By Let’s be honest—if you are anything like me, your PC game library is an absolute mess. Over the years, I have hoarded hundreds of free games on the Epic Games Store, bought nostalgic, DRM-free classics on GOG, and somehow accumulated massive libraries scattered across Ubisoft Connect, EA, and Battle.net. When I first got my hands on the Steam Deck, I was absolutely blown away by the hardware. The seamless, console-like experience of SteamOS is nothing short of a modern gaming miracle. But almost immediately, I ran into a glaring issue: how on earth was I supposed to play all those non-Steam games without pulling my hair out?
For a while, the process of getting third-party launchers onto the Steam Deck was a convoluted nightmare of adding non-Steam games, forcing Proton compatibility layers, and digging through hidden Linux file directories. It was enough to make even a seasoned tech enthusiast want to give up. But recently, I stumbled upon a method that completely streamlines the entire process. It is easily the best, most frictionless way to get any launcher running on your Steam Deck, and today, I am going to walk you through exactly how I do it.
The Secret Weapon: NonSteamLaunchers
The absolute easiest way I have found to bridge the gap between SteamOS and the rest of your gaming libraries is by using a brilliant little script called NonSteamLaunchers. This tool essentially automates the tedious parts of the installation process. It downloads the launchers, sets up the necessary Proton compatibility layers, and automatically adds the shortcuts directly into your Steam library. It is a massive time-saver.
Step 1: Venturing Into Desktop Mode
To get started, we need to leave the cozy confines of the standard SteamOS Gaming Mode. If you have not tinkered with this before, do not worry—it is incredibly straightforward. Simply press the Power button on your Steam Deck, scroll down the menu, and select Switch to Desktop. This will reboot your handheld into its underlying Linux desktop environment. Suddenly, your gaming console transforms into a fully functional PC.
Step 2: Downloading the Script
Once you are in Desktop Mode, open up your preferred web browser. Head over to your search engine and type in NonSteamLaunchers. You are looking for the official GitHub repository page.
When you arrive at the page, scroll down until you find the releases section. You will want to look to the right side of the screen and click on the latest release. From there, simply download the file named NonSteamLaunchers Desktop. It is a tiny file, so it should download in the blink of an eye.
Step 3: Executing the Magic
Now that the file is downloaded, open up Dolphin. No, not the emulator—Dolphin is the default file manager on the Steam Deck. Navigate to your Downloads folder, and you should see the NonSteamLaunchers file sitting right there.
All you have to do is double-click the file and hit Execute when prompted. This is where the magic happens. A straightforward, no-nonsense graphical interface will pop up, presenting you with a glorious list of third-party launchers.
Step 4: Pick Your Poison
Looking at this list genuinely put a smile on my face. You can select the Epic Games Store, GOG, Ubisoft Connect, Battle.net, Amazon Games, EA, and a bunch of other third-party platforms. They even have options for various streaming services if you want to turn your Steam Deck into a portable media consumption device.
For my setup, I decided to go all-in. I checked the boxes for pretty much every major gaming launcher because, why not? Once you have made your selections, simply hit OK. The script will take over from here, downloading the clients, updating Steam, and installing all of these apps seamlessly into your ecosystem. Since I already have my core launchers installed, I skipped letting it run the full process again, but trust me, it is entirely hands-off.
Organizing Your New Libraries
When the installation is all said and done, you can safely close out of everything and return to Gaming Mode. Grab your Steam Deck, navigate to your Library, and tab over to the Non-Steam Games section. Boom. Right there, you will find Ubisoft Connect, EA, Epic, GOG, and Amazon Games, all sporting their proper artwork and ready to launch.
If you are a bit obsessive about digital organization like I am, you can take this a step further to make your library look incredibly pristine. I created a custom Collection and named it Third-Party Launchers. You simply highlight each launcher, press the Options button, select Add to, and drop them into the new collection. Now, instead of cluttering up my main library, I have a dedicated, beautiful folder housing all my external storefronts.
Performance Impressions and My Honest Thoughts
So, how does it actually run? I booted up the Epic Games Store to put it through its paces. The interface loaded up surprisingly fast, and navigating my massive backlog of free games felt just as responsive as it does on my main desktop rig. From the library tab, installing a game is as simple as clicking the install button. The games download directly onto the Steam Deck storage, and you can launch them straight from the Epic client by hitting the Play button.
In terms of performance, the games I have tested run remarkably well. Because NonSteamLaunchers automatically configures the Proton compatibility layers, games launch seamlessly with full controller support. I was playing titles from my Epic and GOG libraries without any noticeable input lag or performance degradation compared to native Steam purchases.
A Few Minor Hiccups to Keep in Mind
Of course, I want to be completely transparent with you—it is not always perfect. Because these launchers are inherently designed for Windows and are running through a compatibility layer, you might occasionally run into minor annoyances. For instance, when a launcher like the EA app pushes a major background update, it can sometimes temporarily break compatibility until Proton catches up. Additionally, having a launcher running in the background while playing a heavy AAA game can eat up a tiny bit of your precious RAM and battery life. It is not a dealbreaker by any means, but it is something to keep in mind if you are trying to squeeze every last drop of performance out of your battery.
Final Verdict
Ultimately, this method completely changes the value proposition of the Steam Deck. You are no longer locked into repurchasing games you already own on other platforms. By taking five minutes to run the NonSteamLaunchers script, you effectively unlock the true, unrestricted potential of your handheld PC.
If you have been holding off on playing your Epic or GOG backlogs because the setup process seemed too intimidating, I highly recommend giving this a try. It is straightforward, incredibly effective, and brings all your favorite games under one portable roof. Happy gaming, and enjoy your newly liberated Steam Deck!