Thinking about gaming on Linux but not sure where to start? In this video, I walk through the entire Linux gaming landscape — from choosing the right GPU, to picking a gaming-friendly distro, to running your games through Steam, Proton, Lutris, GOG, and CrossOver. This isn’t a deep tutorial on any one tool — it’s a practical overview and set of tips to help you navigate Linux gaming with confidence, whether you’re switching over or just curious.
Setting Reasonable Expectations
Let’s start by setting some reasonable expectations. We won’t spend too much time here, but there are quite a few misconceptions about Linux gaming, so it’s important to approach the topic with a bit of logic and realism.
First of all, gaming compatibility on Linux is actually quite good. There are thousands of games available, so Linux gamers definitely have plenty of options. That includes a large number of indie titles as well as games from major AAA publishers. Overall, the Linux gaming landscape is much better than many people assume.
However, just because there are a lot of games available doesn’t necessarily mean your favorite games are included. Everyone has different tastes, so each person’s gaming experience on Linux will be a little different.
For example, in my case, every game I’ve wanted to play over the last several years has worked on Linux. I recently completed Octopath Traveler 0, and I’ve also played through the recent remakes of Dragon Quest I–III. Because the games I enjoy happen to work well on Linux, my experience has been excellent. But that’s largely because the specific titles I want to play are available and run without much trouble.
Your experience may be different. You might enjoy games that aren’t available on Linux, or that don’t run very well. Ultimately, your personal experience depends on your game preferences and whether the publishers of those games support Linux.
I know this sounds obvious, but sometimes you’ll see people complain that Linux “sucks” because a particular Windows game doesn’t work. In reality, that’s not a very fair argument. If a game publisher chooses not to support Linux, that decision isn’t something the Linux platform can control.
If a publisher only lists Windows as a supported platform, then there’s no guarantee the game will run on Linux. Some publishers support Linux very well, while others simply don’t. That’s just the reality of the gaming ecosystem.
That said, things aren’t always black and white. As we’ll see later in the video, there are compatibility tools that can allow many Windows games to run on Linux. These tools act as compatibility layers rather than traditional emulators, and they can often produce surprisingly good results.
However, compatibility tools aren’t perfect. Some games work flawlessly, others require tweaking, and some won’t work at all. Because of that, it’s best to think of non-native games as something that might work rather than something you can always depend on.
So overall, it’s entirely possible that every game you care about will run great on Linux. But it’s also possible that one or two of your favorites won’t be supported. In those cases, we can try compatibility tools to see if they’ll run anyway.
With expectations out of the way, let’s move on to the next topic. We’ll start by talking about GPU compatibility, then we’ll look at distribution choices, and after that we’ll explore the different ways you can actually run games on Linux.
GPU Compatibility
Next, let’s talk about GPUs. As you probably already know, the graphics card in your system plays a huge role in gaming performance. Some computers come with a dedicated gaming GPU already installed, while others rely on integrated graphics. And if you’re building or upgrading a system, you might be wondering which GPU makes the most sense for Linux.
In the Linux world, the discussion usually comes down to two main options: AMD and Nvidia. Is one better than the other? Rather than framing this as a matter of opinion, let’s look at the practical differences between the two.
Starting with AMD, these GPUs generally offer the smoothest experience on Linux. The main reason is that AMD’s drivers are built directly into the Linux kernel and the Mesa graphics stack. Because of that, most Linux distributions will automatically configure AMD GPUs during installation. In many cases, you won’t need to install anything at all—everything just works out of the box. From a compatibility standpoint, AMD has a clear advantage here.
Nvidia GPUs work a bit differently. Nvidia does support Linux, but their primary drivers are proprietary. Because of licensing restrictions, most distributions don’t install the official Nvidia drivers automatically. Instead, many distributions fall back to the open-source Nouveau driver. While Nouveau allows the card to function, performance is usually far from ideal for gaming.
To get the best performance from an Nvidia GPU, you’ll typically need to install Nvidia’s proprietary driver. Once that driver is installed, performance is generally very good and games run much more smoothly.
