I feel like this is a question that might have been asked around and maybe there are guides around, but that’s a discussion that I’d like to have with the lot of you.
The context
Using Linux on both my work laptop and the Steam Deck has made me quite interested in a full switch to Linux - my other computer is a gaming desktop, which I use a lot for many things, but mostly for gaming. Getting used to Linux has made me quite more intolerant to all the BS Microsoft is pushing than I used to be, the latest one being forcing the users to switch from the older email client to the new Outlook, which has a big, nice ad banner that looks like an unread email. So I’ve began wondering: after all, why not? Why shouldn’t I embrace the penguin? Well, the answer is that I should not if there are too many hinders and drawbacks in using Linux, which would make me need a dual boot instead of a single OS install.
We all know gaming has long been one of the main limiting factors in switching, but the Deck has changed the whole landscape on that front. We’ve basically switched from “Windows is the only OS suitable for gaming” to “Linux is also viable”, and the Deck has been made that available to the general audience. Therefore, nowadays, how viable is Linux for a gaming computer? What are the limitations users will encounter? Would I be able to play all the games from my Steam, Epic and GOG library with a bit of tinkering, including the new releases?
The drawbacks of using Linux (or those that I can think of)
- Other gaming launchers support on Linux suck: GOG and Epic will work through Heroic Games but Activision/Blizzard, Ubisoft, EA and Rockstar games will all be a pain, or even not work at all. Is is true? Is there any way around that?
- No Microsoft GamePass. Or none that actually matters, as the only solution is to pay for the higher tier and stream the games - so no game actually runs on the desktop. No, thanks.
- Some DRM will prevent games from working, and this is especially true for games with heavy online content.
- NVIDIA support for Linux is far from being on-par with that on Windows, especially the open-source drivers. Is this still true?
- Many devices, especially those for gaming, might not have good (or even working) compatibility drivers for Linux. I know my UWQHD monitor works flawlessly on Windows, but requires quite a bit of tinkering on Ubuntu
- Newer games might not be optimized for Linux in the first place
- Tinkering is inevitable (as with any Linux computer, really)
What can we add?
The advantages (I can think of)
- It’s free
- It’s ad free
- Customization on Linux is awesome, and I might end up spending more time ricing, breaking it all and reinstalling than gaming (see also, previous section’s 7.)
- I will no longer be sending data to Microsoft
What else am I not thinking about?
What distro?
And finally, let’s say I make the switch. What Linux distro should I use? I’ve read a bit about Drauger, Ubuntu GamePack, or even Pop! OS with some manual setup. What do you guys think, and advise?
A big one for me and the main reason I haven’t started using Linux full time, and I’m sure it’s in your points but not called out directly but anti cheat support is terrible on Linux. I own a steam deck and I used to play Fortnite with my wife and her brothers and it can technically run it (it worked on windows and install), and even if you use proton to run the windows version, I’ve heard their anticheat can straight up ban you because “Linux isn’t a supported os at this time”. It’s not that their anticheat doesn’t work on Linux or is missing a proton extension, but solely epic doesn’t want to so they aren’t supporting it. This is fairly common with big multiplayer games, like Fortnite, halo, call of duty, battlefield, and alot of others. It’s a pain since proton is built as a “use at your own risk, may not work 100% but it works atleast” and some companies actively refuse to allow that. The only way I’ve been able to play any of those games is by either cloud gaming or in home streaming which isn’t available sometimes. So until Linux doesn’t have that limitation in gaming, where alot of major triple A titles actively refuse to work solely cause it’s Linux, I can’t switch my personal PC to Linux as I already got my steam deck for Linux gaming, and my windows desktop as a backup.
That’s exactly the kind of feedback I wanted to have, thank you! I don’t think I play any game in your list, or any game that use of anti-cheat (most of the games I play are solo games anyway), which tends to suggest that I might be the kind of gamer that would be able to switch without too much to look back to.
Do you know how comparable is the performance between Linux and Windows?
Performance varies from game to game. Some can be slower, some can be faster. You’re in a very good place if you play mostly solo games. Multiplayer games is where Linux currently falls flat.