What percentage of new Windows PC games you can play also on other OS?
- Thread starter kremiso
- Start date
Crayon
Member
It's really good now. I use Linux and when proton came out, I used to check ahead of time if the game worked before I bought it. It got better and better, and now I just buy games assuming they'll work.
Rarely, one doesn't, and I refund it. That's very few cases though, and I actually don't know if those problems were also present in windows.
The major exception is multiplayer games with anticheat that blocks linux.
For single player games, I would say the vast majority work.
Edit: oh, I forgot. There are some times that a game doesn't work and you learn to go straight into the option menu and flip to a different proton version. That is more of an occasional thing that will happen. But another proton version solves it. I've gotten so used to it I didn't really think about it. That shows how easy it is, though. Still, it's not flawless.
Rarely, one doesn't, and I refund it. That's very few cases though, and I actually don't know if those problems were also present in windows.
The major exception is multiplayer games with anticheat that blocks linux.
For single player games, I would say the vast majority work.
Edit: oh, I forgot. There are some times that a game doesn't work and you learn to go straight into the option menu and flip to a different proton version. That is more of an occasional thing that will happen. But another proton version solves it. I've gotten so used to it I didn't really think about it. That shows how easy it is, though. Still, it's not flawless.
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Soodanim
Member
For a rough idea of how much better it is:
Scroll down for some visualised statistics. Bare in mind this is Steam's whole library so there are obscure things that might never be covered
If you don't need games that use rootkit anti-cheat you can probably get by with the vast majority of games now. It's much easier to be Linux only than it used to be.
Scroll down for some visualised statistics. Bare in mind this is Steam's whole library so there are obscure things that might never be covered
If you don't need games that use rootkit anti-cheat you can probably get by with the vast majority of games now. It's much easier to be Linux only than it used to be.
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crackajack
Member
Does Proton get updated for specific games? So a really fresh new release might not work, but waiting a couple of days or weeks, changes it already? At least for major releases? And old stuff, that does not work yet, hardly changes to playable anymore? Kinda like the Xbox compatibility where they gave up on the rest, probably mostly stuff that isn't high demand anyway.
Crayon
Member
No it's a lot easier than that. You usually don't worry about the proton version. Steam keeps several versions and there's a drop-down in a games options in your library to manually change it. Most times I found a game to have trouble, randomly fiddling with that fixes it. It's actually kinda braindead.
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pudel
Member
To my surprise, there are even lots of games with anitcheat who are working 100% flawless on linux. Helldivers2, Marvel Rivals, Apex Legends etc. pp....just to name a few.
Dont know how this black magic works.
Crayon
Member
To my surprise, there are even lots of games with anitcheat who are working 100% flawless on linux. Helldivers2, Marvel Rivals, Apex Legends etc. pp....just to name a few.
Dont know how this black magic works.
On some, the decision is arbitrary to block linux. They actually work fine.
Durin
Member
It seems like at this point it's less than 10% of the overall Steam library that either can't be played on Linux (anti-cheat, certain old games), don't run particularly well, or if you're on a handheld might have some annoying launcher/tiny UI interaction before booting into the game.
Given Valve seems to be in the early stages of having Proton translate to arm-based chips, I could see MacOS in a few years having a significantly bigger Steam game library to enjoy too.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Windows games on Linux has quite frankly never been better.
Linux in many ways is a superior experience.
But...and there are some SIGNIFICANT buts.
1. Nvidia compatibility, despite massively improved in the last year, is still rather poor. It's most noticeable in DX12 titles. Those games often suffer a 20% performance penalty on Linux compared to Windows. If you have an nvidia GPU, it makes little sense to use Windows.
2. Anti-cheat software is often exclusive to Windows and will not work on Linux.
Minor buts.
1. No access to spatial audio such as Atmos or DTS:X
If neither of the above apply to you, and you are running an AMD GPU then you can install Linux and run games as well and often BETTER than Windows.
