Dj Ganty Posted May 29, 2025 Report Share Posted May 29, 2025 Hi all, I'm curious here to ask if ANYBODY has (or attempted) to install MFME on their Linux computer or Steam Deck? My plan was to download the emulator after I've donated and play the old fruity's on my Steam Deck (handheld device) when I go away for months to work (out at sea) for anybody wondering it has a desktop mode and can play a lot of windows .exe programs but not all so just wondered anybody has cracked it or is it solely going to be available to use/play on windows only? I do have a shower of emulated games from SNES, MAME, xbox350, ps4 gamesetc (ran by Emudeck, Emulation Station and Retro-Arch) that work flawlessly.. thanks in advance for any info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altharic Posted May 29, 2025 Report Share Posted May 29, 2025 Have you tried adding the .exe in proton and trying it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dj Ganty Posted May 29, 2025 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2025 Just now, Altharic said: Have you tried adding the .exe in proton and trying it? Nah not yet I've not had the time to try it out but I will soon. Would be awesome to play slot machines when I'm away stuck/bored at work in the middle of nowhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carl smith Posted January 5 Report Share Posted January 5 Was going to ask the same question but searched first to see. I've done the same as you with emulators except ps2 emulator has issues with the mentioned programs so just use it as a desktop app. It seems this question had gone unanswered so i have mfme and a few roms and have been putting off trying it myself. So maybe in the next few days i might give it a try. Just that ive only had the steamdeck 2 months and i'm still technically a newbie to it. I'm sure i could find a way round it. The only problem i could see would be the same issue when playing on a pc wich would be fitting into the screen so it shows the hold and start buttons. Also looking for that answer in the forums as i haven't found the answer to that other than trying different versions of the emulator and dragging the screen wider so the "about" is on the same line as the rest of the options so the buttons fit in the screen. If it do try it. I will come back to this post and let you know if and how successfull i am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carl smith Posted January 8 Report Share Posted January 8 Yes, after a few days of trial and error i finally have and can play mfme emulator and roms. Nothing works on the desktop mode, ive tried programmes like bottles etc. Recognises the mfme program and works but wont recognise files. The workaround is to install windows on a flash drive and boot from the flash drive. As i have only a 65 gig and managed to do it but the widows takes 59 gig leaving me only 6 gig space. Plan is to wait for my 523 gig drive tommorow and work the ins and outs then if it all works out see if i can get permission on here to post how to do it properly for those who are interested in doing it. If i can, this will include someone elses video tutorial that i will give links and the credit for. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordie52 Posted January 8 Report Share Posted January 8 i have mfme running on linux no probs at all everything run as it should be ...........i use fg launcher/bottles or heroic-luncher any of these work for me...make sure to install the ms runtimes in ur chosen luncher prefix...if ya need help just ask n ill get some pics posted of a setup i do....me also a arch linux user and dual boot windows also no probs ....but i mainly use arch at all times as i hate windows unless its stripped down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carl smith Posted January 8 Report Share Posted January 8 Steam must be different from linux then as i tried bottles and several launchers, flatpack, flatseal that wont recognise files. It will recognise and run the MFME emulater but none of the games, files will show up. The folders will but nothing else. Don't want to go installing and unistalling programmes that might or might not work. I'll take what you have if thats ok as willing to give it a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordie52 Posted January 9 Report Share Posted January 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordie52 Posted January 9 Report Share Posted January 9 (edited) i have games on a seperate drive also yeah they dont show up really some do though..u need certain dlls ..i also have steam runtime 32 bits to help out wif any of my games which is windows but can run em no bother in arch linux Edited January 9 by geordie52 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carl smith Posted January 9 Report Share Posted January 9 I tried all that. Tried wine, bottles, proton, lutris did the same as my first attempt at bottles but loaded up the emulator and actually found the rom files. Did any load? Did they f. Closed it down and somehow wont load the emulator again. Everytime i do any of that (open with) stuff it changes my pcsx2 option which opens up with its own desktop icon and none of those other emulators. There probably is a way to actually do it on steamdeck without installing windows 11 in a seperate drive etc but i fear that constantly downloading and uninstalling stuff will eventually lead to me doing something wrong that will mess up 2 weeks of work to get the emulators, settings etc or worse, cause major issues. I'd rather play it safe for now and do it all on a seperate drive that i wont mind having issues because i can just wipe that and restart. I can get the emulater and games going in windows and landscape but you have to press the screen fast twice for any buttons holds, nudges which gives probs. If you download any programes to assign controllers, it doesn't recognise the steamdeck controller. Its as if steamdeck hates and has this issue with windows. So the cure is either bluetooth keyboard or assign this bluetooth controller that you put your mobile phone in the middle of and play emulated and online games with. We shall see. Thank you for replying and trying to help me out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niallquinn Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 I don't know much about it, but isn't the Proton Expermiental build what folks use? @Altharic Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carl smith Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 I've a had a few successes including proton to load the emulator up but it won't recognise any files to play. Hopefull someone will have a full blown, get the point, lets see it actually work tutorial on the steam deck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slasherx2 Posted January 10 Report Share Posted January 10 The latest one didn't work with wine last time I tried but I haven't tried for a long time. I used to just run it in virtualbox, that's how I made the layouts I made initially Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Warf Posted January 17 Report Share Posted January 17 On 10/01/2026 at 18:21, carl smith said: I've a had a few successes including proton to load the emulator up but it won't recognise any files to play. Hopefull someone will have a full blown, get the point, lets see it actually work tutorial on the steam deck. I'm interested in this also. I've gotten loads of programs working on steam deck using compatibility layers and runtimes so I'm going to look into it today. Adding the exe to steam and using proton experimental worked and loaded a layout so should be pretty straightforward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Warf Posted January 17 Report Share Posted January 17 Can confirm it can be fiddly getting roms to show up etc when installing the game with a launcher. A much easier approach is to install on a windows pc 1st and just transfer you mfme folder and layouts to the steam deck, add a game to steam, point to your mfme.exe and go to properties and add proton experimental in the compatibility tab. I'll keep messing around using the install with launcher approach but seems a lot easier the lazy way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carl smith Posted January 17 Report Share Posted January 17 Ive tried all the suggestions and more. It simply will not work. Best i can do on a few is get the emulator to load the once. Wont recognise any games, then wont load the emulator again. Then messes up with my open settings for my other emulators. I just use windows 11 in a seperate drive and play it that way. I mean, it probably could work for me on steam deck but its not worth me doing something stupid and messing up my settings etc that took me weeks to get to where i want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts