Technology

Here is my attempt to answer this genuinely and in detail. To game on Linux, I think you should be able to, or willing to learn how to:

1. Install operating systems on your computer. There are folks that genuinely can't handle this; they use the OS installed on their computer and if it breaks they either buy a new computer, or it's a trip to the geek squad or the genius bar or their brother that "works in computers." Installing Linux on a PC is practically the same skill as installing Windows on a PC; it asks you things like how you want to partition the drives and such, you have to deal with the BIOS at least a little bit. The main difference is Linux is installed by default on comparably few computers, and even then if you buy a System76, you're going to get Pop!_OS, if you want Mint, you're going to do it yourself. So.

2. Learn a bit about how to day-to-day administer a Linux system. How to update the system, how to install new software, how to uninstall software. Learn how the Linux file system works and how drives are mounted onto it, things like that. It is done differently than in Windows; some of the concepts transfer over, some don't.

3. Not completely freak out when you encounter the terminal. I have seen people pitch a complete bitch fit at the very notion that us Linux users do occasionally use the terminal for things. Here's one thing that the terminal is really great for: Your sound isn't working, you ask about this on a forum. Would you rather have someone say "Oh yeah right click the Start button and click Preferences, go to the Devices tab, scroll down and click More Information then a window will pop up, scroll down until you see Sound Card, expand this, then for each entry in there right click, click Properties, go to the Status tab, and then type what it says in there" or "Open a terminal, type lshw | grep -i audio and copy-paste what it spits out." The terminal is just your computer, you run programs by typing their name instead of clicking on an icon, that's all. Don't have a cow, man. Unless it's cowsay.

4. Play the right games. I have long attributed my success with gaming on Linux in large part to my tastes happening to align with game availability on the platform. I like small studio/indie projects, I like nerdy creative/problem solving/building games, so I play stuff like Zachtronics games and Factorio, and wouldn't you know it those folks tend to release Linux native builds, or their Windows-only games run great in Proton. I play practically no "AAA" games, I haven't bought an EA game since the SNES, and I have never owned a Bethesda game.

5. When you first install and log into Steam, go to Steam > Settings > Compatibility and turn on the option "Enable Steam Play for all other titles."