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Don't expect GOG to support the Steam Deck

By - | Views: 51,860

With the Steam Deck only a few days away from release, it seems people are wondering the support status of other stores. Seems GOG won't be supporting it, which isn't surprising.

Currently, GOG does support Linux with direct downloads, although they only officially support a few versions of Ubuntu. They do not, however, support GOG Galaxy on Linux. This has been a bit of a problem, as some games with multiplayer rely on Galaxy meaning a few Linux builds on GOG came without multiplayer.

Speaking on Twitter, in reply to a YouTuber asking if they will support the Steam Deck they replied:

There's no official GOG support for SteamDeck. But since the device has an open architecture, as we understand, you can install Windows and as such also run GOG games.

They never replied to our email enquiring about it.

Technically, you won't need to do that. GOG Galaxy can run in Wine, although unsupported. On top of that, projects like Minigalaxy exist, Lutris has GOG download support, Bottles has a GOG installer and even Heroic Games Launcher is working on Linux support that's close to release - so there's options available on SteamOS 3 with the Steam Deck to get GOG games. However, Galaxy features are generally locked to their own app.

One reason that's likely GOG aren't working to expand their Linux support to Galaxy and Steam Deck, is that they aren't exactly doing well financially.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Steam Deck, GOG, Misc
26 Likes
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62 comments
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TheRiddick Feb 22, 2022
Ironically more and more games require GOGG2.0 for multiplayer DRM. So DRM-free; most stuff, not all.
Alm888 Feb 22, 2022
Quoting: Frawo
Quoting: Alm888So, yes, GOG is correct, one will be able to play GOG's amazing library on Steam Deck. Even if the solution is not for said one's taste.
Of course you will be able to play your GOG Games on Steam Deck (who had a doubt about that anyway)... if you don't mind fiddling around in Desktop Mode on a tiny screen, with no regular mouse, no dynamic cloud sync, limited controller support (unless you add your games to Steam). No thanks, that's not the OOTB experience I'm looking for.
Just as planned.

1. A user goes through a process of installing Windows on Deck (driver issues?).
2. The user goes through a process of running GOG games on Deck (DOSBox + Deck's gamepads?).
3. The user records this convoluted mess and releases a YouTube video, stating Steam Deck is unusable.
4. ???????
5. PROFIT!!

Quoting: FrawoIf GOG wants to profit from the Steam Deck, I would expect them to offer at least some basic integration tools. Installing GOG in its current state on the Steam Deck is like buying a Ferrari and installing a two-stroke engine in it.
GOG does not want to profit from Steam Deck. It wants to topple it. At the very least, a Steam Deck is another platform, adding a headache to GOG's "tech support" (imagine what troubles will arise when the support will be flooded with numerous "Deck+Windows" GOG users' support requests due to issues with controllers for DOSBox-wrapped games). And at the worst case scenario, Steam Deck will divert users from GOG towards Steam. So, the quicker Steam Deck flops the better (for GOG).
Koopacabras Feb 22, 2022
Quoting: pleasereadthemanualTechnically, GOG is completely correct. Their native Linux builds don't officially support Arch Linux or the new SteamOS, which is a derivative of that distribution. They support Ubuntu. They can't guarantee support for an OS they've never tested their games for.

Whether this PR spokesperson understands this or not, I couldn't say. Clearly the diplomatic response would have been, "these games have been tested for Ubuntu officially, but they may work on the Steam Deck. We don't know; we haven't tried it."
I would agree with you, but I think they are making assumption here too, I bet they didn't test any GOG game on the Steam Deck. So they cannot guarantee something which they have not tested imho.

At the bare minimum the proper response here would be, "we tested this X numbers of GOG games and they work". "On this other ones the joystick is not detected or has X trouble".

I mean there's a couple of Linux games builds flagged as unsupported on the Steam deck too. They really expect that all of their windows GOG games to work on Steam Deck?

In that case, if in the future they get lots of refunds from Steam Deck users, it will be well deserved.

But anyway, I think that this was not a "techinical" response and they are not "guaranteeing" anything here this is just a PR bot response.


Last edited by Koopacabras on 22 February 2022 at 7:29 pm UTC
eldaking Feb 22, 2022
Quoting: Koopacabras
Quoting: pleasereadthemanualTechnically, GOG is completely correct. Their native Linux builds don't officially support Arch Linux or the new SteamOS, which is a derivative of that distribution. They support Ubuntu. They can't guarantee support for an OS they've never tested their games for.