Historically, Nvidia drivers on Linux had a reputation for stability issues and other quirks, which contributed to Nvidia being less popular among Linux enthusiasts. These problems are far less common today, but installing and managing Nvidia drivers can still require a bit more effort compared to AMD.
How you install those drivers depends on the distribution you’re using. For example, Pop!_OS offers a dedicated Nvidia edition of the installer. If you choose that version, the correct driver is installed automatically.
Ubuntu takes a slightly different approach. By default it uses the open-source Nouveau driver, but switching to the official Nvidia driver is very easy. You can simply open the Additional Drivers tool and install the recommended driver with just a few clicks.
Other distributions—such as Fedora or Debian—may require enabling an additional repository before the Nvidia driver becomes available. The process isn’t especially difficult, but it does involve a few extra steps. I’ll include links in the description to guides that walk through the process on several popular distributions.
So to summarize: AMD GPUs typically work out of the box on Linux with no extra setup required. Nvidia GPUs can also perform very well, but they usually require installing the proprietary driver first.
In my own case, my desktop actually uses an Nvidia GPU—even though I generally prefer AMD for Linux systems. The reason comes down to my workflow. Since I produce videos professionally, I rely heavily on applications like DaVinci Resolve, which tend to perform better with Nvidia hardware. That advantage isn’t necessarily about technical superiority—it’s more about industry software being optimized for Nvidia.
Finally, let’s briefly talk about integrated graphics. If your system doesn’t have a dedicated GPU, it likely relies on built-in graphics from Intel or AMD. The good news is that these typically work automatically in Linux with no setup required.
The limitation is performance. Integrated graphics generally struggle with more demanding games. That’s true on Windows as well—it’s simply a matter of hardware capability. If you’re planning to play modern or graphically intensive games, you’ll almost certainly want a dedicated GPU from either AMD or Nvidia.
Distro Choices
Next, let’s take a look at some popular Linux distributions so you can get a sense of which ones are a good fit for gaming.
We’ll start with one I’ve already mentioned: Pop!_OS. When it comes to Linux gaming, Pop!_OS is often considered one of the best choices. The distribution includes a number of tweaks and optimizations that help provide a smooth desktop and gaming experience. There’s even a dedicated Nvidia edition of the installer that comes with the proper drivers already included. Because of that, Pop!_OS tends to require very little setup before you can start gaming.
Next up is Ubuntu. Ubuntu is one of the most widely used Linux distributions, although it can be a bit controversial within the community at times. Regardless of opinions, Ubuntu has excellent hardware support and works well on most modern PCs.
For gaming, AMD GPUs are supported automatically, just like with most other distributions. Nvidia drivers aren’t installed by default, but adding them is very straightforward. All you need to do is open the Additional Drivers utility and select the recommended Nvidia driver. After that, you’re good to go.
Another solid option is Fedora Workstation. Fedora is a great desktop distribution and tends to work very well with modern hardware. The driver situation is similar to Ubuntu: AMD works out of the box, while Nvidia drivers need to be installed manually.
The process on Fedora involves enabling the RPM Fusion repository and installing the akmod-nvidia package. Once that’s done and you reboot, your Nvidia GPU should be fully enabled. It takes a few more steps than Ubuntu or Pop!_OS, but it’s still fairly straightforward. I’ll include a link in the description with instructions if you need help with that process.
Another distribution worth mentioning is Debian. Debian is extremely reliable and well known for its stability. In fact, its flagship release is literally called Debian Stable. That reliability makes it a fantastic server platform—but it can sometimes be less ideal for gaming desktops.
The reason comes down to hardware support. Debian releases move slowly, and new versions can take years to arrive. Because of that, very new hardware may not be fully supported yet.
For example, when I recently reviewed the System76 Thelio Mira, Debian Stable wouldn’t even boot on that machine. Pop!_OS, Ubuntu, and Fedora worked perfectly, but Debian struggled because the hardware was simply too new. Debian Testing—which is essentially the next version of Debian in development—worked better, but still wasn’t ideal.
