Is gaming on Linux as viable as Windows?

[jsh0]

Not long ago I came across some videos related to Wine and Proton, I didn't even know these things existed.

 

With that in mind, could you play whatever you want on Linux as you do on Windows?

 

Are there any disadvantages regarding gaming on Linux?

[Eigenvektor]

6 minutes ago, jsh0 said:

With that in mind, could you play whatever you want on Linux as you do on Windows?

No. There are a lot of games that work, but far more games that don't. This API compatibility layer is always going to lag behind Microsoft's implementation.

 

Quote

Are there any disadvantages regarding gaming on Linux?

No official support from game developers, so if something doesn't work, you have to hope someone figures out what the issue is and fixes it, if possible.

 

~edit: With that being said: I've been using Linux for more than 10 years on the desktop. Thanks to Steam, gaming these past few years has been easier than ever. But it isn't perfect, so don't go in expecting everything to just work. I still keep Windows as a dual boot option for gaming.

[Radium_Angel]

My experience:

 

Steam/Proton works great....

....until it doesn't.

And when it breaks, there is little to nothing you can do to fix it, because the tools are out of your hands.

A complete uninstall/re-install seems to fix the issue in my experience, until the next update breaks things.

 

In the end, for the whopping 2 games I play, I found it was simply not worth the hassle.

YMMV

[Radium_Angel]

This may be of some use to you

https://www.protondb.com/

 

[SupaKomputa]

The gpu driver support for linux is not that polished compared to windows.

Preparing a linux box for gaming is not that straightforward (in my experience), so scratch user friendliness for now.

 

 

[Eigenvektor]

1 minute ago, SupaKomputa said:

Preparing a linux box for gaming is not that straightforward (in my experience), so scratch user friendliness for now.

Depends. My experience with AMD has been very good, since they have open source drivers that are included with the kernel. Didn't have to do anything other than install Steam and download a game to get playing on Manjaro. But as I said, above, there are games you still want to play on Windows, especially recent(ish) AAA games.

[SupaKomputa]

2 minutes ago, Eigenvektor said:

Manjaro

This OS is frustrated me, docs are basic. People said it's the best for gaming, so i went for it.

Took me a whole day trying to fix all the bugs, then i quit, i'm not lucky i guess.

[Eigenvektor]

Just now, SupaKomputa said:

This OS is frustrated me, docs are basic. People said it's the best for gaming, so i went for it.

Took me a whole day trying to fix all the bugs, then i quit, i'm not lucky i guess.

What's a "docs", something to eat?  That said, for most things you can use Arch documentation which is really extensive.

 

To be fair, I've been using Linux on the desktop for a long time (and even longer on servers), so I'm not a total beginner when it comes to installing it and running software. Kids these days, with their Steams…

[Zando_]

37 minutes ago, Eigenvektor said:

No. There are a lot of games that work, but far more games that don't. This API compatibility layer is always going to lag behind Microsoft's implementation.

Also of note, not just the games. A lot of multiplayer titles include an anti-cheat and don't run natively on linux. All the ways I know of to get non-native stuff running on Linux will fuck with memory in a way that a lot of anti-cheats (assuming you could even get the anti-cheat to run properly to begin with) will flag as many cheat engines are based around messing with stuff in memory while the game is loaded. 

[idkfelix]

4 hours ago, jsh0 said:

Not long ago I came across some videos related to Wine and Proton, I didn't even know these things existed.

 

With that in mind, could you play whatever you want on Linux as you do on Windows?

 

Are there any disadvantages regarding gaming on Linux?

75% of steams top 1000 games are rated at gold or better on protondb

 

your biggest problem with linux gaming is anti cheat, anything that uses battle eye or eac wont work until around December when the steam deck releases

[idkfelix]

4 hours ago, Eigenvektor said:

Kids these days, with their Steams…

whats a steam? all ik is Git, thats where i download my pong from. takes days to compile tho

[whm1974]

4 hours ago, idkfelix said:

whats a steam? all ik is Git, thats where i download my pong from. takes days to compile tho

You must be new to PC Gaming... Valve Steam is a Platform where Gamers can buy and D/L Games for their PCs. These Download Services are the main reason why we don't see that many Computer games in Stores anymore.

[idkfelix]

4 hours ago, whm1974 said:

You must be new to PC Gaming...

im guessing u missed the joke

[Radium_Angel]

18 hours ago, SupaKomputa said:

This OS is frustrated me, docs are basic. People said it's the best for gaming, so i went for it.

Took me a whole day trying to fix all the bugs, then i quit, i'm not lucky i guess.

I had the same issue. You want high adoption rates? Make it user friendly. Making it arcane or elitist will only guarantee your own distro death as the novelty wears off (I'm looking at you, Gentoo)

[whm1974]

5 hours ago, Radium_Angel said:

I had the same issue. You want high adoption rates? Make it user friendly. Making it arcane or elitist will only guarantee your own distro death as the novelty wears off (I'm looking at you, Gentoo)

Define User Friendly? Xfce is considered as such by those who use it. The same with the Old KDE v3.5.x. That one took a node dive with Plasma...

