Nine out of ten Windows games can now run on Linux, data shows

[Alfonso Maruccia]

Game On: Compatibility between gaming applications and Linux operating systems keeps improving. According to recent statistics, most players can now expect to run the majority of their gaming sessions on an open source operating system. Only a few stubborn exceptions are still resisting this new reality.

Aggregated data from the Linux community highlights the significant progress made in gaming on Linux. Compatibility between titles originally designed for Windows and the wider free and open source ecosystem (FOSS) built on the Linux kernel is now at an all time high, although the pace of improvement has slowed.

Crowdsourced data about Linux gaming is collected by ProtonDB, an unofficial community website built around user reports on Valve Proton. The technology builds on the long standing efforts of Wine developers, providing a translation layer for Windows native APIs such as DirectX.

ProtonDB rates each game according to its level of compatibility with the Linux world. "Platinum" games run with no issues right out of the box, while "Gold" games work almost as well with only minor tweaks. "Silver" games are not perfect but remain playable. Bronze titles sit between Silver and Borked, while "Borked" games refuse to run at all.

According to Boiling Steam, truly non working Windows games on Linux are now rare. The amount of games that still fail to launch has continued to shrink, and now represents only 10%. In other words, roughly 90% of Windows games can now be played on Linux, even if some still require small workarounds.

The share of Platinum and Gold rated games has also grown steadily, which means that a large portion of the Windows catalog now offers a satisfying experience on Linux. Some titles, such as March of Giants, are reportedly being sabotaged to prevent Linux compatibility, while others continue to rely on anti cheat systems that have never supported open source platforms.

Valve, a major force in PC gaming, is now focused on turning Linux into a first rate gaming experience through Proton and the Steam Deck family of handheld devices. The company is working directly with developers to improve compatibility from day one. The upcoming end of support for Windows 10 may convince even more players to make the switch.

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Nine out of ten Windows games can now run on Linux, data shows

 

[Kirby1]

Performance over all still needs to come a long way, and support for modern games is the real issue.

 

[Burty117]

And yet everyone sticks to windows because “its what I know and comfortable with” yet still complain in every comment section on how garbage windows is.

Microsoft needs to squeeze just a little bit harder and hopefully enough people will spend the time getting used to Linux and make the switch.

 

[Melkor Unlimited]

Performance over all still needs to come a long way, and support for modern games is the real issue.

Modern games are not the issue.
Chep-Anti code is.

 

[pnntmp]

It's hard to imagine a claim more id1otic than "most players can now expect to run the majority of their gaming sessions on an open source operating system"
WTF that even means?

Just tell us how many of the top 10 games run on Linux without issues, or at all. I bet the answer is not "Nine out of ten".

 

[Kirby1]

Modern games are not the issue.
Chep-Anti code is.

Gotta imagine cheating would be a much worse issue if linux were popular enough to get a lot of cheaters to use it.

 

[NotYourITguy]

Maybe 1/10 linux users comes off as not completely insufferable to be around though, so there's that. The linux community is still a large reason why I specifically don't want to use it.

 

[p51d007]

And yet everyone sticks to windows because “its what I know and comfortable with” yet still complain in every comment section on how garbage windows is.

Microsoft needs to squeeze just a little bit harder and hopefully enough people will spend the time getting used to Linux and make the switch.

I play around with Linux in a VM on my windows box. Once they can get ALL windows programs to run on Linux, I'll switch. I use several work related apps that for various reasons, are not compatible with Linux.

 

[loki1944]

But almost 0% of pc users actually use a standalone linux os; like 70% Windows and 15% macos which is just as restrictive/invasive as Windows 11.

 

[airbornex]

Every time Proton beats another stubborn AAA title into submission I imagine Gabe Newell absorbing its soul like an XP orb and the Steam Deck gets slightly stronger.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

But almost 0% of pc users actually use a standalone linux os; like 70% Windows and 15% macos which is just as restrictive/invasive as Windows 11.

So what is the other 15%?

 

[brucek]

It's really cool to see that progress but unfortunately it's measuring the wrong bottom line statistic, which is "For how many people are there no important titles that don't run well on Linux."

