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Freedom251 › Blog › Amazon Prime Gaming

How to Claim Amazon Prime Gaming Games and Play Them on Steam Deck

By Freedom251 Team · · 11 min read

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Start at Amazon’s current claims page, open the specific Prime offer, and follow the storefront or code instructions shown on that offer. The game may be redeemed through GOG, Epic Games Store, another supported storefront, or an Amazon game library; it is not automatically a Steam license. After claiming it, install Heroic Games Launcher from SteamOS’s Discover store, sign in to the account that owns the game, install the title, and add it to Steam for Game Mode. Whether it runs well still depends on that game’s Linux, Proton, launcher, and anti-cheat behavior.

What you can and cannot do with a Prime Gaming claim

Amazon Prime game offers have two different destinations that are easy to confuse:

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  • Downloadable PC offers: You receive a game license, code, or linked-storefront entitlement and install the game locally through the relevant PC launcher. This is the route that can potentially work on a Steam Deck.
  • Luna cloud games: The game runs on Amazon’s cloud service and streams to your device. Nothing is installed on the Deck, and a Luna entitlement does not create a local Steam or Heroic installation.

Amazon says Prime members receive a rotating selection of PC games at no extra cost, while Luna’s cloud catalog is a separate access mode with country-specific availability. Check the current offer card and your country before assuming that a title is downloadable.

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A claim is also not automatically a Steam key. Amazon’s current support instructions say to choose an offer at the claims page and follow that offer’s unique redemption steps. Depending on the title, you might redeem a code, link an account, or receive the game directly in a supported library. The exact storefront controls what you do next.

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Before you claim: identify the offer type

Open the offer card and record the store, redemption method, and any expiry or region note before clicking through. This prevents a common mistake: claiming a game successfully but searching for it in the wrong library on the Deck.

Offer or access type What you receive Steam Deck implication
Code for a third-party PC store A code that must be redeemed in the store named by Amazon Redeem first, then sign in to that store through a compatible launcher such as Heroic
Linked storefront claim An entitlement added to an Epic, GOG, or other account after you link or confirm it Use the same account in Heroic; a different account will show an empty library
Amazon game-library entitlement A title associated with the Amazon Games ecosystem Check whether the current offer has a Deck-compatible installation path; do not assume the Windows Amazon installer is a SteamOS app
Luna cloud access Permission to stream the game through Luna No local install; use Luna where the service and title are available in your country

Older Amazon explanations mention offers distributed through GOG, Epic Games Store, Legacy Games, and Amazon’s own Games app. That list is background, not a promise about today’s catalog. The current offer card takes precedence.

Step 1: Claim the game on Amazon

  1. On a phone, computer, or the Deck’s Desktop Mode browser, open luna.amazon.com/claims.
  2. Sign in to the Amazon account with the eligible Prime membership.
  3. Choose the game or other offer you want. Read the entire card, including the named storefront, country wording, and whether the action is Redeem code, Link account, or a direct library claim.
  4. Complete the destination store’s sign-in or account-linking page. If Amazon displays a code, copy it exactly and redeem it in the store specified by the offer.
  5. Confirm that the title appears in the destination account’s library. Keep the code and confirmation email until the game is visible there.

Do not enter a code into Steam merely because you plan to play on a Steam Deck. Steam accepts only Steam keys; an Epic or GOG code belongs to that service. If the offer does not name Steam, it is not a Steam redemption.

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Step 2: Prepare SteamOS Desktop Mode

SteamOS is Linux-based. Valve’s SteamOS documentation describes Desktop Mode as the place to install other software, while Proton provides a compatibility layer for many Windows games. That combination is why a non-Steam game often needs a launcher and a compatibility tool before it can appear in Game Mode.

  1. Press the Deck’s Steam button.
  2. Choose Power, then Switch to Desktop.
  3. Connect to a reliable network and plug in power if the download is large.
  4. Open the shopping-bag icon for Discover, SteamOS’s software center.

You do not need a dock, external controller, or particular storage card just to follow this procedure. The game’s download size and your available internal or removable storage are practical constraints, not universal requirements established for every title.

