Playing games on Linux used to be a far-fetched idea, but you should know that game makers are starting to cash in on the surging Linux audience. Even such big names like Valve and Steam are creating utilities that let Windows games work on Linux machines – not just Ubuntu, but all the other Linux devices too.
Nowadays, without too much trouble, people can enjoy their Windows games on Linux, thanks to recent progress made in Linux gaming tech. The upcoming section will discuss the various tools you can use for this.
Is Linux Good For Gaming?
The answer is yes and no. While Ubuntu-based devices have made significant strides in providing an open-source operating system that caters to both programmers and gamers, some games may not be compatible with Linux. However, purchasing a separate gaming device may not be necessary, as there are ways to research and install the right packages and drivers to make most games work on Linux.
Moreover, browser-based games are available to play on any system, including Linux, Windows, and MacOS. Many latest and highly entertaining games, such as slot machines found on www.bodog.eu/casino/slots, have web browser versions, allowing players to enjoy them instantly without the need for optimizing their gaming experience or spending money on expensive gaming platforms.
So, there is always an option to choose. Moving on to our topic now, there’s a ton of cool apps and tools out there that can totally blow your mind with how many PC games you can play on Linux.
How to Play PC Games on Linux
After figuring out that you can now play the best Windows games on Linux, the sick part is that there’s a ton of ways to make it happen depending on what kind of game you’re down for. Check out these dope apps:
Wine
Wine is one of the top tools to get Windows applications running on Linux. WineHQ dropped their first stable version (1.0) that could support the 300 most top-ranked PC games. The latest Wine even has a rating system to show you if your system can handle the game you wanna play.
If you see a Platinum ranking, you’re golden – that means you’ve got a super high chance of the game working without any glitches. A Gold ranking means you might need to do a little tweaking, but it should still work. Then there’s Silver and Bronze ratings – those mean there might be some problems with the game that need fixing.
Steam Play
It lets you easily play PC games by acting as a translator between the two operating systems. It’s a top-notch tool that transforms Windows DirectX calls into Vulkan API calls, allowing for improved compatibility and performance.
Plus, Steam Play also works with external controllers and Steam Overlay. To start using Steam Play, you’ll need to first install Steam for Linux, which can be found through your app center mode. If you need help with installing it, check out our guide on gaming with Steam on Linux.
CrossOver
This is an upgraded program that’s built on top of Wine, and comes with top-notch tech assistance – a step up from its older version. Nonetheless, it’s not free of charge, and you gotta pay up for a subscription to utilize it. The price of CrossOver may seem steep, requiring you to shell out $200 every month, but the extra perks make it worthwhile.
Lutris
Lutris is a game management tool that enables the installation and management of games on Linux, including Windows apps and emulators. Unlike Proton, which is a Wine-based compatibility layer for Steam games only, Lutris can be used to improve the gaming experience for games from various platforms like Blizzard. You can download Lutris using the command lines below.
Where to Find Linux-Compatible Games
As of now, companies are stepping up and making games for Linux, and there are a bunch of great places where you can find them. These are some of our favorites:
- Steam: This is the spot for digital gaming, with a sick collection of Linux-compatible games at unbeatable prices, and sometimes even for free.
- Portable Linux Games: This website has got a solid selection of Linux games available for download on 32-bit systems.
- GOG.com: You can find a ton of Linux-native games on this platform. Cop them and add them to your account. The main difference between this and Steam is that it’s all web-based.
- Repositories: Most Linux distributions have a software repository where you can find a bunch of games. Ubuntu’s Centre even has an awesome section specifically for gaming, and other distributions like Linux Mint have similar setups.
In case the game you want to play is not available on Linux directly, there are tools that can help you play several latest Windows games on your OS.
Using a Virtual Machine
If you’ve tried everything else and you still can’t get your fave PC games to work on Linux, you might want to think about throwing a virtual machine on your rig and running Windows OS within that. While this is a viable option, it can be resource-intensive and may not be suitable if you have limited hardware capabilities.
Bottom line, more and more folks are making the switch from Windows to Linux because of all its unique features and top-notch security. With the tools we mentioned earlier, you can have easy access to games on your Linux system and get your hands on a whole heap with Windows-compatible titles.