Still hoping on Steam Deck to create enough pressure so you don't end up with these major franchises that won't run, but until that happens, a lot of people are going to feel they need to keep that Windows system handy even if there's lots of other titles they could enjoy on linux or another platform.

 

[amghwk]

Modern games run even better in Debian and Fedora, compared to Windows itself!

And WINE can run older DirectDraw games very well, compared to Windows, especially after Windows dropped support for DD.

There are many great games that used DirectDraw those days.

 

[Kirby1]

Modern games run even better in Debian and Fedora, compared to Windows itself!

And WINE can run older DirectDraw games very well, compared to Windows, especially after Windows dropped support for DD.

There are many great games that used DirectDraw those days.

There are a few games that run better on Linux, but on average performance is massively better on Windows, and I suspect you already know this.

 

[Gallifrey2]

As Melkor Unlimited stated modern games other then those using the kernel anti-cheat run just fine. Depending on your comfort level with installing OS's try Bazzite or CachyOS. Bazzite is better for those with with a lower comfort or experience level. Cachy is better for those with more experience, however, both run steam very well with no issues. I have installed both on multiple machines and all my steam games run great.

 

[Gallifrey2]

There are a few games that run better on Linux, but on average performance is massively better on Windows, and I suspect you already know this.

Sorry but that is just completely untrue. I switched one game rig to Bazzite and I have been very happy with the performance and yes all of the games do in fact run better then they did in Windows.

 

[Gallifrey2]

Maybe 1/10 linux users comes off as not completely insufferable to be around though, so there's that. The linux community is still a large reason why I specifically don't want to use it.

I totally get what you are saying but I would not let them dissuade you from trying. If you have a machine you can try linux gaming out with then try Bazzite or CachyOS. I find with Bazzite that Steam works fully after the install. It runs better with an AMD GPU just like SteamOS does. There are games you have to choose a different proton version for but I really did not run into too many issues.

 

[user556]

Sorry but that is just completely untrue. I switched one game rig to Bazzite and I have been very happy with the performance and yes all of the games do in fact run better then they did in Windows.

Yeah, sure are lots of out-of-touch old worn out lines being rolled out in the comments.

 

[takaozo]

Call me back when Linux can run one cracked game. Or when I copy a installed game into a folder and I do not have to do anything to it.

Until then...

 

[MasterAce]

I can run ubisoft connect, access my ubisoft plus membership and run AC shadows with same graphics (very high + RT) with same performance as in windows, under WINE.

So many programs have native builds like blender, ue5, OBS, or Davinci Resolve.

Linux is more capable than ever and while it doesn’t run every program, many can certainly make the transition if they are ready to change some apps for others.

 

[Kirby1]

Sorry but that is just completely untrue. I switched one game rig to Bazzite and I have been very happy with the performance and yes all of the games do in fact run better then they did in Windows.

Hmm I guess all those benchmarks that compare the two are lying.

 

[Nobina]

If total amount of games was 10, 9/10 would be a great stat.

 

[GTvon]

So 10% don't play at all but 4 out of 5 of the ratings are games that don't just work like the do on Windows. So actually about 10% of games will work as well ok limits as on Windows. That's your selling point?!
Lol
Pass. As a casual gamer I don't want to even try to play games on linix or run any apps on it at all. I don't want to spend that much of my gaming time not gaming.

 

[Melkor Unlimited]

Modern games are not the issue.
Chep-Anti code is.

Gotta imagine cheating would be a much worse issue if linux were popular enough to get a lot of cheaters to use it.

Issue is not players on Linux wanting to use Cheating.
Issue is the very cheap, poorly written, Anti-Cheat code.

Who wants to cheat, will.
DRM, TPM, kernel space code, whatever else ... does not matter.

 

[Melkor Unlimited]

Call me back when Linux can run one cracked game.

To cheat do you want?

... Or when I copy a installed game into a folder and I do not have to do anything to it.

Does this work on WIndows?
Take a game folder and copy it to different rig?

Until then...

If you ask for game instaled to Linux from the same source as for Windows ...
You are late.
Many years late.

It worked when the Last issue of Windows held name NT 4.0 and Windows XP was only on drawing boards.