Epic Games has confirmed that the Epic Games Store will receive official Linux support, with the company saying the release is coming "soon." The announcement ends years of the storefront remaining Windows- and macOS-only, leaving Linux players to rely on workarounds such as Valve's Proton compatibility layer, third-party launchers like the Heroic Games Launcher, and Lutris to access their Epic libraries.

Epic has not yet published a specific launch date, a list of supported distributions, or technical details on whether the client will ship as a native Linux build or a packaged solution. The company's single-word timeframe — "soon" — is the only commitment on record so far.

What changes for Linux players and developers?

Official client support removes a long-standing gap in Epic's PC strategy. Until now, Linux users could buy and claim free weekly Epic Games Store titles but had no first-party way to install, update, and launch the client on their systems. Community tools filled the gap, but without official backing, features such as cloud saves, achievements where available, and anti-cheat compatibility remained inconsistent.

For developers, the move matters mainly for discoverability and distribution reach. Studios publishing on the Epic Games Store gain a path to Linux desktop users without shipping and supporting their own Linux builds through other channels. Whether that translates into meaningful sales depends on how Epic handles the underlying technical layer — a native client versus a Wine- or Proton-based wrapper — which the company has not clarified.

The timing also intersects with the Steam Deck effect. Valve's handheld, built on SteamOS 3 with its Arch-based Linux foundation and Proton translation layer, has pushed publishers to reconsider Linux compatibility across the board. Easy Anti-Cheat and BattlEye — both owned or operated within Epic's orbit, with Easy Anti-Cheat acquired by Epic in 2018 — added Proton support in 2021, which unblocked many multiplayer titles on Linux and Steam Deck. An official Epic storefront client extends that ecosystem shift one step further.

How does this fit Epic's broader storefront strategy?

The Epic Games Store has spent recent years expanding beyond its original Windows client: macOS support, a mobile storefront relaunch on iOS and Android in 2024 following the DMA-driven rulings in the EU, and self-publishing tools opened to all developers in 2023. Official Linux support continues that pattern of widening platform coverage rather than changing the store's 88/12 revenue split or its free-game program.

The move also puts distance between Epic and its historical stance. CEO Tim Sweeney has repeatedly engaged with the Linux gaming community over the years on anti-cheat and compatibility questions, but the store itself never shipped a client — making this the first confirmed commitment to change that.

What to watch next

The open questions are concrete: a release date, the delivery method, day-one feature parity with the Windows client, and whether Epic's own titles — Fortnite chief among them — gain supported Linux availability alongside the storefront. Watch Epic's official announcements in the coming weeks for the launch window and technical specifics.