So if you’re running very new hardware, Debian may not be the best choice. On older systems, though, it can work quite well. Installing Nvidia drivers on Debian is possible, but it’s a bit more manual compared to some other distributions. I’ll include a guide in the description if you want to go that route.
Finally, there’s Arch Linux. Arch can actually be a very strong platform for gaming because it provides extremely up-to-date software and drivers. It’s also a rolling release distribution, which means you install it once and continuously receive updates instead of upgrading to new versions over time.
The downside is that Arch requires more manual setup and ongoing maintenance. Installing the system itself is more advanced, and configuring everything properly takes some experience. Because of that, I generally recommend Arch only for intermediate or advanced users. The other distributions we discussed are much easier to install and maintain.
Of course, there are many other Linux distributions out there. It would be impossible to cover them all in one video, but the ones we just discussed are among the most common choices you’ll see people using for gaming.
Now that we’ve covered distributions, let’s move on to the next topic. In the following section, we’ll start looking at the different ways you can actually install and run games on Linux—beginning with the simplest methods and working our way up to the more advanced ones.
Native Games
Next, let’s start with native games. These are games that run on Linux without requiring any special tools or compatibility layers. In most cases, you simply install the game and launch it—there’s little to no extra configuration required.
Native games generally provide the best experience on Linux because they were developed with Linux support in mind. Since the game includes a Linux version from the developer, compatibility tends to be very good and performance is usually reliable.
A good place to find native Linux games is GOG. While not every title on GOG supports Linux, they do offer a large selection that does. If you browse their store, you can easily filter for Linux-compatible games to see which titles are available for the platform.
There are also many native Linux games available outside of GOG. Popular examples include Minecraft, along with a variety of indie titles and other well-known games. In addition, Steam includes a large number of games that have official Linux versions.
When you’re looking for games to play on Linux, native titles should always be your first choice. They’re the simplest option, require the least setup, and typically provide the most reliable experience. In most cases, installing and launching the game is all you need to do.
Steam and Steam Deck
Next, let’s talk about Steam, as well as the Steam Deck. When it comes to Linux gaming, Steam is easily the most important platform. Rather than downloading and installing games individually like we discussed in the previous section, Steam allows you to keep your entire game library in one place. Of course, most of you are probably already familiar with Steam, since it’s the most popular PC gaming platform overall.
Before we return to the Linux desktop, though, I want to briefly mention the Steam Deck. It might seem a little unusual to bring up here, since the focus of this video is gaming on a Linux computer and the Steam Deck is technically a handheld console. But the Steam Deck is actually a Linux device. Its operating system, SteamOS, is based on Arch Linux with a number of custom modifications.
One of the great things about the Steam Deck is that it includes built-in compatibility tools that automatically activate when needed. In many cases, games that were originally designed for Windows can still run on the Steam Deck thanks to these compatibility layers.
Some of these games are even Steam Deck Verified, which means they install and run just like native games. If a title is marked as compatible with the Steam Deck, you can usually just purchase it, install it, and start playing without worrying about the technical details behind the scenes.
Now let’s bring the focus back to the Linux desktop. In many cases, if a game works on the Steam Deck, it will also work on a regular Linux system. That’s because the Linux version of Steam includes the same compatibility technologies used by the Steam Deck.
For example, every game I’ve purchased for my Steam Deck also runs on my Linux desktop without any issues. In practice, this means that Steam Deck compatibility often translates into Linux compatibility as well.
Installing Steam on Linux is also very easy. Most popular distributions include Steam in their software repositories or app stores. However, even if your distribution doesn’t provide it directly, you can simply install the Flatpak version.
The Flatpak release works across nearly all Linux distributions, which makes it one of the easiest ways to install Steam. If you’re not familiar with Flatpak, I actually have a video on my channel that walks through how to set it up. I’ll include a card for that video here in case you want a step-by-step guide.
