With all that’s going on. I’ve been really considering setting up a dual boot and testing Linux Mint properly. (i hate virtual desktops, but I have Mint running on one now) I know I have to make some changes to my productivity workload, as I’m an Adobe Lightroom user. I’ll keep that on Windows for now.
But my question is regarding gaming.
I play a lot of varying games, from new singleplayer and multiplayer stuff to old games back up to about 1999. I know I have to do a bunch of research setting things up, but right off the bat I have a question.
What games will not be possible to use on Linux?
For example, will something like Escape from Tarkov work? That’s a game I do not want to even install of there’s a chance it will lead to a ban.
And is comparability with older games better or worse than W11?
Edit: I just wanna extend a huge thanks to the community already! There’s some great info here so I’m gonna set up a dual boot soon!
Edit 2: Dual boot is now setup! Even though Mint makes sense from a long time Windows user. There's a bit of a learning curve. But I'll try it as a daily driver for a few days.
Right now my disk setup prioritize Windows, obviously. But if I end up loving Mint, I'll make a full switch and keep a small partition for Windows to run whatever Mint can't.
Edit3: Spent hours trying to get anything to work. Games just would not launch and I exhausted everything I found online. Trying a reinstall and Pop Os this time. Learned a bunch of lessons my first try
It can work but most of them won't check the box because Linux has a statistical overrepresentation of cheaters.
That's a claim I've heard, but never from a credible source. Are you aware of actual data backing that claim up?
Which one?
The Linux having an over representation of cheaters one.
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/02/blocking-linux-steam-deck-in-apex-legends-led-to-a-meaningful-reduction-in-cheaters/
That's the one I remember being skeptical of, since it also corresponded with a drop in players overall as the game aged.
Well, lot of devs don't allow Linux players, and I don't have a better explanation for why.
Could it be that maybe the devs are also humans and were also misled into making a decision based on bad statistics?
What bad statistics?
Because developing for Linux takes time, and it doesn't have a large enough market share to be considered worth it.
There's no development required.
It requiring extra development is the only explanation I can think of for why almost no games come with native linux builds, not even single player ones.
Well in the past it was due to extremely small userbase. 1-2% of Steam users.
Now with Proton there's really not even a good reason to make a native Linux port. They just make sure its optimized for Proton, which is usually nothing at all.