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No Epic Games Store support on Linux? Well, one developer is helping to break down that barrier with the newly released Heroic Games Launcher. Not official but better than nothing? As usual, the open source community delivers where a big company will not.

What's interesting about the Heroic Games Launcher is that it's built on top of another bit of open source tech called Legendary, which is a command-line downloader and launcher for the Epic Games Store with the Heroic Games Launcher giving it an easier to use GUI.

It already has a number of the main features needed including supporting the EGS login, downloading and installing games. All the basic parts are there and they're quickly improving it.

Note: since the EGS overall has no Linux support, it does rely on the Wine compatibility layer to actually run Windows games downloaded on your Linux box.

Considering all the free games Epic have been handing out over the last year, I've no doubt plenty of you have been logging into EGS just to claim them so this will hopefully help some of our readers get the most of of gaming on their Linux box.

Check out the Heroic Games Launcher on GitHub.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Apps, Open Source
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Linas Jan 5, 2021
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QuoteConsidering all the free games Epic have been handing out over the last year, I've no doubt plenty of you have been logging into EGS just to claim them so this will hopefully help some of our readers get the most of of gaming on their Linux box.
Nah. The best thing about Proton and Steam is that they made Wine fun again. Tinkering with DLL overrides, and dealing with quirks of Windows software on Linux has never been appealing to me. Not even if the games are for free.
JVargas Jan 5, 2021
I rather not play games anymore than using their store.
leo523 Jan 5, 2021
No store for Linux and EAC not working for Linux they have nothing to attract me. I will use Steam only.
Vasya Sovari Jan 5, 2021
installed the bin from AUR, launched, and it's doing nothing. At all. Will tinker a bit and see if I can get a response, which would be really nice since I haven't been able to play Mortal Shell yet
mylka Jan 5, 2021
Quoting: leo523No store for Linux and EAC not working for Linux they have nothing to attract me. I will use Steam only.

they have free games. you could play rocket league for free

lets see how it goes. maybe epic is nice and makes some kind of linux API, so developers can upload their linux version of games and we can download and play them.

just over christmas there were some games with native linux port. stranded deep, cities skylinie, oddworld, alien isolation
Nanobang Jan 5, 2021
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Wait! So ... wait. So I could install this, take Epric's free (Windows) games (and money from their grotesquely bloated coffers) and play them with --- why can't I play them with proton through Steam as a non-Steam game, the way I would with a GoG title?

I won't give Epic my money, but I'm not above taking theirs.


Last edited by Nanobang on 5 January 2021 at 2:06 pm UTC
benjamimgois Jan 5, 2021
Really nice interface ! I think we really need this kind of software on Linux, it's trying to make Legendary (CLI) a very good look and easy to use interface. If you look at the github Planned features, it also plan to integrate other stores in the future. It could become the GOG Galaxy 2.0 for Linux that GOG will never make. Amazing job Flavioislima.

The response to this post is one of the things that makes me sad in linux communities in genereal... People like to spread negativity for free in opensource projects, the developper is spending his own time, skills and passion making it, this kind of negativity (even childish) response will affect his motivation.

Keep up Flavioislima !
tatsu Jan 5, 2021
This is great stuff! we need this!

Gonna try it but I'm dubious this app will allow us to take advantage of sales or free game offers.

Also this probably doesn't come with lutris or wine/proton. to make this a really attractive it would be amazing to have that as a bundle.
oldominion Jan 5, 2021
Quoting: tatsuGonna try it but I'm dubious this app will allow us to take advantage of sales or free game offers.
Yeah you can still use the website and claim the game there.
M@GOid Jan 5, 2021
Epic was once a friendly company towards Linux. They even had UT2004 for Linux, but look at them now. First, started promising releases for Linux of newer titles that never came, the Phoronix guy kept sending e-mails asking for some news, they answered a couple, to ultimately ignoring him completely.

Now not only they have a poor support of Linux on their Unreal engine, but even on Windows they adopt scum, monopolistic tactics.

I choose to support those who support me. I choose not to be like a beaten wife of a abusive husband, begging for scraps.
Pendragon Jan 5, 2021
Very cool! I've been using Lutris to run the Epic Games store at the moment.. so another alternative is certainly welcome
ObsidianBlk Jan 5, 2021
Quoting: benjamimgoisThe response to this post is one of the things that makes me sad in linux communities in genereal... People like to spread negativity for free in opensource projects, the developper is spending his own time, skills and passion making it, this kind of negativity (even childish) response will affect his motivation.

Having read the comments posted up to this point, I think you may have miss read them a little. People are not being negative to Heroic Games Launcher, but to the Epic Store itself.

