Epic Games has confirmed a native Linux client for its Epic Games Store, a development that directly intersects with Valve's Steam Deck handheld and the company's upcoming Steam Machine desktop, both of which run SteamOS.

The confirmation arrives as Valve prepares to expand its Linux-first hardware line beyond the Steam Deck, which launched in February 2022. Epic has not maintained a native Linux storefront since ending its earlier Linux initiative; the Windows client has remained the only supported desktop build.

What does the Linux client change for storefront competition?

The move opens a second major storefront with native support on SteamOS, rather than relying on Proton and other compatibility layers. Steam's Windows catalog has historically been the implicit content path on the Deck, but storefront-level competition on the device has effectively been limited to Steam itself.

Epic structures the store around an 88/12 revenue split favoring developers, compared with Steam's standard 70/30 on most titles. The same economics will apply to the Linux build unless Epic signals otherwise at launch. Weekly free game promotions, a core acquisition lever for the store on Windows, are likely candidates for day-one parity, though Epic has not confirmed the feature list.

How does Epic's move affect Steam Deck owners?

Steam Deck users gain access to Epic's catalog, including timed exclusives and the free game rotation, without leaving SteamOS. The practical impact depends on how deeply Epic integrates social features, cloud saves, achievement sync and the Epic overlay into the Linux client.

Valve has not disclosed Steam Deck unit sales publicly. Third-party estimates have placed cumulative shipments in the low single-digit millions, with the device outselling competing handheld PCs since launch. That audience represents a non-trivial pool for Epic's first-party titles and free promotions.

What does this mean for Steam Machine?

Steam Machine is positioned as a living-room companion to Steam Deck, built on the same SteamOS foundation. Valve announced the device in 2025, but pricing, configurations and a firm release window have not been disclosed. A native Epic Games Store on Linux removes one of the obvious compatibility concerns for buyers weighing the device against Windows-based living-room PCs.

The competitive pressure also lands on Valve at a hardware moment. If Epic ships a feature-complete Linux client before Steam Machine launches, Valve's storefront advantage on its own hardware erodes on day one of the new product.

What should studios and developers track next?

Three signals will determine the practical impact:

• Epic's launch date and feature roadmap, particularly parity between Windows and Linux for free games, wallet, social and Unreal Engine integrations.
• Valve's response on Steam Machine pricing, configurations and a confirmed release window.
• Any studio-by-studio commitments to ship Linux-native builds alongside Windows releases, including for titles that previously targeted Windows only.

The Linux client puts Epic's open-platform thesis to a practical test on Valve's own hardware, and forces Valve to defend the storefront economics that anchor SteamOS outside of game sales margins.