Still under active work, but the core paths work! Tread with caution.
A comprehensive, beginner-friendly guide to gaming on Linux—whether you use Arch, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, or anything else. Covers everything from native games to running Windows titles.
Goal: To create the definitive, distribution-agnostic resource that helps your friends and classmates play their favorite games on Linux.
before going deep into the linux gaming rabbit hole, check if your device has all the functionality working on the flavour of your rebellious penguin, EG: fans don't work properly on few HP-Omens (i own one of them sadly) UPDATE: (a month later) fans can be sped up now! kernal updates for the win!
Gaming on Linux has never been easier. Thanks to massive strides in compatibility layers like Proton and Wine, most Windows games now run with little to no tinkering. This guide is designed to get you from zero to gaming as quickly and painlessly as possible.
You're in good hands.
Some games just deny to run at all due to Kernel Level Anti-Cheats like Valorant there are absolutely no way to run them natively or through any compatibility layer as of now
| Component | Status | What This Means For You |
|---|---|---|
| Native Linux Games | ✅ Excellent | A large and growing library of titles run natively. |
| Steam + Proton | ✅ Excellent | The primary and easiest way to play Windows games on Steam [citation:6]. |
| Heroic / Lutris | ✅ Very Good | For games from Epic, GOG, etc.—works well with some setup [citation:6]. |
| Games with Anti-Cheat | Improving, but check ProtonDB for your specific multiplayer game [citation:6]. | |
| Performance | ✅ Near-Native | Expect near-Windows performance, often within a few percentage points [citation:6]. |
Follow these steps in order for the highest chance of success.
Open your terminal and run the command for your distribution:
# For Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint, Pop!_OS
sudo apt update && sudo apt install steam
# For Fedora
sudo dnf install steam
# For Arch, Manjaro, EndeavourOS
sudo pacman -S steamThis tells Steam to automatically use compatibility tools for Windows games.
- Open Steam and go to Settings > Compatibility.
- Check the box for "Enable Steam Play for all other titles".
- From the dropdown, select the latest Proton version (e.g., Proton Experimental or Proton 8.x).
- Restart Steam.
Your Steam library will now show all your games, including Windows ones. Install and launch them like normal. Steam will handle the setup in the background.
💡 Pro Tip: Before buying a new game, check its rating on ProtonDB. It's a community-run site where users report how well games run and share fixes.
If you're dual-booting with Windows, do not install games on an NTFS drive.
Linux's NTFS support can cause major issues with game file permissions and may lead to performance problems (stuttering, slow loading). The fix is simple: Move your games to a Linux-native drive (like ext4 or btrfs).
If you have an NVIDIA GPU, you absolutely need the proprietary drivers for gaming. Using the default open-source "Nouveau" driver will result in terrible performance.
Check Your Driver:
# First, check what driver you're using:
nvidia-smiIf the command fails or shows "Nouveau," install the proper driver:
# For Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install nvidia-driver-545
# For Fedora
sudo dnf install akmod-nvidia
# For Arch
sudo pacman -S nvidia nvidia-utilsReboot after installing the proprietary drivers to apply the changes.
Vulkan is the crucial, modern graphics API that Proton relies on for high performance. You must ensure its libraries are installed and functional.
Check for Vulkan:
# Check if Vulkan is working (you may need to install 'vulkan-tools' first)
vulkaninfo | grep "GPU id"Install Vulkan drivers if missing:
# For Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install mesa-vulkan-drivers
# For Fedora
sudo dnf install vulkan
# For Arch
sudo pacman -S vulkan-icd-loader mesaThis is not a big decision! Here's a quick comparison based on gaming ease and user experience to help you pick your starting point. You almost do everything in each distro, the method and ease might vary though, then there also distro-hopping
| Distribution | Suitability | Best For... | Package Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nobara | 🏆 Best (Official) | A seamless, gaming-first experience. | DNF |
| Pop!_OS | 🥈 Excellent | Top-notch NVIDIA support out-of-the-box. | APT |
| Ubuntu / Mint | ✅ Very Good | Stability and the largest help community. | APT |
| Fedora | ✅ Very Good | Cutting-edge software with good support. | DNF |
| Arch / Endeavour | ⚙️ Good (Advanced) | Users who love control and the latest packages. | Pacman |
| Debian | 🐢 Good (Stable) | Rock-solid stability over newer features. | APT |
| Kali | ❌ Not Recommended | A security toolkit, not a daily-use OS. | APT |
Our Recommendation: If you're new and just want to game, start with Nobara or Pop!_OS.
The easiest way to manage games from other stores.
# Install via Flatpak (Recommended for most distros)
flatpak install flathub com.heroicgameslauncher.hglnot maintained anymore, hence not recommended but still works 😀👍
A powerful tool that can install and configure games from almost any source.
# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install lutris
# Fedora
sudo dnf install lutris
# Arch
sudo pacman -S lutrisCommunity-enhanced versions of Wine/Proton that often fix more games. You can install them easily via ProtonUp-Qt or Heroic Launcher's built-in Wine manager.
# Install it
# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install gamemode
# Install the 'gamemode' package for your distro...
# Enable it for a Steam game:
# Right-click game > Properties > LAUNCH OPTIONS
# Add this text:
gamemoderun %command%# Install MangoHud
# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install mangohud
# ...and for your distro
# Use it with GameMode in Steam's Launch Options:
gamemoderun mangohud %command%you can also use an app like "Goverlay" to configure mangohud according to your needs (recommended), just make sure to install the flatpak mangohud and Goverlay in that case
If you have an NVIDIA Optimus laptop, use this in the Steam Launch Options to ensure the game uses the NVIDIA GPU:
__NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD=1 __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia %command%Having the correct, up-to-date graphics driver is the most important factor for performance and compatibility.
usually a headache but things can be easier if you know you gpu archeticheture arch wiki [https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/NVIDIA] has this table which makes it easy to find out the gpu drivers best suited for your gpu, all the way from curie to latest gpus 5000 series at the time of writing this
Use the proprietary driver from NVIDIA, not the open-source Nouveau driver.
Install the latest driver suitable for your GPU (like the nvidia-driver-545 example above).
Check for updates periodically, especially before installing a new, demanding game.
easy to do unlike NVIDIA Use the open-source mesa drivers. They are excellent and usually pre-installed.
For the absolute latest Mesa drivers on Ubuntu/Debian, consider adding the Kisak PPA.
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lm-sensors (Command Line): The foundational package to detect hardware sensors (sudo sensors-detect) and read temperatures/fan speeds (sensors).
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fancontrol (Command Line): Requires pwmconfig to map fans to sensors, followed by editing /etc/fancontrol for customized curves.
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CoolerControl (GUI): (RECOMMENDED!) A comprehensive application for monitoring and controlling fans on Linux, supporting custom profiles and cooling curves, even for Nvidia GPUs on Wayland.
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Fan Control (GUI - Flathub): A dedicated GUI tool to monitor sensor data in real-time and create custom fan behaviors.
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Thinkfan: Specifically for Lenovo ThinkPads.
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i8kutils: For Dell laptops.