[Radium_Angel]

7 minutes ago, whm1974 said:

Define User Friendly?

Friendly enough that a Windows user (not an IT person, but a casual user) can find their way around the UI without too much issue, AND install stuff without having to delve into the command line.

[whm1974]

19 minutes ago, Radium_Angel said:

Friendly enough that a Windows user (not an IT person, but a casual user) can find their way around the UI without too much issue, AND install stuff without having to delve into the command line.

There are a number of Distros which fit that Description.

[Radium_Angel]

1 minute ago, whm1974 said:

There are a number of Distros which fit that Description.

Indeed, but SupaKomputa and I were discussing Manjaro and the issues with it. It might make for an awesome gaming OS, but it won't get widespread adoption from the casuals because of the difficulty.

[whm1974]

29 minutes ago, Radium_Angel said:

Indeed, but SupaKomputa and I were discussing Manjaro and the issues with it. It might make for an awesome gaming OS, but it won't get widespread adoption from the casuals because of the difficulty.

Linux Mint. I used the Xfce Edition after I left Mandrake/Mandriva for good. Wait I switched to Bodhi Linux, the Mint... Oops...

 

But been using Manjaro since late 2015.

[Arokan]

I've been Gaming on Debian for about half a year now and I can say, that I have virtually no problems.

So, I have a 980gtx, not the newest hardware, but for gaming on 1080p still fine; runs everything I play on ultra; mostly RPGs and 4X Games.
When it comes to newer hardware, 4k, I wouldn't recommend it right now. DLSS and Raytracing are.. about not.. on linux.

On the other hand, what you might find is that games perform better on linux, because the OS just isn't as demanding as Window$.
 

Most things on steam are fine. Native or Platinum Games run perfectly out of the box. Gold Games mean "Do what's written in the comments" -> 5min, runs perfectly afterwards.

Gaming on Linux, even on Debian, really is pure joy to me. I'd try it out! Then again, depends on what you want and what you play.

[LBrocato]

most guides for installing games are written for  ubuntu / linux mint but that being said you can game on preety much any distro,The best Performers are Slackware /Gentoo and their derivatives.   With a full desktop like Kde on Gentoo/Slackware/Arch your looking at 700Mb of ram .  Just  make sure your graphic card can handle the work load 

[el_murdoque]

I run a dual boot system for two reasons:

1. Photoshop

2. Gaming. 

When I want to play a game or when I need edit something I'd rather not use GIMP for, I boot Windows. 

For everything else, plus for all the games that run native under Linux, I use Ubuntu. 

I am above your standard user level when it comes to administration of a Linux system, yet I have failed to make Proton work on my system. Not a single title works. 

Quick googling and troubleshooting yielded nothing. I need to go deeper, but have been putting that off for a year now - basically because it will be a much smoother experience to just boot Windows. 

   

[LloydLynx]

You'll often find that software user friendliness is a spectrum. On one end you have brain dead simple to do basic tasks, and the other end you have ultimate configurability. The former will annoy tf out of you with "helpful features" and won't care about reserving system resources for the user to use as well as throwaway privacy in favor of data collection, the latter will take forever to learn how to use and exposes the under-the-hood complexity of an OS to you as well as act very strangly from what you're used to so you'll definitely run into problems you don't have a clue how to fix. One is the user being served to, while the other is freedom. 

 

What I'm saying is that Linux is just better than Windows, if you're willing to leave your comfort zone back in the last town and spend a long time learning a lot. You also have to learn what hardware will work well with Linux so you don't have a completely shit experience. 

[HeroRareheart]

On 10/19/2021 at 1:06 PM, jsh0 said:

could you play whatever you want on Linux as you do on Windows?

Yes but also no. With compatibility tools in theory you can but it won't always work quite right and sometimes the games run like crap. I tried my best to give Linux gaming a chance but I felt it wasn't worth the haste and headache it caused me, granted I've been a lifelong Windows user and I was running Pop_OS so maybe that's part of my problems. I'd say keep gaming on Windows until the experience is better on Linux, but it won't hurt you to try it out.

 

On 10/19/2021 at 1:06 PM, jsh0 said:

Are there any disadvantages regarding gaming on Linux?

In my experience you will spend lots of time screwing with your computer to get it to do what you want when using Linux, but that not really the fault of Linux. For example I run Ubuntu on a kitchen PC and getting the Wi-Fi adapter I bought, which advertised Linux compatibility, working sucked mainly because I'd never compiled a driver before, the manufacture left out half the instructions, and provided me with outdated files.

 

This all said of you don't mind learning and you're ok jumping through a hoop or two go ahead and try it, if you end up liking it that's great or if like me you lose your mind after a month you can just go back to Windows easily.