I applaud their work. I haven't tried it directly myself, but from the images, it looks like a very well put together piece of software. That said, I don't know where I really stand when it comes to Epic themselves. On one hand, I'm willing to try my hand at Windows-only games on Steam from time to time, so, doing so through Epic doesn't necessarily bother me. On the other hand, though, I'm not entirely happy with their tactics out of the gate, and, unlike Steam, there's zero Linux support for our platform with probably zero support planned in the future (even if they can figure out shopping carts... have they?)

IDK... At least Steam and GOG (even if to a lesser extent) at least give something of a shiz for Linux. Epic doesn't seem to even care that we (Linux gamers) might be interested. As such... I'm really know sure how comfortable I am with Epic.

For those that don't have those foibles though, Heroic Games Launcher looks pretty damn... ummm... epic! (couldn't help myself)
benjamimgois Jan 5, 2021
Quoting: ObsidianBlkHaving read the comments posted up to this point, I think you may have miss read them a little. People are not being negative to Heroic Games Launcher, but to the Epic Store itself.


I got that... Linux users don't like epic games because they do not support our platform. I also prefer to use steam, but it's great to have a such well made alternative to epic. Even if it's not official, it can show them what linux comunnities are capable off, also show then there's a demmand here. Now, putting myself in the developper shoes, it's very disappointing to look at comments and see no positivity or excitment towards your project, only hate.
Purple Library Guy Jan 5, 2021
Good job, nice project, screw Epic.
Shmerl Jan 5, 2021
Does it mean Epic games have no DRM? How would an open source solution work otherwise?


Last edited by Shmerl on 5 January 2021 at 6:10 pm UTC
whizse Jan 5, 2021
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Quoting: ShmerlDoes it mean Epic games have no DRM? How would an open source solution work otherwise?
AIUI many of them don't:
https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Store:Epic_Games_Store
ObsidianBlk Jan 5, 2021
Quoting: benjamimgoisI got that... Linux users don't like epic games because they do not support our platform.
For some, that can be part. Honestly, though, I think most Linux users are used to being second class. I honestly think the bulk of the anger for Epic comes from their tactics in acquiring exclusives... pulling them from Steam (and, by extension, Linux gamers looking to play said games in Proton)

Quoting: benjamimgoisI also prefer to use steam, but it's great to have a such well made alternative to epic.
Agreed!


Quoting: benjamimgoisEven if it's not official, it can show them what linux comunnities are capable off, also show then there's a demmand here.
I'm willing to go out on a limb and say that the developers at Epic are very well away of the capability and demand within the Linux community. There're plenty of projects (this one included) that demonstration that. Sadly, I doubt Epic (administration) will give 2cents about this project. They're simply apathetic (generally or financially) to Linux as a community.


Quoting: benjamimgoisNow, putting myself in the developper shoes, it's very disappointing to look at comments and see no positivity or excitment towards your project, only hate.
I agree that from the Launcher's developers point of view, it may be disheartening that his particular comment chain seems geared more at shizzing on Epic than lauding over the launcher itself, having taken a peek at their github page, this project is not exactly a total unknown only just being brought into the light. There seem to be plenty of attention to their project and I'm sure that makes them plenty happy indeed!
Phlebiac Jan 5, 2021
Quoting: undeadbydawnlaunched, and it's doing nothing. At all

I tried an earlier version, and it just had a login loop. Latest version says it changed that, but it never prompts for anything at all and just shows a blank window. It does show an error when run from CLI:

Error occurred in handler for 'readFile': TypeError: Cannot read property 'url' of undefined
at /opt/heroic/resources/app.asar/build/main.js:152:15

Meanwhile, legendary itself is working fine, at least to log in and list all the free games I claimed; I'm happy to cost Epic money.
fearnflavio Jan 5, 2021
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Quoting: undeadbydawninstalled the bin from AUR, launched, and it's doing nothing. At all. Will tinker a bit and see if I can get a response, which would be really nice since I haven't been able to play Mortal Shell yet

Hi!

This was probably because it was with a bug when loading the library, I just fixed on the new version.
Try when you have time: https://github.com/flavioislima/HeroicGamesLauncher/releases/tag/0.4.1-beta
fearnflavio Jan 5, 2021
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Quoting: Phlebiac
Quoting: undeadbydawnlaunched, and it's doing nothing. At all

I tried an earlier version, and it just had a login loop. Latest version says it changed that, but it never prompts for anything at all and just shows a blank window. It does show an error when run from CLI:

Error occurred in handler for 'readFile': TypeError: Cannot read property 'url' of undefined
at /opt/heroic/resources/app.asar/build/main.js:152:15

Meanwhile, legendary itself is working fine, at least to log in and list all the free games I claimed; I'm happy to cost Epic money.

Yeah, I'm aware of this bug and this new version fixed it:
https://github.com/flavioislima/HeroicGamesLauncher/releases/tag/0.4.1-beta
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