How to play Fortnite on Steam Deck
Want to know how to play Fortnite on the Steam Deck? Since the process isn’t as straightforward as you’d think, we’ve compiled a quick guide for you.
If you’re wondering “Can I play Fortnite on Steam Deck?” The answer is yes, but the game isn’t available natively on SteamOS. However, there are multiple reasons why Epic and Valve aren’t best pals yet.
Epic has even called out Valve’s monopoly over the market multiple times. On the other hand, Epic has also had trouble with Microsoft’s Windows and the company has yet to embrace Linux as an alternative.
But the plot thickens with the arrival of Valve’s handheld console, the Steam Deck. This device is more than just a pretty face; it can run games from many stores via Proton. On paper, getting Fortnite to work on Proton sounds like a cinch.
But here’s where the corporate soap opera unfolds: While it’s highly doubtful that we’ll see a native Fortnite version for Steam Deck anytime soon, Tim Sweeny stated that cheating would be an issue if they ported the game to SteamOS.
All isn’t lost though. Thanks to the open nature of the Steam Deck, there are a few ways we can circumvent this choice by Epic. It fully depends on whether you’re willing to give up some fidelity to streaming, or, install Windows on your Steam Deck.
How to stream Fortnite to the Steam Deck
Epic GamesThe other methods are by using either Xbox Cloud Gaming with Game Pass, or Nvidia GeForce Now. These two will require you to use Microsoft Edge, which you can get from the app store in Desktop mode.
Navigating desktop mode on the Valve handheld can be tedious process, so using a keyboard and mouse with the Steam Deck, by connecting via a Steam Deck dock is highly recommended. However, you can bring up the Steam Deck keyboard without connecting any additional peripherals.
1. Download Microsoft Edge
To get to Desktop mode, on your home screen press the Steam button. Go to Power, and then go to Desktop mode in the menu that pops up.
Once you’ve done this, go to the Discover Store and search for Microsoft Edge. It’s in beta, but it functions nearly flawlessly.
We have a guide for Xbox Cloud Gaming already, and setting up Nvida GeForce Now is a fairly similar process.
2. Add Edge to Steam & set up
Once you’ve installed Edge, find it in the taskbar menu, and right click. Choose “Add to Steam” and we can proceed with the rest of the set up. This allows us to play your chosen streaming service in Gaming mode.
- Open Konsole and use the following code to give the correct permissions to Edge to get over any security barriers
- flatpak –user override –filesystem=/run/udev:ro com.microsoft.Edge
- Press Enter and then close Konsole
- Head into Steam and right-click Microsoft Edge
- Choose Properties and locate Launch Options
- Type the following code:
- –window-size=1024,640 –force-device-scale-factor=1.25 –device-scale-factor=1.25 –kiosk “https://www.play.geforcenow.com”
Setting Edge to run in Kiosk mode when selected through our shortcut will force it into a demo like state.
If you want Xbox Cloud Gaming, rather than Nvidia GeForce Now, you’ll need to type in place:
–kiosk “https://www.xbox.com/play”
Once you’re done, load into Gaming mode, and your streaming service of choice should load up, allowing you to play Fortnite on Steam Deck. Currently, this is the main way of getting your victory royale fix on the go.
If you’d prefer to play Fortnite natively on the Deck, it requires running Windows on your device. While this is possible, it can be a complicated process, as the Steam Deck is a Linux-based device.
Check out our guide on how to install Windows on Steam Deck if you’d still prefer to play Fortnite natively on your Valve handheld.
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