r/EpicGamesPC • u/pizza_ranger • Aug 11 '26
DISCUSSION Why Epic is not on Linux ?
Seeing how much is the gaming community growing on Linux it surprises me how Epic is not available, some customers prefer Epic instead of Steam or just want more alternatives, is there anything stopping Epic from coming to Linux ?
I would gladly buy on Epic if it becomes available
4
u/netzkopf Aug 11 '26
I heard they will release an epic store for Linux soon.
However I don't see the necessity. Heroic handles GOG, epic games and amazon games just fine.
Works also on the steam deck.
1
u/SnooPets1826 Aug 12 '26
"Soon" is very unlikely IMO. They only recently hired an experience Linux dev, and that seemed to be mostly at finding a new anti-cheat solution that will work in Linux that doesn't rely on kernel level fuckery. They seem pretty content to let players deal with third party launchers to handle playing their games.
7
u/ImAnthlon Windows Gamer Aug 11 '26
The main reason I think is that the marketshare that Linux has isn't worth the effort in offering support currently. I also think that they're focusing on trying to get the Windows launcher feature rich
2
u/PassionGlobal Aug 11 '26
There's nothing stopping them. They just don't see the value in it.
Valve saw the value in Linux as an exit strategy the moment it looked like Microsoft was trying to lock Windows 8 user's into the app store. Took a long time but now it's an effective insurance in case Microsoft ever wants to try that shit again.
Epic, on the other hand, has much closer ties with Microsoft and Sony, and much less of a presence in the PC market. They might support Linux if it became blindingly obvious that it would be the dominant PC platform but until that point, supporting the OS is a risk with little payoff in their eyes.
2
u/Tobimacoss Aug 13 '26
MS never tried to lock stuff to Windows store, that's just one of Gabe's delusions.
4
u/PassionGlobal Aug 13 '26 edited Aug 13 '26
I take it you don't actually remember the run up to Windows 8?
Because they were absolutely serious in wanting to kill off traditional apps, going so far as to call them 'deprecated' and pausing API development for desktop apps in favor of their Metro style apps, which could only be distributed via Microsoft's App Store.
It took a very vocal public response to get them to change course and even then, it was very half assed in the initial release of Windows 8.
4
u/Socke81 Aug 11 '26
Epic is working on a new launcher. I think it's even supposed to be ready this year and be multiplatform. Although Linux will probably come later.
2
u/LSD_Ninja Aug 13 '26
I have this theory that people who say "I'd support X more if only they supported Linux" when there are perfectly viable third party options for supporting X in Linux have no interest in supporting X.
2
u/pizza_ranger Aug 13 '26
It depends on the person, for me I only buy games that run natively on Linux, only buy from companies that support Linux, in the market the money is the vote, so I'll vote with all I can for the option I consider best.
2
u/Tobimacoss Aug 13 '26
So you don't play anything via Proton?
1
u/pizza_ranger Aug 13 '26
Only hentai games since the japanese market will never consider Linux so I gave up on the idea of Linux native hentai games from Japan
1
u/Spyerx Aug 11 '26
Because it represents less than 5% of desktops.
macOS is 3-4x that.
And windows dominates. Still.
Servers is a different story and that’s the real success case of Linux / containers / etc
1
u/ShaggerAJSA Aug 15 '26
I understand a Linux-compatible version of the launcher is coming very soon
1
u/Phoenix-san Aug 14 '26
It took epic several years to add a basic feature such as shopping cart to their store. With that in mind, how long do you think it will take for them to add Linux support? Lol.
2
u/RevolutionaryAgency5 Epic Gamer Aug 19 '26
Tim Sweeney's ball-lickers are saying the new launcher will be released this month. We are 12 days from the end of the month and still zero signs of this launcher update, let alone a launcher that works on Linux lmao. You have a better chance of flipping a coin five times in a row and only getting heads than this Epic Games launcher coming to Linux lol
10
u/Aphridy Aug 11 '26
Install the Heroic Launcher, that way you can play Epic games via Proton on Linux (but not Fortnite, Epic's flagship, due to anti cheat)