Gone are the times when Linux avid gamers needed to leap by means of hoops to make their favourite video games work on their favourite distro. Due to Valve and Proton, freshest releases work day one on Linux gaming machines with little to no tinkering.
Even large, triple-A blockbusters usually work day and date on Linux, one thing that was thought-about nigh unattainable just some years in the past. Listed below are 15 video games you could play in your Linux PC with little to no tinkering.
1
No Man’s Sky
Virtually a complete decade has handed because the ill-fated launch of No Man’s Sky. Hey Video games, nevertheless, managed to show the sport into an absolute win throughout the intervening years. In 2025, No Man’s Sky is without doubt one of the finest choices for followers of each survival and video games set in area.
The sport ought to work on most Linux distros with out tinkering. For those who encounter points, the commonest tinkering steps embrace switching to Proton Experimental and never disabling shader pre-caching. When you’ve got issues working the sport, go to the No Man’s Sky ProtonDB page.
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2
Lifeless by Daylight
Dead by Daylight is an analogous age to No Man’s Sky, and regardless of it being nearly a decade outdated, the sport continues to be frequently discovered fairly excessive on Steam’s prime 100 chart. Its distinctive asymmetrical strategy to multiplayer made it one of many early “4v1” success tales, and regardless of most different makes an attempt fading into oblivion, Lifeless by Daylight is as standard as ever.
The sport runs wonderful on Linux normally, with none tinkering. That stated, being a live service game implies that any new replace would possibly mess issues up for Linux avid gamers, which is often mounted with a brand new Proton model. For those who encounter errors, you would possibly need to swap to Proton Experimental or Proton GE, or pressure the sport to launch in DX11 mode. You’ll find extra data on the game’s ProtonDB page.
3
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is my private 2025 GOTY, to date a minimum of. A superb medieval RPG that insists on realism, excellent for followers of the style who like to speak their approach out of nearly each state of affairs. The fight is subpar, however every thing else is top-notch.
I played KCD II on my Steam Deck on day one and did not encounter any points. If something, the sport runs even higher than it did at launch.
You would possibly need to use the next launch choice in Steam should you’re having points with the display turning off when taking part in with a controller:
gamemoderun %command%
The problem stems from Wayland, which might typically fail to acknowledge controller enter, resulting in the display timing out. For those who encounter further hurdles, go to the game’s ProtonDB page to see if yow will discover an answer.
4
Guild Wars 2
I keep in mind making an attempt out Guild Wars 2 when it went free-to-play in 2015. Whereas I am not an MMO gamer within the slightest, I had a enjoyable couple of weeks leveling up and exploring Tyria. A decade later Guild Wars 2 continues to be one of many hottest MMORPGs available on the market, for good motive.
For those who’re a Linux gamer looking for a Linux-friendly MMORPG to sink your enamel into, Guild Wars 2 is arguably your best option on the market. As of this writing, the sport works nice out of the field—you would possibly need to swap to Proton Experimental for a efficiency increase. Steam Deck gamers also needs to swap to a group management format because the sport is optimized for keyboard and mouse.
Try Guild Wars 2‘s ProtonDB page for potential options in case you come across some other points.
5
Deadly Firm
One of many hottest co-op horror pastimes available on the market could be a hilarious expertise due to the sport’s proximity chat. For those who’ve bought a few buddies to workforce up with and embark upon a scrap-collecting journey happening in deserted industrial enclaves all throughout the galaxy, by all means, examine Lethal Company out.
Deadly Firm works flawlessly out of the field, which is nice information for an Early Access sport. You will probably need to tinker with launch instructions a bit if you wish to mod it, although, in addition to set up r2modman. You’ll find extra pertinent data on the game’s ProtonDB page.
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6
THE FINALS
A multiplayer shooter not made by Valve that works nice on Linux? It is extra doubtless than you assume due to THE FINALS. Cube veterans from Embark Studios made a superb aggressive shooter, and whereas the sport had struggled with retaining gamers, it might now be frequently discovered on the Steam prime 100 chart.
THE FINALS works nice on most distros out of the field, however an occasional replace would possibly make it quickly unplayable. You might need to make use of the most recent Proton Hotfix or swap to Proton Experimental bleeding-edge—discover Proton in your Steam Library, go to properties > betas, and allow Proton Bleeding Edge—in case the sport provides you hassle. For extra potential options, go to the game’s ProtonDB page.
7
Black Desert
Black Desert is one other MMORPG that works nice on Linux. The sport turned 10 final December, however regardless of its age, it is extra standard than ever. It has been on Steam since 2017, which is arms down the easiest way to play it on Linux.
It ought to work wonderful on Linux out of the field, until you are dwelling in South America, since that model of the sport is damaged for Linux gamers. You would possibly encounter longer loading occasions, however normally, working the most recent steady model of Proton ought to offer you extra frames than on Home windows. That is one other sport that advantages from the next launch choice:
gamemoderun %command%
Additionally, ensure that it runs in full-screen mode. Steam Deck house owners ought to swap to one of many many group management layouts. For more information, there’s the game’s ProtonDB page.
8
Battle Thunder
War Thunder has been some of the standard multiplayer video games for years now. Its distinctive providing, which incorporates planes, tanks, battleships, and shortly infantry, proved to be a profitable formulation for tons of avid gamers the world over.
Typically, Battle Thunder works flawlessly on Linux; no tinkering is required. The one limitation as of penning this appears to be the shortage of ray tracing results for AMD GPU house owners. You would possibly want to modify to Proton Experimental after an replace, however that is just about it. For those who encounter distinctive points, the game’s ProtonDB page will all the time be there to the rescue.
9
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the most important breakaway hit of 2025 and a sport that may find yourself on many GOTY lists. I am taking part in it proper now and I can verify that it slaps. The fight is the spotlight for me, however the story is not far behind quality-wise.
Surprisingly, the sport has been working completely on Linux from day one. As soon as once more, use the next launch choice should you’re taking part in with a controller:
gamemoderun %command%
However apart from that, this is without doubt one of the finest video games to play on Linux in the mean time. As all the time, I like to recommend visiting the game’s ProtonDB page to learn how the sport runs in your Linux distro.
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10
Cut up Fiction
On the lookout for some split-screen co-op action in your Linux PC? How about the perfect split-screen co-op sport available on the market, Split Fiction? The sport seems nice, performs even higher, and despite the fact that the story’s sort of meh, the gameplay makes Cut up Fiction Hazelight Studios’ finest sport but.
Since that is one other title that performs significantly better with a controller, hit it with the next launch choice:
gamemoderun %command%
If the sport fails to acknowledge your controller, switching to Proton Experimental ought to resolve the difficulty. Go to Split Fiction’s ProtonDB web page for more information concerning the efficiency and compatibility with totally different distros.
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