With Proton and Steam Deck, gaming on Linux is changing.

🕹️ Discuss:

• What games run well?

• Your setup and tweaks

• Anti-cheat and performance issues

Gamers, drop your experience!

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• Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, Red Dead Redemption 2

• Hogwarts Legacy, Hi-Fi Rush, Persona 5 Royal

• Indie gems like Hades, Celeste, and Vampire Survivors run flawlessly

Use ProtonDB to check game compatibility

Linux gaming in 2025 is far from being a niche curiosity; it's a legitimate, strong contender, though not yet fully "mainstream" in the sense that it rivals Windows' market share. The Steam Deck and continuous Proton development have been game-changers, pushing compatibility and user experience to unprecedented levels.

What Games Run Well?

• Vast Majority of Steam Library: Thanks to Proton (Valve's compatibility layer), a massive percentage of Windows-only games on Steam run flawlessly or with minor tweaks. ProtonDB (protondb.com) is the go-to resource for community reports on game compatibility, performance, and necessary tweaks.

• AAA Titles: Many modern AAA games run exceptionally well. Titles like Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, God of War, and Horizon Zero Dawn are often reported as "Platinum" or "Gold" on ProtonDB, meaning they work out of the box or with minimal fuss, often with comparable performance to Windows.

• Native Linux Games: A growing number of games have native Linux versions (e.g., Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Baldur's Gate 3). These typically offer the best performance and stability.

• Older Titles: Many older Windows games often run better on Linux with Proton than they do on modern Windows versions, which can sometimes have compatibility issues with legacy APIs.

Your Setup and Tweaks

My go-to setup for Linux gaming:

• Distribution: Nobara Linux (a Fedora-based distro optimized for gaming and content creation) or Pop!_OS (Ubuntu-based, good for NVIDIA users). Arch-based distros like Manjaro or Bazzite (a Fedora Atomic spin, like SteamOS) are also popular for bleeding-edge drivers and performance.

• Graphics Drivers: Always use the latest proprietary drivers for NVIDIA, or the latest Mesa drivers for AMD. Distros like Nobara and Pop!_OS often include these pre-installed or make installation easy.

• Proton Version: While Steam's default Proton is great, Proton GE (GloriousEggroll) often offers better compatibility and performance for specific games, especially newer releases or those with problematic cutscenes. It's easily installed via tools like ProtonUp-Qt.

• Filesystem: Use Btrfs or Ext4. Some users report slight performance gains with specific settings, but it's often negligible for most.

• Tweaks:

  • GameMode: A daemon that applies performance-enhancing tweaks (CPU governor, I/O priority, etc.) when games are running. Most gaming-focused distros include it.

  • DXVK/VKD3D-Proton: These are translation layers (DirectX to Vulkan) that are integrated into Proton and are crucial for performance. Ensure they're up-to-date.

  • Shader Pre-caching: Let Steam download and compile shaders before launching a game to avoid stuttering (jank) during gameplay. This can take time for new games but is worth it.

  • Wayland (Increasingly): While X11 is still the most stable, Wayland compositors (especially KDE Plasma with Gamescope) are improving rapidly, offering features like proper HDR and VRR, and potentially lower latency.

Anti-Cheat and Performance Issues

• Anti-Cheat (The Main Hurdle): This remains the biggest hurdle for Linux gaming. While Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) and BattlEye have official Proton support, it's up to game developers to enable it for their specific titles. Some developers simply choose not to, or use proprietary/kernel-level anti-cheats (e.g., Vanguard for Valorant, RICOCHET for newer Call of Duty titles) that often explicitly block Linux users. This means popular multiplayer titles might be unplayable.

  • Status in 2025: Many major online games do work (e.g., Apex Legends, Rust, War Thunder), but a significant number of others still don't (e.g., Destiny 2, Valorant, newer Call of Duty titles, Fortnite on desktop). The situation is constantly evolving, but it's the primary reason Linux isn't fully mainstream for all gamers.

• Performance Issues:

  • Shader Compilation Stutter: This is the most common performance "issue." When a new game or update is launched, Vulkan shaders need to be compiled for your specific hardware. This can cause brief stutters the first time certain effects or assets appear. Pre-caching helps, but some stutter is unavoidable.

  • NVIDIA Performance: While vastly improved, NVIDIA on Linux can sometimes require more tinkering than AMD due to NVIDIA's proprietary driver stack. Ray tracing performance might also be slightly worse than on Windows.

  • Bleeding Edge Hardware/Software: Sometimes, brand-new games or very new hardware might take a bit longer for Proton/drivers to fully optimize.

  • Proton Version Selection: Using the wrong Proton version can significantly impact performance or cause crashes. Checking ProtonDB is crucial.

My Experience

I've been primarily gaming on Linux for years. My current setup (AMD Ryzen 7, RX 6800, Nobara Linux) offers a fantastic experience. I've played through games like Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3, Deep Rock Galactic, and many indie titles with performance often on par with or even better than Windows in some cases (especially if the Windows version has bloat or specific driver overhead).

The biggest frustration is when a game I want to play has an anti-cheat that explicitly blocks Linux, or developers simply refuse to enable Proton support. This is where the "not truly mainstream" feeling still lingers. However, for a single-player focus or games that do have anti-cheat enabled, Linux gaming is a powerful, stable, and increasingly user-friendly option. The Steam Deck's success has undeniably accelerated development and awareness, making 2025 a very exciting time for Linux gamers.