Epic Games Launcher preview adds native Linux support

Epic Games released a preview version of a completely redesigned PC Epic Games Launcher on October 14, adding a native Linux client alongside Windows and macOS for the first time, according to The Verge.

The new launcher starts up in 5.47 seconds, 1.8 times faster than Steam's 10.07 seconds, according to October measurements commissioned from Keywords Studio. Switching from the background to the library takes 0.36 seconds, and Epic says library browsing is 30 times faster than in the old launcher.

The preview adds a dedicated per-game page, real-time search and filters, collections, cross-platform library linking, and a download manager that shows speeds along with queued, scheduled and failed tasks.

Linux support and anti-cheat plans

The Linux version officially supports Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, Fedora 43 and Debian 12 or later, while the macOS version runs only on Apple Silicon devices (M1 and above). Epic also announced an Easy Anti-Cheat Linux v2 plan the same day, requiring signed kernels and kernel modules, TPM 2.0, Secure Boot and IOMMU.

Fortnite will be the first title to trial EAC Linux v2. The Steam Deck is excluded from the initial targets because it lacks the required security features.

No specific release timing has been announced for the Fortnite Linux version or the full new launcher. Epic had previously withheld Linux support for Fortnite due to anti-cheat issues.