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?
What finally drove me back to windows: some games just will not work all the time:
Especially the riot games (which I mainly play) are not made for Linux. Valorant doestn run at all (correct me if this changed) because of the anti cheat.
League will only run when the chads from the internet have written a working lutris script.
While the anti cheat of valorant needs kernel privileges and this is clearly some fckd up shit on riots side and not at all Linux fault, the result still is the same: it doesn't work.
Same goes for lutris league. While riot not supporting linux is clearly their fault and the people who provide the lutris whine scripts for free for everyone are the real MVPs, the result is a disadvantage in usabilitiy compared to windows. Sometimes it takes time for the community to come up with solutions to changes in the game, sometimes the installer scripts don't work at all because of some quirk with your specific distro/ your installed packages/your monitor format/etc.pp. Sure you could configure wine yourself, but you need an computer science degree for that which I don't have.
Have you considered that not being able to play these coercive gambling slot machines might be a feature of Linux?
Or games with massive kernel level spyware! It's wild where some of the gaming space is at right now.
Exactly. I rarely want to play MP, and when I do, I'm not picky and can find something decent with good Linux support.
I'm unwilling to have kernel-level anti-cheat (no game is worth that), and I hate microtransactions, so that alone eliminates most of the games that don't work well on Linux. What's left is a ton of high quality games that respect my time, my privacy and security, and my wallet.
True, the anti cheat is just dumb.
@Jean_le_Flambeur @andruid It's dumb, but sorely needed in some games... Cheating is rife in simulated racing games (such as iRacing, F1 2023, Assetto Corsa) and those games are highly competitive. Memory hacks to increase grip or power levels for cars is commonplace. And the only place you can catch those cheats is at the kernel level... As long as people cheat, low level anti-cheat is the only possible solution :(
Who said anything about supported? I merely stated the fact that it might be good for gambling addicts to not be able to easily play these on Linux.
And yes, no big difference with cs:go and dota indeed. The general problem is F2P games that prey on so called "whales" to finance themselves.
So you don't think your answer is polemical?
You just stating facts for a rational debate?
Yes, I want to draw attention to the exploitative means these companies are using to make a shit ton of money, and Riot is one of the worst offenders. They are basically the Marlboro of the games industry.
sry, but if you think this is a rational discussion, i am not willing to have one with you as we have widley diffrent expectations on discussion culture.
But yes, catching whales and gambling mec hanics are obviously bad.
Valorant is Steam Deck verified so I'd assume it'll work on any machine through Steam. But yeah, I'd go home and rethink my gaming preferences, if i were you. And no, you don't want to sell me death sticks.
You may be thinking of Apex or some other MP game. Valorant for sure doesn’t work on Linux due to the invasive anti cheat.
I know riot is a controversial company to say it friendly, but since the games are free to play and not pay to win, I can morally live with playing them, since they are a lot of fun for me (also a lot of frustration but I guess that comes with every PvP team game).
I don't think valorant is verified on steamdeck, since riot never worked with steam and valorant isn't available on steam. Quick search on steam still doesn't find it. I think you got something wrong here.
And frankly I think passively aggressively telling someone he plays the wrong games, because they don't work on steam is a bad argument.
I really didn't mean to try to tell you what to play, sorry if it came across like that. Play whatever makes you happy. But Valorant is definitely available for the Steam Deck, I saw it in the store many times.
okay, maybe I interpreted "go home and rethink your gaming preferences" wrong. For the part where Valronant is on Steam: can you give me a link?
@Jean_le_Flambeur @hydroel I'm right there with you. If I had more of an interest in gaming, it would be valorant driving me to dual boot or something.
Lutris is the best when the community is there for sure. Blizzard games are the same way, it'll work awesome forever and then update that breaks the lutris script comes out and ruins it until some awesome community member comes out with the patch.