Will we ever get Minecraft Java for the Steam Deck??

[Finer Frame]

Hello, I wanted to see if anyone had any luck trying to install Minecraft on the steam deck. There isn't any tutorials for it anywhere online and going though the steps does not allow Keyrings to be overwritten, Is there anyway to play Minecraft on the steam deck?? No polyMC or other untrustworthy flatpacks are not real solutions and do not work i've tried them all. I want pure Minecraft and forge from their actual websites no unknown programs doing who knows what to my machine. If I wanted constant spying and background bitcoin miners ill go back to windows lol.

[retrogunner]

I would normally say, check out gamingonlinux.com as Liam is covering MC and other non-Steam games on the Deck. But given your adamant stance, YMMV on the above effort.

1. OpenJDK is not installed as part of Steam OS (the JDKs are normally provided in the launcher Flatpaks). You'll have to figure out how to get that installed on your own.

One way could be using https://github.com/ValShaped/rwfus for an additional OverlyFS and install OpenJDK from the Arch Repos. Another would be use a tarball flavor of OpenJDK, then unpack it in /home/deck/.local/openjdk (or some such place) with the necessary custom Java ENV in your .bashrc or other dot files. Of course, that could impact other Java based games from Steam. You might need a wrapper script for MC as an alternative.

2. Nearly everything will be done in the Desktop Mode to make this happen. Sure, once everything is set up, you could add it as a non-steam game, but you'll likely still need a keyboard/mouse.

3. It's been a while for me, but last time I tried playing minecraft without the controller mod pointed out on gamingonlinux.com, using a mouse or the right trackpad would peg the camera view straight up (or down). Then any camera movement for directing my travel would spin me ultra fast in place. Only the controller mod dealt with it.

If you do come up with Vanilla instructions, please be sure to share on Reddit's r/SteamDeck and/or r/SteamDeckTricks and here as well. Many will benefit from it.

Good luck. Cheers. retro.

[IronicLyricist]

I just used the arch linux launcher from minecrafts official site n installed the java version in desktop add launcher to steam n it works just fine, tho ull need to setup a controller profile.. none of the community ones are perfectly like the console controls, so i did my best on my template. u also hafta login wit win acct ever time u boot it

[hitmobong]

I've had no problem getting ATLauncher to work. It downloads the java version you need. Been running both RLCraft and Rebirth of the Night on my Steam Deck.

You'll never get an official release, so either figure out how to get it to work, or install windows on your Steam Deck.

[Wolf]

I was using PolyMC before this happened:
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2022/10/if-you-use-polymc-for-minecraft-you-should-switch-away-now/

The closest alternative would be MultiMC (of which PolyMC was forked off), and I don’t remember needing to install a JRE on the Deck manually for it to work. I might remember wrong though, so please correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe MultiMC will also pull a JRE alongside the game so you don’t really have to take care of it.

Then you can install the Midnight Controls mod for built in controller support.