Unless...you are connecting it directly to your TV you will lose access to full bandwidth HDMI 2.1 4K/144 10-bit HDR 444
You can still get 4K/120 8 8-bit 420...which doesn't look as bad as you think and most people would never notice the visual difference, despite on paper there is a huge bandwidth difference.
Durin
Member
This is also something I hope Valve could solve. Mainly because Steam already sells actual non-game software, so if they could sell Dolby's app like the Window store to get Atmos audio, that would be cool. No idea if there are any limitations with the pipewire Linux audio back-end to do so, but it would be nice.
I'm just glad Substance Painter & Designer work on Linux through Steam, and I don't have to touch adobe creative cloud drm.
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Dalbajobas
Member
On a trash apple like 3% ?
Syphon Filter
Member
proton is not native though, its not actual linux games. there are some native linux games out there though.
Topher
Identifies as young
The OP didn't ask about native, but what does it matter?
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
You can still get 5.1 and 7.1, so it's hardly a deal breaker.
I am annoyed that in Windows as I prefer to use DTS:X (IMO that sounds more alive than Atmos) is that spatial audio only activates when games or software is using spatial audio. This may not seem like a big deal, but it can cause a very nasty sound pop when switching from Windows generic sound to Atmos/X. Whenever, I exit a game I wish there was a way to force Windows to keep Atmos/DTS:X always on so.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
In many cases proton actually produces BETTER than native Linux results.
Topher
Identifies as young
DirtInUrEye
Member
How about essential gaming support software such as RTSS, Special K (HDR etc) and ReShade? What about Vulkan? I'm really looking for a way to move away from Windows, but then I'm also into playing online stuff like as Battlefield. It just seems like there's still a tonne to consider.
Durin
Member
Yeah, the whole thing is just a minor issue, I just think Atmos on headphones sounds great in certain games. Same with how I want Nvidia to port over their broadcast app, since I think it works better in Discord to filter out background noise/echo than Krisp.
Topher
Identifies as young
MangoHUD will replace RTSS. I believe Proton translates DirectX into Vulkan. Can't speak to Special K and ReShade.
GitHub - flightlessmango/MangoHud: A Vulkan and OpenGL overlay for monitoring FPS, temperatures, CPU/GPU load and more. Discord: https://discordapp.com/invite/Gj5YmBb
A Vulkan and OpenGL overlay for monitoring FPS, temperatures, CPU/GPU load and more. Discord: https://discordapp.com/invite/Gj5YmBb - flightlessmango/MangoHud
github.com
Durin
Member
RTSS equivalent is either Goverlay or Mangojuice if you wanna do frame cap stuff, and ReShade does work in Linux but might require command line arguments for some games.
HDR can be done with gamescope on AMD/Intel cards in the sort of hacky way Steam Deck OLED does, but legit HDR support is being worked on and likely will be a thing before this year is over based on current progress.
Like Topher said, Proton is essentially translating Windows games that typically run Direct X into the Vulkan graphics API instead, which runs on Linux natively. Some Windows games do use Vulkan as well, and so performance on those is going to be the same if not better in Linux.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Yes, it does. Its a big reason why I wish all developers would abandon Direct X and just switch to Vulkan.MangoHUD will replace RTSS. I believe Proton translates DirectX into Vulkan. Can't speak to Special K and ReShade.
GitHub - flightlessmango/MangoHud: A Vulkan and OpenGL overlay for monitoring FPS, temperatures, CPU/GPU load and more. Discord: https://discordapp.com/invite/Gj5YmBb
A Vulkan and OpenGL overlay for monitoring FPS, temperatures, CPU/GPU load and more. Discord: https://discordapp.com/invite/Gj5YmBb - flightlessmango/MangoHud
Given that DX12 is nvidia's Linux achilles heal, that would go a long way to making nvidia viable in Linux.
Don't get me wrong nvidia still has a lot to fix, but that is currently their worst issue.