Feature Release Major Update
3 min read

Originally shared on r/JunkStore - reformatted for our blog.

For the First Time Ever: Itch.io → Steam Integration

This is hot off the press: I’ve been on a little side quest to get Itch.io working, and it’s now live in the beta branch for all existing Junk Store 2.0 customers.

Historic milestone: This is the first time ever that Itch.io has been integrated directly into Steam.

How to Try It Right Now

  • Existing customers: Set both build and extension channels to beta
  • New users: The fully functional trial includes all builds for testing
  • Trial users: Start your 7-day free trial - beta access included

Important: You must have both build and extension channels set to beta.

Beta Reality Check

Heads up — this is very beta. I had to build an Itch.io client completely from scratch since no suitable CLI client existed.

Current limitations:

  • Narrow, Windows games implementation
  • Barebones feature set
  • Tested on handful of games - expect edge cases

Rather than spend six months perfecting it in a vacuum, I’m releasing it early to get real user feedback.

Why Early Release?

Feature priorities – You tell me what you want most.

Demand check – I’ll know how many people actually care about Itch.io support.

Real-world testing – Better than any internal QA process.

Found a Bug? Here's How to Help

If you run into bugs (and you probably will), please report them here:
GitHub Issues: JunkStoreBugs

Pro tip: Make sure to search first to avoid duplicates — I’ll prioritise fixes based on how many people are affected.

The Goal

Get to 80% coverage of games and use cases as fast as possible so most of you can play most of what you want, sooner.

This isn’t about perfection on day one - it’s about rapid iteration based on your real usage patterns.

What This Means for You

  • Thousands of indie games now accessible through Steam
  • Steam Deck native experience - no Desktop Mode required
  • Same Junk Store quality - compatibility tested and rated
  • Unified library - all your games in one place

The Development Story

I’ve been incredibly busy on Junk Store since launch, but this was a fun dash to get something cool in your hands.

The challenge: No existing itch.io CLI client suitable for our needs
The solution: Build one from scratch
The result: First-ever Steam integration for itch.io games

What Happens Next?

Your feedback over the coming weeks will determine how far we take this integration:

  • High usage + good feedback = Full feature development
  • Issues but interest = Bug fixes and improvements
  • Low adoption = Maintenance mode

Try It Today

This is bleeding edge stuff - you’re getting access to something that’s never existed before. The indie gaming community on Steam Deck just got a whole lot bigger.

Game on!
The Junk Store Team

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