Once Flatpak is set up, you can install Steam directly from Flathub. Alternatively, if your distribution already includes Steam in its software center—like the Pop!_OS Pop Shop, for example—you can install it from there just as easily.
After Steam is installed, using it on Linux is almost identical to using it on Windows. Simply log in to your account, download a game from your library, click Play, and you’re ready to go.
GoG
Next, let’s talk about GOG, which stands for Good Old Games. I mentioned it briefly earlier, but I want to give it its own section so you can better understand how it works.
In general, GOG is an online store where you can purchase games, many of which are classic titles—hence the name. That said, the platform doesn’t focus exclusively on older games. You’ll also find plenty of newer titles available as well.
The way GOG works is fairly simple. You purchase a game from their website, download the installer, run it on your system, and then launch the game. Unlike Steam, GOG games are typically distributed without digital rights management (DRM), which means once you download them, you can install and play them without needing a launcher running in the background.
GOG also offers a launcher called GOG Galaxy, which is somewhat similar to Steam in that it allows you to manage your library from one central application. Unfortunately, GOG Galaxy is not available for Linux, so Linux users can’t take advantage of it directly.
That said, you can still download and play Linux-compatible games from GOG without any problem—you just won’t be using the Galaxy launcher to manage them.
When browsing the GOG store, you’ll notice that games list the platforms they support. Some titles are available for Windows, others for macOS, others for Linux, and some support multiple platforms. Before purchasing a game, it’s important to check whether a Linux version is available.
Linux support on GOG is somewhat mixed, but there are still quite a few excellent titles available. If you find a game you’re interested in and it includes Linux support, installation is usually very straightforward.
So overall, GOG is another great place to look for Linux games. Not every title supports Linux, but many do—and when they do, installing and playing them is usually very simple.
Lutris
Next, let’s talk about Lutris. Lutris is one of my favorite Linux gaming tools, and it’s been around for quite a while. In fact, I’ve been such a fan of the project that I even challenged one of its developers to a game of Street Fighter. And of course… I totally destroyed him.
Joking aside, Lutris is a very interesting application because it serves several different purposes.
At a basic level, Lutris can act as a central hub for your gaming accounts. You can connect services such as Steam, GOG, Humble Bundle, the Epic Games Store, and others. This allows you to access games from multiple platforms in one place, which can make managing your library much easier.
But that’s only part of what Lutris can do.
Lutris can also help you run non-native games on Linux. In some cases, it can even launch Windows versions of games through compatibility tools and custom configurations. For example, you can log into the Windows version of Steam through Lutris and attempt to run games that normally wouldn’t have Linux support.
Because of this flexibility, Lutris often acts as a Swiss Army knife for Linux gaming. It can manage your game libraries, connect multiple services, and help run games that might not otherwise work on Linux.
To get started with Lutris, you’ll first need to install it. There are several ways to do that, but one of the easiest methods is installing the Flatpak version, since the process is the same regardless of which Linux distribution you’re using.
Many distributions also include Lutris in their software repositories. For example, on Pop!_OS you can simply open the Pop Shop and install it directly from there.
Depending on what you’re trying to run, Lutris can sometimes require a bit of extra setup. Certain games may need additional tweaks or configuration before they’ll work properly. However, once everything is set up, Lutris can be incredibly powerful and very useful for managing your Linux gaming experience.
CrossOver
So far, we’ve covered several platforms that offer native Linux games. Some games can be downloaded and run directly, while platforms like Steam and GOG provide Linux versions of many titles. And that’s great—because native games will almost always provide the best experience.
But what happens when one of your favorite games doesn’t have a Linux version?
For example, maybe a game you enjoy is only available for Windows. In many cases, Steam can still run Windows games through its built-in compatibility tools. But sometimes that doesn’t work. Does that mean you’re out of luck?
Not necessarily.
There are several compatibility tools designed to help Windows software run on Linux, and one of the more well-known options is CrossOver.
CrossOver is developed by CodeWeavers, and it’s been around for quite a while. Its purpose is to help Linux users run non-native software by including a number of built-in tweaks, compatibility fixes, and application-specific workarounds.
