How to Download and Play Epic Games Store Titles on Linux
For years, Linux gamers faced a significant barrier to accessing the Epic Games Store: Epic has never released an official native Linux client for the platform. That does not mean Linux users are locked out of Epic’s library of free weekly games, indie hits, and major AAA releases, however. Two open-source, community-maintained tools make it simple to download, install, and run Epic Games Store titles on nearly all modern Linux distributions, with full support for game updates, cloud saves, and achievement tracking.
Use Heroic Games Launcher for Native Epic Store Access
Heroic Games Launcher is a purpose-built, native Linux game client that supports the Epic Games Store, GOG, and other storefronts out of the box. It is designed to work seamlessly with Proton, the compatibility layer that lets Windows games run on Linux, and bundles compatible Proton builds directly with the application to reduce setup friction.
Installing Heroic is straightforward for most users. It is available as a Flatpak, AppImage, or native package for most major distributions. For Debian and Ubuntu-based systems, you can install it via the official Heroic PPA: open your terminal and run sudo add-apt-repository ppa:heroicgameslauncher/ppa, then update your package list with sudo apt update, and install the launcher with sudo apt install heroic. Users on other distributions can download a compatible installer directly from the Heroic Games Launcher official website.
Once installed, open Heroic and navigate to the "Stores" tab in the left sidebar. Select "Epic Games Store" from the list of supported platforms, then log in with your existing Epic account credentials. If you have two-factor authentication enabled on your Epic account, you will be prompted to enter the verification code during login. After logging in, your full Epic library, including purchased titles and claimed free weekly games, will sync to the Heroic interface.
To download a game, select it from your library, choose your preferred Proton version (you can use the bundled versions or select a system-installed build if you have one), adjust any game-specific settings such as launch arguments or DXVK configuration if needed, then click the "Install" button. Heroic will handle the full download, installation, and setup process automatically. Once installed, you can launch the game directly from Heroic, and the client will sync cloud saves and achievements with your Epic account in the background.
Run the Epic Games Store via Lutris
Lutris is a flexible, open-source game manager for Linux that supports a huge range of storefronts, emulators, and compatibility layers, including the Epic Games Store. It is a good choice for users who want to manage all their games (including non-Epic titles) in a single interface.
To install Lutris, you can use your distribution’s default package repository, or add the official Lutris PPA for Debian and Ubuntu-based systems to get the latest stable release. To add the PPA, open your terminal and run sudo add-apt-repository ppa:lutris-team/lutris, then update your package index with sudo apt update, and install Lutris with sudo apt install lutris. Users on Fedora, Arch, and other distributions can find Lutris in their default repositories, or download a standalone installer from the Lutris website.
After installing Lutris, open the application and go to the "Accounts" section in the top menu. Select "Epic Games Store" from the list of supported services, then follow the on-screen prompts to log in with your Epic account credentials. Once connected, your full Epic library will sync to your Lutris library.
To install a game, browse your synced Epic library, select the title you want to download, and Lutris will automatically select a compatible Wine or Proton runner for the game. You can click "Configure" to adjust runner settings, install additional dependencies, or tweak performance options before starting the download. Lutris will handle the full installation process, and you can launch the game directly from the Lutris interface once it is installed. Lutris also supports cloud save sync and achievement tracking for most Epic titles that have Linux-compatible features.
Important Notes for Epic Games on Linux
Neither Heroic nor Lutris is officially affiliated with Epic Games, so occasional compatibility issues may arise when new games are released, or when Epic updates its store backend. Both projects have active, responsive communities that release configuration patches and updates quickly to resolve these issues, so checking the project’s GitHub page or community forums is a good first step if a game fails to launch or run correctly.
It is also worth noting that some Epic titles with kernel-level anti-cheat software will not work on Linux, as most major anti-cheat providers do not yet offer Linux support. The vast majority of single-player games, indie titles, and multiplayer games with Linux-compatible anti-cheat will run without issues using either Heroic or Lutris, often with performance comparable to running the game natively on Windows.
