Gaming on Linux: a revolution in progress
For gamers, switching to Linux has always been a rather daunting prospect. The Wine project — which allows games built for Windows to run on Linux — has made incredible progress over the years. However, the level of difficulty and complexity has been a significant barrier for the average gamer, who is accustomed to the certainty that on Windows “everything just works” without too many compromises.
Valve changes the game
Today, however, the landscape has changed dramatically. Valve — the world leader in digital game distribution through Steam — has given a major boost to Linux gaming by supporting the development of Proton: an evolution of Wine specifically designed for the gaming world.
The reason? Not a sudden passion for open source, but a strategic decision tied to the launch of the Steam Deck: Valve’s award-winning portable console, built entirely on Linux.
Steam Deck and SteamOS: no Windows licence needed
To make the console appealing, Valve chose not to include an expensive Windows licence, opting instead for a customised version of Linux called SteamOS. This decision was accompanied by a significant investment in Proton development, transforming it into a powerful, mature and easy-to-use compatibility layer.
Proton available on Linux desktop too
The best part? Proton is open source. This allowed Valve to integrate it into the Steam client for Linux desktop, making it available on any distribution. The result is an epochal step for Linux gaming: today, by installing Steam on a Linux distribution, you can play an ever-growing number of titles with a simple click on “enable compatibility”.
To check title compatibility with Proton, visit ProtonDB, updated daily by the community.
Proton is not perfect, but progress is constant
Not everything works perfectly: some games still have issues or require some tweaking. However, progress is continuous and the number of titles with full compatibility grows month by month. Being open source, Proton can also be used by other platforms: thanks to tools like Lutris, you can run games from Epic, GOG and other stores.
Is now the right time to switch to Linux?
If you’re a gamer who has long wanted to switch to Linux — for freedom, privacy, or a passion for open source — now is the right time. There has never been such extensive compatibility with games. If you’ve been thinking about it… perhaps it’s time to take the leap.