Step 3: Install Heroic Games Launcher

Heroic is a documented third-party route for accessing Amazon, Epic, and GOG libraries on a Steam Deck. It is not an Amazon-developed SteamOS client, so its behavior and the best compatibility setting can vary by game.

  1. In Discover, search for Heroic Games Launcher.
  2. Select the package, choose Install, and wait for Discover to finish.
  3. Launch Heroic from Discover or the application menu.
  4. When Heroic asks for a service, select the store that received your Prime claim: Amazon, Epic, or GOG.
  5. Sign in with the exact account used during the Amazon redemption. If you used a different email, the claimed title will not appear.

Heroic’s Steam Deck guidance supports adding the launcher or individual games to Steam so they can be started from the normal Game Mode interface.

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Step 4: Install the claimed title in Heroic

Find the correct library entry

Open the library for the connected store and search for the title. A game redeemed with a code may appear only after the store finishes processing the code; a linked-account offer can require you to refresh or sign out and back in. Verify the publisher and edition if several entries have similar names.

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Choose an installation location

Select Install and choose a location with enough free space. The game’s own installer may need additional temporary space during extraction, so do not calculate capacity from the final installed size alone. If the install fails immediately, check free space and try a folder inside your user home directory rather than a read-only system path.

Select a compatibility tool

Heroic can use compatibility tools such as Proton-GE. The default choice may work, but there is no universal “best” runner. Start with the recommended or currently selected tool, then test another available Proton-GE version only if the game fails to launch, shows a rendering problem, or loses controller input. Change one setting at a time so you know which change affected the result.

Let the installation finish

Keep Heroic open until both the game files and any first-run dependencies have completed. Interrupting the process can leave a partial prefix or incomplete files; uninstalling the failed entry and reinstalling is often cleaner than repeatedly launching a half-installed copy.

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Step 5: Add the game to Steam and launch it in Game Mode

  1. In Heroic, use its Steam integration or the option to add the installed game to Steam.
  2. Return to the Steam desktop client and confirm that the new non-Steam entry is present in your library.
  3. Switch back through Steam → Power → Return to Gaming Mode.
  4. Open the Library and look under non-Steam games or the collection where Steam placed the entry.
  5. Select the game and press Play. The first launch can take longer while Proton creates its compatibility prefix and the game generates shaders or configuration files.

If Heroic added the launcher rather than the individual title, start Heroic from Game Mode and select the game inside it. This can be useful for games that depend on the storefront client for updates or authentication.

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How to choose the right route for each claim

The offer, not the Prime brand name alone, determines the redemption path. Use this decision sequence:

  1. Does the card say Luna or cloud play? If yes, treat it as streaming access and check Luna’s current country and title availability. Do not download it through Heroic.
  2. Does the card provide a code? Redeem it at the named storefront. Only a code explicitly identified as a Steam key belongs in Steam.
  3. Does it ask you to connect an account? Complete that connection, then use the same account in Heroic.
  4. Does it mention the Amazon Games app or a Windows installer? Read the current instructions carefully. Amazon’s older article uses a Windows executable named AmazonGamesSetup.exe; that does not establish an officially supported native SteamOS installation. Do not treat it as a normal Discover package.
Decision question Action What is not guaranteed
Which account owns the title? Use the account that received the code or linked entitlement Prime membership alone does not make every store account share the game
Which launcher supports the store? Use Heroic for its documented Amazon, Epic, and GOG integrations Every other storefront or Amazon installer has a documented SteamOS path
Will the game run? Test the title with the selected Proton configuration Heroic support does not mean every game launches or performs well
Is it available in your country? Follow the current offer and Luna region wording An offer shown to another country is not proof that yours is eligible

Compatibility expectations on Steam Deck

Proton translates many Windows games for SteamOS, but compatibility is game-specific. A title may install and still fail because of its launcher, graphics settings, video codec, copy protection, online service, or anti-cheat system. A game that reaches its menu may still have broken cinematics, missing audio, poor performance, or controls that need remapping.

