Linux support is coming to the reworked Epic Games Launcher, new app will run on Tauri instead of Unreal Engine

Epic Games has announced development of a Linux version of the Epic Games Launcher as part of the app's massive rework that is already underway. In an AMA on the Epic Games Discord server, one of the company's developers answered a question from a member regarding Linux support and confirmed that part of the ongoing work to rework the Launcher will include a native Linux application.

The staff member's wording confirms that Epic Games is not merely working on a port of the Launcher for Linux, but that it is developing a fully native version for Linux users. There's no word on what compatibility layer Epic will be using, but it could be a completely home-brewed version, a port of Wine, or a ported version of Valve's Proton. That said, Epic Games never mentioned a compatibility layer, so in a worst-case scenario, the new Epic Games Launcher might only run games on Linux that have a native Linux port.

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Introducing Linux compatibility to the Epic Games Launcher will give Linux gamers another library to use, without the headaches of running the Windows version in a compatibility layer. Currently, some popular methods to use the Epic Games Launcher on Linux are through the Heroic Games Launcher or Lutris. But these methods are missing some features, including cloud saves, and are not guaranteed to work with all games, especially if the game comes with anti-cheat software.

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Question #1

Will the reworked Epic Games Launcher be a native Linux application or a Windows compatibility-layer port?

Epic Games has confirmed it is developing a fully native Linux version of the reworked Epic Games Launcher rather than merely a Windows compatibility-layer port. The new launcher is being rebuilt on the cross-platform Tauri WebView framework, and Epic did not state it was using a compatibility layer, though how games without native Linux ports will be handled remains unspecified.

Answered

Question #2

What UI and performance improvements are expected in the reworked launcher that will apply on Linux?

The reworked Epic Games Launcher is expected to bring significantly faster load times, an improved user interface, and written user reviews for games, among other improvements. The new launcher is being built on the WebView-based Tauri framework, which is designed to work across Windows, Linux, and Mac, so these UI and performance improvements will apply on Linux.

Answered

Question #3

Will the reworked launcher’s move away from Unreal Engine to Tauri impact availability of written user reviews and other store features on Linux?

Yes. The article says the reworked Epic Games Launcher will include written user reviews and other store improvements, and that the new launcher is built on Tauri, a WebView framework designed to work across Windows, Linux, and Mac. This indicates those features are part of the Tauri-based, cross-platform rebuild.

Answered

Question #4

Does the article indicate any timeline or release window for when the native Linux Epic Games Launcher will be available?

The article does not provide any timeline or release window for when the native Linux Epic Games Launcher will be available. It only confirms that development of a native Linux version is underway as part of the launcher rework.

Answered

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Epic Games appears to be taking inspiration from GoG, which also announced development of a Linux version of its library app this year. Epic Games' Linux announcement comes after the company announced a full rework of the Epic Games Launcher, including significantly faster load times, improved UI, written user reviews for games, and much more. The biggest change is the code behind the app itself, which is no longer being built using Unreal Engine. Instead, the new Epic Games Launcher uses a WebView-based framework called Tauri that is designed to work across Windows, Linux, Mac, and other operating systems.