Junk Store has made its debut on the Steam Store, bringing a fresh way for Steam Deck users to access third-party game stores like Epic Games and GOG right from Gaming Mode. Shoutout to GamingOnLinux for the discovery! Essentially, it follows the footsteps of Decky Loader, an open-source tool that allows developers to integrate additional features into the Steam Deck. However, the team behind Junk Store, known as SDK Innovation, is pushing for it to be an officially recognized app, minimizing the need for users to dive into the technical details.
On the Steam page, they announced, “Junk Store is now available. It’s been completely reworked to eliminate the necessity of Decky Loader. Now, you can easily get your favorite games from the Epic Games Store and the GOG Store directly while in game mode.”
The developers have also shared on the subreddit r/JunkStore that they’ve launched the Steam Store page to measure interest by counting ‘Add to Wishlist’ clicks. This doesn’t guarantee that Junk Store will be part of the official Steam library, as Valve needs to review it first. Nonetheless, the developers regarded the approval of the store page as a positive sign from Valve.
That said, Junk Store won’t be a free, open-source option available on Steam. The team had to rebuild the app from the ground up for seamless SteamOS integration, leaving some Decky Loader functionalities behind. Currently, there’s no set pricing because they’re still assessing development costs and community interest. The team, which only consists of two people, also hasn’t locked in a launch date.
Despite these unknowns, being the first Steam Deck plugin to hit the app store is a significant milestone for the developers. They believe it could set a precedent, benefiting gamers, developers, and the broader Steam community alike.
If you enjoy customizing and tweaking your Steam Deck, you might not need the Steam version of Junk Store. You could use it via Decky Loader without any cost. Yet, for those who simply want to dive into their game library hassle-free, Junk Store offers a smooth path to accessing games bought on other platforms.