Evaluate a claimed title in stages:

  • Installation: Does Heroic download and complete the installer without errors?
  • First launch: Does the game reach its main menu, and does the required account authentication work?
  • Input: Are the Deck’s controls recognized, including menus, trackpads, and keyboard prompts?
  • Rendering: Are text, cut-scenes, shaders, and resolution scaling usable?
  • Online functions: Can you connect to the game’s servers without an anti-cheat or launcher block?

Do not infer a performance result from another game, another Proton version, or a Steam store rating. Test the exact edition you claimed.

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Troubleshooting common failures

The game is missing from Heroic

  • Confirm that the Amazon code was redeemed at the correct storefront.
  • Check that Heroic is signed into the same Epic, GOG, or Amazon account used for redemption.
  • Refresh the library, then sign out and back in if the entitlement was claimed moments ago.
  • Look for a separate edition or regional entry if the offer name and library name differ.

The code is rejected

Return to the offer card and verify the destination store, country restriction, and whether the code has already been redeemed. A code intended for one storefront cannot be converted into a Steam key. If Amazon supplied a direct account-link flow instead, use that flow rather than searching for a code.

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Heroic installs, but the game will not start

  1. Restart the Deck and try the title once with the default compatibility setting.
  2. In Heroic’s game settings, select a different available Proton-GE version and test again.
  3. Disable optional launch parameters or overlays you added, since they can obscure the original failure.
  4. Check whether the game requires a separate launcher login or first-run agreement.
  5. If the title depends on unsupported anti-cheat or another Windows-only component, accept that it may not be playable locally on SteamOS even though the claim is valid.

The game launches in Desktop Mode but not from Game Mode

Remove and recreate the Steam shortcut through Heroic’s Steam integration, then verify that the shortcut points to the installed game rather than an installer executable. If you added Heroic itself, launch the game from inside Heroic and keep the launcher entry in Steam. Avoid moving the installation folder after creating the shortcut; a moved executable can leave Steam pointing at the old path.

The screen is blank or controls do not work

Wait through the first shader or prefix setup, then try another Proton-GE version. Open the game’s control layout in Steam and select a gamepad template if the title expects controller input. For a launcher window that requires typing, bring up the on-screen keyboard with the Deck shortcut and complete the login before returning to the game.

The download or installation stops

  • Check free space, including temporary extraction space.
  • Confirm that the Deck is online and that the destination store is not undergoing an outage.
  • Resume from Heroic once; if the same files repeatedly fail, cancel, remove the partial installation, and start again.
  • Use a writable installation folder in your home directory and avoid system directories.

What changes between Prime offers and Luna

Prime’s downloadable PC selection and Luna’s cloud-delivered catalog are separate benefits. A Luna game can be convenient when local SteamOS compatibility is poor, but it depends on supported countries, an available title, and a stable internet connection. A downloadable claim gives you files and a store entitlement, but you must still solve the SteamOS launcher and Proton requirements yourself.

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Amazon’s Luna explainer, updated September 29, 2026, describes the current cloud offering and its regional limits. Because catalogs and eligibility change, check the live offer before planning a trip, account handoff, or Deck installation around a particular game.

Account, code, and region checklist

  • Prime membership is active on the Amazon account making the claim.
  • The offer is available in your country.
  • The offer card identifies a downloadable PC game rather than Luna-only access.
  • You saved any code and know the exact storefront where it must be redeemed.
  • The destination storefront account is the one you will use in Heroic.
  • The Deck has enough writable storage for the game and temporary installation files.
  • You understand that a valid claim proves ownership, not SteamOS compatibility.

What a successful setup looks like

At the end of the process, the title should be visible in the store account that received the Prime entitlement, installed by Heroic in Desktop Mode, and represented by a Steam library entry that launches from Game Mode. If any link in that chain is missing, diagnose that specific layer: Amazon claim, storefront entitlement, Heroic account, installation, Proton launch, or Steam shortcut. Treating all failures as “Prime Gaming not working” makes the fix harder to find.

The reliable principle is simple: claim according to Amazon’s current offer instructions, use the matching storefront account, and test the individual game on SteamOS. Heroic provides a documented bridge for Amazon, Epic, and GOG libraries, while Proton provides compatibility for many—but not all—Windows games.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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