games usually run fine. Multiplayer games with kernel-level or unsupported anti-cheat often don't.
  • If a game won't start, try a newer Proton-GE build in the game's settings in Heroic.
  • Claim it anyway. It costs nothing, stays in your library, and you can play it on a Windows PC later.

🎁 Free on Epic right now (14)

New Epic free games arrive every Thursday at 10 AM CT. Everything free this week.

For more handheld news, emulator updates and setup guides, check out Overclocked Weekly.

🔗 More free games

Free Epic games this week · Next free Epic game · Free games this weekend · Free horror games · All free games this week · Epic hub · How to claim free Epic games · What time Epic free games change · Why Epic gives away free games · Do you keep free Epic games forever? · How to claim free Steam games · How to claim free GOG games · How to claim free itch.io games · Claim free Epic games on your phone · Where to get free PC games · Free Epic game not in library? · Do you keep Steam free weekend games? · Free Epic games on Steam Deck · Missed a free Epic game? · Are Prime Gaming games free to keep?

FAQ

Can you play free Epic games on Steam Deck?

Yes. Claim the free game on the Epic Games Store in any web browser (even on your phone), then install it on the Steam Deck with the free, open-source Heroic Games Launcher, which you get from Discover in Desktop Mode. Heroic runs the Windows version through Proton and can add it to Steam so it shows up in Game Mode. Epic's own new launcher, in preview since October 14, 2026, runs natively on Linux, but Epic officially supports only Ubuntu, Fedora and Debian, not SteamOS. Most single-player games work; games with anti-cheat may not. Free on Epic right now: Sorry We're Closed, Gladiator: Blades of Fury, Balloon Strike, Epic World - Hunt For Quest, Quiztopia: The Ultimate Trivia, Highway Driving, Dark Mystery, Horse Racing, Funtoon's World, Horror Adventure, Math Fun, Maze - The Amazing Labyrinth, Mountain Racing, Super Kids Racing - Mini Edition.

Do I need Windows on my Steam Deck to play Epic games?

No. Heroic Games Launcher runs on SteamOS and plays the Windows version of Epic games through Proton. Install it from Discover in Desktop Mode, sign in to Epic, and add your games to Steam so they appear in Game Mode.

Does the Epic Games Launcher work on Steam Deck?

Epic's new launcher, in preview since October 14, 2026, runs natively on Linux, but Epic officially supports only Ubuntu 22.04+, Fedora 43+ and Debian 12+. SteamOS isn't officially supported yet, so Heroic Games Launcher is the simpler option on a Deck.

Can I claim free Epic games on Steam Deck?

Yes. Open store.epicgames.com in the Deck's browser in Desktop Mode (or on any phone or PC), sign in, click Get and then Place Order. The game is yours to keep, whatever device you play it on.

How do I find out when there's a new free Epic game?

Epic swaps its free games every Thursday at 10 AM CT. FreeGG checks Epic and every other store each morning and emails every free-to-keep PC game, with end times, in one free daily email.

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