protonscr

Non-steam games (ie: Epic, GOG from Heroic Games Launcher) can't stream, black screen/pipewire error

steamopen Streamingnon-Steam application
ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#13218 · opened 2026-05-17 by arcangelnew · updated 2026-08-31 · 2 comments · github
Aarcangelnew 2026-05-17 github

Your system information

  • Steam client version (build number or date): Steam Link android client, version 1.3.28.307 - Android 16
  • Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Nobara linux 43/Fedora 43
  • Opted into Steam client beta?: No
  • Have you checked for system updates?: Yes
  • Steam Logs:
    steam-logs.tar.gz

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

Non-steam (ie:EpicGames, GOG) installed/imported from "heroic games launcher" can't be streamed through steam link, black screen/pipewire error.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

  1. Setup any game you own through HeroicGamesLauncher, I used vampire survivors from EpicStore for most of my testing.
  2. Use the "add to steam" option on heroic launcher
  3. Start remote play from the android steam link client
  4. Launch the game you just added
  5. A black screen appears and a message pop up shows in the client "Video screen capture failed, please restart Steam with -pipewire argument to enable video capture under wayland."

The problem is that restarting steam with -pipewire argument makes the host desktop Steam clien crash as soon as the remote play session starts.

Without -pipewire the crash doesn't happen but can't stream non-steam games added manually (black screen/error message), Steam owned/installed games work fine and can be streamed even without the -pipewire argument.

RRimed2503 2026-08-07 github

has anyone still not found a way to fix this? im still experiencing the exact issue at this date and time (07/08/2026)

Wwagg3r 2026-08-31 github

The weird thing is if you pull up the Steam Overlay you can see the screen is being captured just fine in the background. Also I thought pipewire was for audio - the audio is coming through fine, it's the video that isn't displaying! This wasn't always an issue - it was working not all that long ago...

Nothing extracted yet.