How To Play Gog Games On Steam Deck

To play GOG games on Steam Deck, you’ll need to install the Heroic Games Launcher, which allows you to access and run your GOG library.

Want to enjoy your GOG library on the go? It’s possible, and the process isn’t as complicated as you might think. We will explore how to play GOG games on Steam Deck. Getting your favorite DRM-free titles running on this amazing handheld is easier than ever.

This guide will walk you through the necessary steps. You can enjoy a vast collection of games. So prepare to expand your gaming horizons!

How to Play GOG Games on Steam Deck

So, you’ve got your shiny new Steam Deck and you’re loving it! It’s amazing for playing all those cool Steam games. But wait, what about your GOG library? You know, those DRM-free goodies you’ve collected over the years? Don’t worry, you can definitely play your GOG games on Steam Deck! It’s not as straightforward as Steam, but with a little know-how, you’ll be gaming on the go in no time. This article will walk you through everything you need to know to enjoy your GOG collection on your Steam Deck.

Understanding the Challenge: GOG vs. Steam

Before we dive into the ‘how,’ let’s understand the ‘why’ it’s not automatic. Steam and GOG are two different platforms. Steam is like its own walled garden, where you buy games and they’re ready to go within Steam’s system. GOG, on the other hand, sells games as DRM-free downloads. This means you get the actual game files, not a specific launcher. This difference is why we need extra steps to make them play nicely on the Steam Deck, which primarily expects games from the Steam ecosystem.

Think of it like this: Steam is like a restaurant that serves you everything on a plate, while GOG is like a grocery store where you buy ingredients. You need to do a little cooking (setting up) to get a meal (the game) ready. The Steam Deck is designed to expect a “restaurant” experience, hence our need to do this extra work. But don’t worry, it’s not that hard!

The Heroic Launcher: Your Best Friend

The easiest way to get your GOG games running on the Steam Deck is by using a program called Heroic Games Launcher. Think of Heroic as a bridge between your GOG library and your Steam Deck. It can access your GOG account, download your games, and even make them easy to launch within SteamOS. Here’s how to get Heroic set up:

Installing Heroic Games Launcher

First, you need to get Heroic onto your Steam Deck. This requires switching to “Desktop Mode.” It’s like switching your Steam Deck to a regular computer interface. Here’s how:

Press the Steam button.
Go to “Power”.
Select “Switch to Desktop”.

Now, you’re in Desktop Mode, and you have more options like a normal computer. Next, you’ll need to use the “Discover” app store. It looks like a little shopping bag icon on the taskbar (usually at the bottom of the screen).

Open “Discover”.
Type “Heroic” in the search bar.
Click on “Heroic Games Launcher”.
Click “Install”.

Wait for it to download and install. Once it’s done, you can find Heroic in the application launcher (usually in the bottom left corner of the screen). You might have to scroll down the list to find it.

Setting Up Heroic

Now that Heroic is installed, let’s set it up to talk to your GOG account:

Open Heroic.
You’ll see a welcome screen. Click “Continue”.
You’ll be asked to choose your library location. This is where your games will be stored. You can leave it as is for now, or choose a different folder, and click “continue”.
Next, you need to log into your GOG account. Click on “Login”, choose “GOG”, and enter your email and password.

You are now logged into Heroic and your GOG game library is ready to be accessed.

Downloading and Installing Games with Heroic

Now the fun part! Let’s get some games onto your Steam Deck. Here’s the next step:

Selecting Your Game

In Heroic, you’ll see your library of GOG games.
Find a game you want to play and click on it.

Installing the Game

On the game page, click “Install”.
Heroic will download and install the game files into your chosen location.

Downloading and installation time depends on your internet speed and the size of the game. Once done, your game is ready. But it still needs to be seen in Game Mode. Let’s make that happen next.

Adding Games to Steam for Game Mode Access

While your game is installed with Heroic, it won’t appear automatically in your Steam Deck’s “Game Mode” library. Game Mode is what you see when you turn your Steam Deck on without being in Desktop Mode. We need to add these games as “non-Steam” games.

Adding Games to Steam

In Heroic, you will see the games installed.
Click on the game you want to add to Steam.
Under the “…” menu, select “Add to Steam” (or sometimes it will show as ‘Add shortcut to Steam’).
Heroic will create a shortcut. You should get a pop up, confirming that the game has been added.

Once you’ve added the game, let’s get back to “Game Mode.”

Returning to Game Mode

Close all open applications by clicking on “x” on the top of each application and clicking on the Steam icon in the taskbar, then press “Return to Gaming Mode.” The screen will change to the familiar Steam Deck Game Mode interface.

Finding Your GOG Games in Game Mode

Once you’re back in Game Mode, your GOG games won’t be in your main library. You need to look in the “Non-Steam” section.

Go to the “Library” tab.
Scroll down or press the right trigger (R2) to get to the “Non-Steam” section.
Your GOG game, with the icon Heroic made, should be there!

Click on the game and select “Play” to launch your game.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Sometimes, things don’t go perfectly. Here are some common problems and how to fix them:

Game Won’t Launch

If a game doesn’t launch, it could be a few things. Here are some suggestions:

Check for Proton Compatibility: Proton is a tool Steam Deck uses to run Windows games on Linux. Sometimes, a specific Proton version is needed. In Heroic, on the game’s page, you can try changing the Wine/Proton version (Under Settings > Wine > Choose Wine Version). Sometimes a change to a different compatibility layer like Proton Experimental helps fix the issue.
Run as Administrator: Sometimes running Heroic, or even the game itself as Administrator helps fix launch issues. Within the Heroic setting, find the game, click “…” then ‘Run Game (Administrator).
Verify Game Files: Verify your game files. Go back to Heroic, click on the game, and try the ‘Verify’ option, in the menu with the 3 dots.

Controller Issues

Sometimes, the Steam Deck controller might not work correctly with GOG games. Here’s how to try to get it working:

Steam Input: Steam Input is a tool that allows you to configure how your controller works with games. You may need to fiddle around with the settings to get it to work as expected. In Steam, find your game, click on the setting icon, go to “Controller”. Experiment with different layouts or make changes to your existing layout.
Check for Updates: Make sure your Steam Deck software and Heroic are up to date. Updates often include bug fixes that can resolve these kinds of issues.

Game Doesn’t Look Right

Sometimes the resolution or graphics settings of a game might look odd on the Steam Deck.

In-Game Settings: Adjust the game’s graphics settings in the game menu. Try different resolutions or graphics presets.
Proton Options: Sometimes you can add compatibility options, or parameters, to a game in the Steam settings menu, these changes are sometimes needed to change the screen settings or rendering. Look online to see if there are any specific compatibility parameters for your particular game.

Advanced Tweaks and Tips

If you’re feeling adventurous, there are some other things you can do to improve your GOG gaming experience on the Steam Deck:

Using Custom Proton Versions

Sometimes a special version of Proton, called “Proton-GE” or “Glorious Eggroll,” can give better performance for specific games. This can help in games with performance issues, or even make games that don’t run, run. Heroic lets you download and use custom versions of Proton. To add these, just go to settings in Heroic, go to Wine and install a custom version. Then when launching your game, choose this version. This might need a little bit of research but is a very powerful solution.

Using Game Specific Launch Options

For some games you may need to add specific launch parameters. These are specific instructions that are used when launching the game. Usually, these parameters are found by searching for “steam parameters” and the name of your game. You would need to add this in the launch options of your game within the Steam app. This is very useful for fixing compatibility problems or even performance issues.

Cloud Saves

While GOG does have cloud saves for many games, they don’t automatically sync with the Steam Deck. Heroic does support this functionality with an additional installable plugin, but it might require further setup. You’ll need to go to Heroic settings and search for plugins. You might need to install the “gog cloud” plugin to use this functionality. Once set up, you might need to manually sync your saved games in the Heroic launcher to make sure it works.

With a little bit of work, you can certainly enjoy all your favorite games, both from Steam and GOG, on your Steam Deck. Don’t give up if something goes wrong. Most of the time, a little tweaking will get you on your way! You can find useful communities online that are willing to help if you get stuck.

Enjoy playing your GOG library on your Steam Deck. It’s a great way to play a huge library of great games while on the go. Have fun!

GAME CHANGER: Your GOG Library on your Steam Deck!

Final Thoughts

In short, playing GOG games on your Steam Deck involves installing the Heroic Games Launcher, which allows you to access your GOG library. You then download and install your desired games directly through the launcher. You need to make some configurations.

You will configure compatibility settings through proton for smooth gameplay. The process, while requiring some initial setup, makes playing your GOG collection straightforward. This makes ‘how to play gog games on steam deck’ accessible. Enjoy your gaming!