A few years ago, "can I game on Linux?" had a short answer: not really. Today the answer is "yes, most of your Steam library probably works, but check the games you play online." Valve's work on Proton and the Steam Deck changed the picture. What still stops people is not graphics or performance. It is anti-cheat software.
This post explains, without jargon, how Windows games run on Linux, why some do not, and how to check your own library before wiping Windows.
How Windows games run on Linux at all
Most PC games are built for Windows and use Windows-only parts such as DirectX for graphics. Linux cannot run them directly.
Proton is Valve's compatibility layer, built into the Steam client. It is based on Wine (a long-running project that reimplements Windows functions on Linux) plus extra pieces that translate DirectX graphics calls to Vulkan, an open graphics API that Linux drivers support well. To the game it looks like Windows; to Linux it looks like a normal program.
You do not install Proton separately. In Steam, Linux-only users get it automatically for games that Valve has tested, and you can turn it on for any game in the game's properties under Compatibility.
Performance is often close to Windows, sometimes slightly lower, occasionally higher. The first launch can stutter while the game builds shader caches.
The Steam Deck effect
The Steam Deck, released in 2022, runs SteamOS, which is a Linux system. Valve needed Windows games to work on it, so it invested heavily in Proton and created a public rating program on the Steam store:
Rating | Meaning |
|---|---|
Verified | Works great on Steam Deck, including controls and text readability |
Playable | Works, but may need some manual tweaks (for example controller layout) |
Unsupported | Does not work on Steam Deck right now |
Unknown | Not tested yet |
These ratings are about the Steam Deck specifically, but they are a good signal for desktop Linux too, because both use Proton. SteamOS is also now available on some other handheld PCs.
Why anti-cheat is the real blocker
Competitive online games use anti-cheat software to detect cheating tools. Many of these systems dig deep into Windows, some running at the kernel level (the most privileged part of the system). That deep access does not translate well to Proton.
Two big anti-cheat vendors, Easy Anti-Cheat and BattlEye, added support for Proton in 2021. The catch: each game's developer has to switch that support on. Some did. Others chose not to, because they worry Linux makes cheating easier to hide, or because supporting another platform costs them time.
Common outcomes:
Works: the developer enabled Proton support in their anti-cheat. The game plays normally, including online.
Single-player works, online does not: the game starts, but the multiplayer mode refuses to connect.
Blocked completely: games with kernel-level anti-cheat that has no Linux support do not run. Some publishers have also removed Linux and Steam Deck support later, after it used to work. EA's Apex Legends did this in late 2024, citing cheating.
This can change with any game update, in either direction. A game that works today is not guaranteed to keep working.
Games outside Steam
Games from other stores (Epic Games Store, GOG, EA app, Ubisoft Connect, Battle.net) can also run on Linux through community launchers that use Wine or Proton under the hood. It usually works, but takes more setup, and the same anti-cheat rules apply. Fortnite is the best-known example of a game that does not run on Linux because its publisher does not enable anti-cheat support for it.
Graphics drivers
AMD and Intel GPUs: open-source drivers ship with the system and work well out of the box. This is why the Steam Deck uses an AMD chip.
NVIDIA GPUs: use NVIDIA's own driver. It has improved a lot, but on some distributions you install it as an extra step, and new features sometimes arrive later than on Windows.
If you are building a PC mainly for Linux gaming, AMD is the easiest path. If you already own an NVIDIA card, choose a distribution that makes installing its driver simple.
Picking a distribution for gaming
"Linux" is a family of systems called distributions. For gaming, the main differences are how new the graphics drivers and kernel are, and how easy it is to install Steam and NVIDIA drivers.
SteamOS: Valve's own system, the same one on the Steam Deck. Best if you want a console-like experience on supported hardware.
Mainstream desktop distributions such as Ubuntu and Fedora: large communities, official Steam packages, and good documentation. Fedora tends to ship newer drivers sooner; Ubuntu LTS focuses on stability.
Gaming-focused distributions: community projects that preinstall Steam, drivers and gaming tools. Convenient, but check how actively they are maintained before relying on one.
Whatever you choose, install Steam from the distribution's official repository or Valve's own package, not from a random download site. Keep the system updated: graphics driver and Proton updates are where most compatibility improvements arrive.
One more tip: newer hardware (a GPU released this year, a brand-new laptop) sometimes needs a newer kernel than long-term-support distributions ship by default. If your new GPU is not detected properly, a distribution with newer packages often fixes it without any manual work.
Pros and cons at a glance
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Large part of the Steam library runs well | Some major online games blocked by anti-cheat |
Free system, no forced updates or ads in the OS | Non-Steam launchers take more setup |
Often lower background resource use | Game updates can break or fix compatibility at any time |
Steam Deck ratings make checking easy | Some peripherals (RGB tools, racing wheel software) are Windows-only |
Good AMD/Intel driver support | NVIDIA setup can be an extra step |
How to check your library before switching
List the games you actually play each month, not your whole library.
Check the Steam store page for each one. Look for the Steam Deck compatibility rating.
Check the publisher's official support page for any game with online multiplayer and anti-cheat. Search for "Linux" or "Steam Deck".
Try it first: install Linux on a second drive or a spare SSD and keep Windows. Play your main games for a week.
Check your extras: voice chat, streaming software, controller and headset apps.
If one of your must-play games is blocked, keep Windows for that game (dual boot) or stay on Windows. There is no setting that safely bypasses anti-cheat, and trying to trick it can get your account banned.
Who should switch
Good fit: players who mostly play single-player and Steam games, Steam Deck owners who want the same experience on desktop, and people who want a system without ads or forced updates.
Think twice: players whose main game is a competitive shooter or another title with strict anti-cheat, and anyone who depends on Windows-only peripheral software.
Key takeaways
Proton translates Windows games to Linux and works for a large share of the Steam catalogue.
Anti-cheat support is decided per game by the developer, and can change with any update.
Check Steam Deck ratings and official publisher support pages for your top games.
Keep a way back to Windows until you have played your main games for a while.
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