HowTo change language for flatpaks in gaming mode:

[Noi Tani Gami]

Right know my SteamOS is version 3.5.7
I changed serveral settings since installation, so i can't guarante that the following steps will work with a fresh installation of SteamOS. Some feedback if it does (or doesn't) work for you would be nice.

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Example for flatpak of Brave (web browser).
This browser does run in german language for me in desktop mode and it also does so when i run it via steam library in desktop mode, but it still is in english language when i start it in gaming mode. The following should work with any flatpak and any language as long as said flatpak-program really has translation files for this language.

Steps to change its language for gaming mode:

1. Install Brave via Discovery in desktop mode
1. Add Brave to your steam library
2. -> Right click on Brave in your steam library
-> Properties/Settings (not sure what it's named in english)
-> take a look at the command field named start options or start arguments
3. It should look like this

"run" "--branch=stable" "--arch=x86_64" "--command=brave" "--file-forwarding" "com.brave.Browser" "@@u" "@@"

This should be pretty much the same line for all flatpaks which were added to the steam library. Of course the "--command=brave" part will be different, depending on the flatpaks/programs name.

4. To change the language (german in my case) add the following:

"--env=LC_ALL=de_DE.UTF-8"

So the complete command should look like this:

"run" "--branch=stable" "--arch=x86_64" "--env=LC_ALL=de_DE.UTF-8" "--command=brave" "--file-forwarding" "com.brave.Browser" "@@u" "@@"

5. That's it. Now Braves language in gaming mode is german too, like it is in desktop mode.

6. Of course the de_DE.UTF-8 part needs to be changed to your language.
Example for french:

"run" "--branch=stable" "--arch=x86_64" "--env=LC_ALL=fr_FR.UTF-8" "--command=brave" "--file-forwarding" "com.brave.Browser" "@@u" "@@"

Following website/table lists more languages in the locale column:
https://docs.moodle.org/403/en/Table_of_locales#Table

[oxygen-boarder]

I also think it's a shame that Steam hasn't made it so that you can play your games directly in the correct language. It took me a lot of time and effort to change everything. I also had to figure out how to change the language on the external keyboard in gaming mode. And then the next problem was that all of my Epic Games were no longer in German. And there is a risk that you will have to figure everything out again in later updates. I have several gaming handhelds and none of them are as complicated and time-consuming as the Steam Deck. It's a good device. But if you don't work hard to figure everything out, your options are extremely limited. I also had to figure out how to turn on the controller in desktop mode. All other gaming handhelds have solved this much better. If I didn't have controller support in desktop mode, I would have sold the Steam Deck. It's all extremely complicated. But that would really be too much and would have restricted me too much.
Personally, I'm glad that I also have a handheld (Asus ROG Aly X) where everything works out of the box and absolutely every game runs. But I'm glad that the community exists here. And sometimes it's fun to figure things out. The next is EmuDeck on the Steam Deck. :)