Whether this PR spokesperson understands this or not, I couldn't say. Clearly the diplomatic response would have been, "these games have been tested for Ubuntu officially, but they may work on the Steam Deck. We don't know; we haven't tried it."
I would agree with you, but I think they are making assumption here too, I bet they didn't test any GOG game on the Steam Deck. So they cannot guarantee something which they have not tested imho.

At the bare minimum the proper response here would be, "we tested this X numbers of GOG games and they work". "On this other ones the joystick is not detected or has X trouble".

I mean there's a couple of Linux games builds flagged as unsupported on the Steam deck too. They really expect that all of their windows GOG games to work on Steam Deck?

In that case, if in the future they get lots of refunds from Steam Deck users, it will be well deserved.

But anyway, I think that this was not a "techinical" response and they are not "guaranteeing" anything here this is just a PR bot response.

Their games don't support the Steam Deck's distro, but installing Ubuntu on the deck should still be easier than installing Windows.

They went straight for the nuclear option, that they can't even guarantee will work either.
Koopacabras Feb 22, 2022
Quoting: eldakingTheir games don't support the Steam Deck's distro, but installing Ubuntu on the deck should still be easier than installing Windows.

They went straight for the nuclear option, that they can't even guarantee will work either.
couldn't agree more. As a matter of fact I'm installing windows 10 on a relative's laptop, right now, I know exactly what you mean. Seems that creating a USB windows install drive from Linux is not possible anymore. That statement makes a lot of assumptions.


Last edited by Koopacabras on 22 February 2022 at 9:44 pm UTC
slaapliedje Feb 22, 2022
Quoting: kuhpunktWhat an embarrassing reply by them. Aren't they even aware of Lutris etc? Like how detached can they be?
It seriously seems like they have one or two people working for them that package installers for Linux. They probably work out of some sub-basement area and have red staplers, and actually are just forgotten that they still get a paycheck...

But yeah, for them to just say 'just install windows and you can play' is kind of an ignorant response.
slaapliedje Feb 22, 2022
Quoting: Koopacabras
Quoting: eldakingTheir games don't support the Steam Deck's distro, but installing Ubuntu on the deck should still be easier than installing Windows.

They went straight for the nuclear option, that they can't even guarantee will work either.
couldn't agree more. As a matter of fact I'm installing windows 10 on a relative's laptop, right now, I know exactly what you mean. Seems that creating a USB windows install drive from Linux is not possible anymore. That statement makes a lot of assumptions.
Seriously... pisses me off SO much, why can't I just download an ISO and use dd (or other raw image to device transfer program) like real people do? Instead you have to download their shit creation tool and even then it's iffy during install a lot of times.
Koopacabras Feb 22, 2022
Quoting: slaapliedje
Quoting: Koopacabras
Quoting: eldakingTheir games don't support the Steam Deck's distro, but installing Ubuntu on the deck should still be easier than installing Windows.

They went straight for the nuclear option, that they can't even guarantee will work either.
couldn't agree more. As a matter of fact I'm installing windows 10 on a relative's laptop, right now, I know exactly what you mean. Seems that creating a USB windows install drive from Linux is not possible anymore. That statement makes a lot of assumptions.
Seriously... pisses me off SO much, why can't I just download an ISO and use dd (or other raw image to device transfer program) like real people do? Instead you have to download their shit creation tool and even then it's iffy during install a lot of times.
I think it might be because the media creation tool writes some secure boot stuff to the drive? dunnoh.


Last edited by Koopacabras on 22 February 2022 at 10:07 pm UTC
sigz Feb 22, 2022
well... the steamdeck's main purpose is to run steam.. not gog or EGS. Although being possible, that doesn't mean those companies want to support or give any light to a direct competitor, and all of these compagnies are still convinced the steamdeck will not be a success.


Last edited by sigz on 22 February 2022 at 11:30 pm UTC
kuhpunkt Feb 23, 2022
Quoting: slaapliedje
Quoting: kuhpunktWhat an embarrassing reply by them. Aren't they even aware of Lutris etc? Like how detached can they be?
It seriously seems like they have one or two people working for them that package installers for Linux. They probably work out of some sub-basement area and have red staplers, and actually are just forgotten that they still get a paycheck...

But yeah, for them to just say 'just install windows and you can play' is kind of an ignorant response.

They should at least be aware of something like Minigalaxy if they aren't doing the work themselves.
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