Valve’s Steam Deck Will Permit You Shop On Epic Games Retailer

Gaming consoles are territorial, battling about exclusives and playerbases. You may imagine that, as a gaming handheld, Valve’s new Steam Deck is too, but the tech corporation says which is not the circumstance. Not only will you be capable to download third-party applications onto the machine, you’ll even be able to obtain competitors’ outlets like the Epic Video games Shop.

The problem was set to Valve in an interview around on IGN these days. “Can I log into my Epic Game titles Retailer account?” the outlet requested. Below was designer Greg Coomer’s response:

All over again, you can actually do everything that you would hope a [Linux-based] Laptop to be ready to do. So the respond to to individuals matters is certainly.

Steam Deck will run a new model of SteamOS, a Linux-primarily based system. But Valve suggests it will not restrict what players want to install on the handheld.

“The default Steam Deck expertise necessitates a Steam account (it is cost-free!),” read’s the company’s FAQ. “Games are ordered and downloaded utilizing the Steam Retail store. That mentioned, Steam Deck is a Personal computer so you can install third occasion software program and functioning programs.”

That is in stark contrast to other handhelds like Nintendo’s Change and Sony’s now-obsolete PlayStation Vita. Individuals equipment only ran those companies’ working systems and software program. Homeowners who wished to install other functioning devices or courses have notoriously had to jailbreak the methods in get to do so. That’s however the only way to get Netflix functioning on the Change, for case in point.

Though it’s nevertheless significantly from clear how effortless it will be to put in third-social gathering things on the Steam Deck, or how effectively Epic Video game Retailer video games would run, if at all, it’s a noteworthy stab at openness in a marketplace characterized by walled-off ecosystems. Epic Games itself is however in the midst of a huge lawsuit with Apple above whether it abuses a monopoly position on iPhones with the App Shop. Even though the demo is ongoing, some electronic storefronts on smartphones and PCs are presently starting up to reduce the commissions they demand sellers.

Now if only my PS5 would permit me stream Match Move.

Update – 12:04 p.m. ET, 7/16/21: Epic Video games CEO Tim Sweeney is also fired up about the information. “Incredible transfer by Valve!” he tweeted yesterday.

“A handheld Pc/console hybrid jogging the SteamOS fork of Arch Linux, and it is an open up system wherever users are cost-free to install application or their picking – which includes Home windows and other retailers.”