Steam Deck Gets Xbox Game Pass Support Through Exodus Nexus

Exodus Nexus is an unofficial app that brings Xbox PC games to the Steam Deck, Steam Machine, and other SteamOS devices. The project lets users access their Xbox Game Pass library and run supported PC games locally on Linux through Proton, rather than relying solely on cloud streaming—but keep a few things in mind. The app is still experimental, and compatibility varies by game.

The app is still experimental, and compatibility varies by game. However, the setup process allows users to sign in with their Microsoft accounts, browse their game libraries, install supported titles, and play them on SteamOS hardware. Exodus Nexus lets us run Xbox PC games locally on SteamOS hardware through an unofficial project that brings Microsoft's gaming ecosystem to Linux.

Exodus Nexus Brings Xbox PC Games to SteamOS

GitHub lists a growing number of confirmed compatible titles, linked in the project's documentation. However, updates to Microsoft's systems could also cause issues with the app in the future. Keep this in mind and keep the app updated. Since the app was released, setup has been straightforward, and the experience so far has been smooth overall.

One question you might have is whether games like Call of Duty and Fortnite work locally on SteamOS hardware. Unfortunately, their anti-cheat systems still don't support Linux, meaning we won't be able to play these games through Exodus Nexus on SteamOS. Even if you manage to get them to launch, you won't be able to connect to their online servers.

Once we're ready, we can start from SteamOS gaming mode. Press the Steam button, choose Power, and switch to Desktop Mode. Open your web browser and access the Exodus Nexus GitHub page. From there, go to Releases on the right, choose the latest version, and download the Linux AppImage to your Downloads folder.

Once the download is complete, open the Downloads folder and double-click the Exodus Nexus AppImage to initialize the program. When it opens, the welcome window will appear, and you can sign in to your Microsoft account if you prefer. However, to make the app accessible from gaming mode, close the window for now and add it to Steam. Right-click the AppImage in your Downloads folder and select Add to Steam.

On the welcome screen, sign in if you haven't already. To enter your email address, press the Steam and X buttons together on your controller to bring up the Steam keyboard. If you're doing this in desktop mode, you only need to press the X button. Log in to your Microsoft account with an active Xbox Game Pass subscription. Once you're signed in, select Start Using Exodus Nexus.

If you've used the Xbox app on a Windows PC before, the interface will look familiar.

You can use the gamepad, touchscreen, or Steam button and right trackpad to navigate your game library. We can install games directly from the Game Pass library by finding a supported title and choosing Install. For example, you can install Tunic and Deep Rock Galactic through the app. Before running the games, we need to install Exodus Runtime once.

When we launch Tunic for the first time, it may take a few moments to start. Shortly afterward, the game runs locally from the Xbox Game Pass library on the Steam Deck through Proton on SteamOS. The controls work out of the box, and performance meets expectations. To close the game, choose Quit Game and return to the desktop. This brings the Exodus Nexus app back to the foreground.