Unlike many other Linux gaming tools, CrossOver is a paid application. At the time I’m recording this video, CrossOver for Linux costs about $74. Because of that, it’s important to consider whether it’s worth the investment for your particular needs.
Another thing to keep in mind is that results can be mixed. Some games run very well through CrossOver, while others may have issues or may not work at all. Since the software isn’t free, there’s always a bit of uncertainty when purchasing it.
To help with that, CrossOver maintains an application compatibility database on their website. This allows you to search for specific games or applications to see how well they’re reported to work.
For example, if you search for Diablo IV, you’ll see that it has a compatibility rating of 3 out of 5. That means the game may run reasonably well, but you could encounter some issues. On the other hand, Grand Theft Auto V Legacy Edition is rated much higher and tends to run very well.
So before purchasing CrossOver, it’s a good idea to check their compatibility database and see whether the games you want to run are listed.
The good news is that CrossOver also offers a free trial, so you can test it out and see how well it works for your system before deciding whether to buy it.
Wine
Continuing on, another solution for running non-native games on Linux is Wine. Wine is a compatibility layer that allows Windows software—including games—to run on Linux.
Despite what the name might suggest, Wine is not an emulator. Instead, it works by translating Windows API calls into Linux equivalents in real time. In other words, it acts as a kind of translator that allows Windows applications to communicate with the Linux system.
If you have a Windows game you’d like to run on Linux, Wine may be able to make that possible.
The main drawback with Wine is that results can vary depending on the software you’re trying to run. Some games work very well, while others may require tweaks—or may not work at all. Another challenge is that setting up Wine for a specific game can sometimes be a very manual process. In certain cases it can even become a bit tedious.
Fortunately, many guides and tutorials are available online that walk you through the steps required to run specific games with Wine. If you’re willing to follow a guide and do some experimenting, you may be able to get a surprising number of Windows games running.
Earlier I mentioned CrossOver, and it’s worth noting that CrossOver actually builds on top of Wine. The main difference is that CrossOver tries to simplify the process by automating much of the configuration and including built-in tweaks for certain applications.
The tradeoff, of course, is that CrossOver is a paid product, while Wine itself is free and open source. If you choose not to use CrossOver, you’ll simply configure Wine directly instead.
Even though it can take a bit of effort to set up, Wine remains a powerful tool. With the right configuration—and sometimes a bit of patience—you may be able to run games that otherwise wouldn’t be available on Linux.
Dual Boot
Finally, let’s talk about the last resort. What should you do if none of the solutions we discussed actually work for a game you want to play?
In that case, one option is to set up a dual boot system with both Linux and Windows. With a dual boot configuration, you can simply reboot your computer and choose which operating system to start. Whenever you want to play a game that only works on Windows, you would boot into Windows and run it there.
This approach works very well from a compatibility standpoint, because in this scenario you’re simply running Windows games on Windows. That means you won’t have to worry about compatibility layers, tweaks, or workarounds.
However, there are a few downsides.
The first is convenience. Every time you want to switch between Linux and Windows, you’ll need to reboot your computer. For some people that’s not a big deal, but personally I find it a bit disruptive. If I’m working on something in Linux and have several applications open, I don’t enjoy having to save everything, close my work, and reboot just to play a game.
Another potential issue is that Windows updates can sometimes interfere with the bootloader used for dual boot systems. In some cases, a Windows update may overwrite the Linux boot configuration, which means you’ll need to repair the Linux bootloader before you can boot back into Linux again.
That doesn’t happen all the time, but it’s something that can occur and can be a bit tedious to fix if it does.
Overall, dual booting can still be a very practical solution. It gives you full access to Windows compatibility while still allowing you to use Linux as your primary system. The main drawbacks are the need to reboot and the occasional maintenance required to keep the dual boot setup working properly.
So while it may not be the most convenient option, dual booting is always there as a fallback if none of the other Linux gaming solutions work for the games you want to play.
