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.
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The comments on this article are closed.
Very cool! I've been using Lutris to run the Epic Games store at the moment.. so another alternative is certainly welcome
1 Likes, Who?
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)
6 Likes, Who?
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.
2 Likes, Who?
Good job, nice project, screw Epic.
8 Likes, Who?
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
Last edited by Shmerl on 5 January 2021 at 6:10 pm UTC
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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
2 Likes, Who?
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!
2 Likes, Who?
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.
0 Likes
fearnflavio Jan 5, 2021
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
0 Likes
fearnflavio Jan 5, 2021
Quoting: PhlebiacQuoting: 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
2 Likes, Who?
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