Minecraft Splitscreen — Steam Deck & Linux

Automated installer for 1–4 player splitscreen Minecraft on Steam Deck and Linux. Uses PrismLauncher with Fabric. A Microsoft account is required.

Quick Install

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/aradanmn/MinecraftSplitscreenSteamdeck/main/install-minecraft-splitscreen.sh | bash

The installer guides you through everything interactively.

Requirements

• Linux (Steam Deck, Bazzite, SteamOS, Ubuntu, Arch, etc.)
• Internet connection
• Microsoft account (for Minecraft Java Edition)
• Java — installed automatically if not present
• PrismLauncher — installed automatically if not present (Flatpak preferred on immutable distros)

What the Installer Does

1. Detects or installs PrismLauncher (Flatpak or AppImage)
2. Installs the correct Java version for your chosen Minecraft version
3. Lets you pick a Minecraft version (only versions compatible with all required mods are offered)
4. Creates 4 pre-configured Minecraft instances
5. Checks Modrinth and CurseForge APIs for the latest compatible mod versions and installs them
6. Generates a minecraftSplitscreen.sh launcher script with paths baked in
7. Optionally adds a shortcut to Steam and your desktop menu

Mods Installed

Required (always installed):

• Controllable — controller support
• Splitscreen Support — splitscreen rendering
• Fabric API, Framework — mod dependencies

Optional (selectable during install): Sodium, Sodium Extra, Reese's Sodium Options, Sodium Dynamic Lights, Mod Menu, Just Zoom, Better Name Visibility, Full Brightness Toggle, In-Game Account Switcher, Old Combat Mod, Legacy4J, and others.

Dependencies (Collective, Konkrete, YACL, etc.) are resolved and installed automatically.

Launching

After installation, launch via:

• Steam (if you chose Steam integration)
• Desktop shortcut (if you chose to create one)
• Directly: ~/.var/app/org.prismlauncher.PrismLauncher/data/PrismLauncher/minecraftSplitscreen.sh

On first launch you'll be asked to choose Static or Dynamic splitscreen mode.

Dynamic Splitscreen

In Dynamic mode, players can join and leave mid-session — no coordinated start required.

• Connect a controller → a new Minecraft instance launches for that player
• Disconnect a controller → that player's instance closes
• Windows reposition automatically as the player count changes:
  • 1 player: fullscreen
  • 2 players: top/bottom split
  • 3–4 players: 2×2 grid

Window repositioning uses KWin scripting on KDE/Wayland, xdotool/wmctrl on X11, or restarts instances as a fallback (Game Mode).

Optional packages for best experience:

Package	Benefit	Without it
inotify-tools	Instant controller hotplug detection	2-second polling
xdotool / wmctrl	Smooth X11 window repositioning	Instance restarts
libnotify	Desktop notifications on join/leave	Silent

Install commands

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install inotify-tools xdotool wmctrl libnotify-bin

# Fedora
sudo dnf install inotify-tools xdotool wmctrl libnotify

# Arch
sudo pacman -S inotify-tools xdotool wmctrl libnotify

# openSUSE
sudo zypper install inotify-tools xdotool wmctrl libnotify-tools

On immutable distros (SteamOS, Bazzite, Silverblue), use your distro's layering system or Flatpak equivalents.

Updating

Re-run the installer to update mods, change Minecraft version, or regenerate the launcher script. Your worlds, options.txt, and accounts are preserved.

Uninstall

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/aradanmn/MinecraftSplitscreenSteamdeck/main/cleanup-minecraft-splitscreen.sh -o cleanup.sh
chmod +x cleanup.sh
./cleanup.sh --dry-run   # preview what will be removed
./cleanup.sh             # remove everything (preserves Java by default)
./cleanup.sh --remove-java  # also remove Java

Steam shortcuts must be removed manually: Steam → Library → right-click 'Minecraft Splitscreen' → Manage → Remove non-Steam game.

Installation Locations

Install type	Path
Flatpak	~/.var/app/org.prismlauncher.PrismLauncher/data/PrismLauncher/
AppImage	~/.local/share/PrismLauncher/

The launcher script (minecraftSplitscreen.sh) and logs (~/.local/share/MinecraftSplitscreen/logs/) live inside the appropriate directory.

Known Limitations

Identical controllers (same make and model): The Controllable mod identifies controllers by SDL2 GUID, which is derived from vendor ID + product ID. Two controllers of the exact same model produce the same GUID, so the launcher cannot reliably distinguish which physical device to assign to which player slot.

Workaround: use controllers of different models (e.g. one DualShock 4 + one Xbox controller). Mixed sets work correctly regardless of count.

If you only own identical controllers, the Controllable mod's in-game device selector can be used to reassign manually after launch.

Troubleshooting

• Controllers not detected — connect controllers before launching; in static mode the count is fixed at startup
• Wrong controller assigned to player — see Known Limitations above; mixed controller models resolve this automatically
• Screen doesn't reposition — install xdotool/wmctrl (X11) or ensure KWin is running (Wayland/KDE)
• Logs — check ~/.local/share/MinecraftSplitscreen/logs/ for the most recent install and launcher logs

Credits

• Original concept by ArnoldSmith86
• Fork and major rewrite by FlyingEwok
• Current maintainer: aradanmn
• Launcher: PrismLauncher