You may have heard the news that Epic has no plans to support the Steam Deck or otherwise bring Fortnite to Steam Deck, and this might make you think you can't play Fortnite on Steam Deck. This isn't true. Fortnite will absolutely work on Steam Deck regardless of whether or not Epic does anything as a company, and in this article, we'll explain why this is the case.
Steam Deck Isn't Like Other Platforms
The Steam Deck isn't like a Nintendo Switch and nor is it like an Xbox or a PlayStation. The Deck isn't even just a PC, it's both a PC and a console. If this sounds confusing, it's actually a lot simpler than it seems.
The Steam Deck ships running SteamOS, a Linux-based Valve-designed operating system that relies on a software called Proton, also designed by Valve, that translates traditional Windows Steam games into code that can be run on SteamOS.
Related: Can Steam Deck Play Mac Games?
Accordingly, the goal is for every Steam game to work on the Deck, but each game is its own beast. Across Steam's vast library, there are many games that don't currently work or don't work well using Proton. However, Steam Deck can also play games natively on its Linux-based OS, assuming a Linux version of the game exists.
So, if a game's already on Steam, there's a good chance it'll be playable through Proton. It's less likely, but there's also a chance your preferred Steam game will also have a Linux version you can play directly on your Deck without Proton. Epic has announced they do not plan to bring Fortnite to Steam or to release a Linux version of the game, so neither of these solutions will work with Fortnite.
Nonetheless, there are actually many other ways to play games on Steam Deck, because even if it has some traits of a console, it's truly a full PC underneath.
Playing PC Games Natively on Steam Deck
The Steam Deck doesn't have to run SteamOS. You see, you can actually install whatever operating system you'd like on it, given enough technical know-how, and the whole device is built to work with Windows, including Windows 11.
Related: Do Emulators Work on Steam Deck?
Valve decided to build the Steam Deck with SteamOS because Windows can be slow and inefficient in exchange for having a ton of features while the Steam Deck is intended to do a few things really well without the need for the same variety of features. This doesn't mean the Steam Deck can't run Windows, though.
It just means that you can expect a well-optimized game on SteamOS to outperform the same game running in Windows on Steam Deck. But many games aren't yet completely supported on Steam Deck, especially those with their own anti-cheat solutions that make compatibility with Proton difficult.
Other games, like Fortnite, aren't even on Steam at all. Many games, today, have homes on exclusive storefronts outside of Steam, like the Epic Games Store, Origin, Battle.net, or anything else. Naturally, these games and these storefronts all work on Windows.
Related: Where to Buy Steam Deck: Is It in Stores?
So, with Windows on Steam Deck, you'll be able to access all the same platforms and all the same games you usually play on Windows. Plus, as the Steam Deck actually gets into the hands of the community, tons of tweaks and mods you can make to your Deck and the software it runs will come out to work around all kinds of issues.
There's no reason why Epic would have to release a new version of Fortnite on Steam Deck for fans to play it on Valve's new device, it'll just take a little doing to get your Windows installation up and running just the way you want it.
Fortnite, Steam Deck, Epic, and Valve
Epic wants to be thought of as something of a gaming savior, descending from the heavens to offers a better revenue split when selling games on their platform. Years after the launch of the Epic Games Store, though, the platform is extremely light on features and focused on paying for exclusives many in the community simply wait to come to Steam to play.
Related: Where to Buy Steam Deck: Is It in Stores?
Ultimately, the one thing Epic's been consistent about is driving people to their platform. They want Fortnite to be home to every kind of event imaginable, and they want to get people to use the Epic Games Store at any cost. They even publicly feuded with Apple over Apple's App Store fees, taking Fortnite off iOS in the process.
It's very much so explicitly not in Epic's interest to bring Fortnite to more platforms because Fortnite is already a massive success, and Epic is angling to make more money in the longterm off active users in their ecosystem than they are driving to get their game into the hands of as many gamers as possible.
Unsurprisingly, Epic's stance on bringing Fortnite to Steam Deck is wildly unpopular. Gamers agree the move is openly anti-consumer such that Epic can hope to, in some abstract way, squeeze the most money possible out of their customers rather than just making some money off new customers.
Related: Is Steam Deck Upgradeable?
Considering public sentiment, if the Steam Deck becomes hugely popular, the company might change its mind, but for years Epic has made unpopular moves with little sign of an interest in walking any of them back. There's a good chance Fortnite will never receive official support to run on the Steam Deck.
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!