Before switching to Linux, use ProtonDB to check each game's compatibility tier - roughly 90% of Steam titles run through Proton, but kernel anti-cheat titles remain blocked. Search any game on ProtonDB for crowd-verified reports and the best Proton version.
Before you wipe Windows and commit to a penguin, the sensible move is to find out whether your actual library runs. The good news for anyone eyeing Linux gaming is that the answer is usually yes: Valve's Proton compatibility layer translates Windows games on the fly, and a community database tells you exactly how well each title behaves before you take the plunge.
Check every game you care about on ProtonDB before switching to Linux. Roughly 90% of Steam titles run through Proton, often flawlessly, but games with kernel-level anti-cheat remain blocked. ProtonDB shows a crowd-verified compatibility tier per game plus the Proton version that works best, so you can confirm your library in a few minutes.
Proton is a compatibility layer Valve builds on top of Wine. It sits between a Windows game and Linux, translating the calls the game makes so it runs without a native Linux build. For the player it is mostly invisible: you install a Steam game and it launches. The reason coverage is so high is that Valve has poured years of work into Proton to make the Steam Deck viable, and the Deck runs Linux, so every Deck-verified title is by definition a Linux-capable title.
Under the hood, Proton uses DXVK to translate Direct3D 9, 10 and 11 calls to Vulkan in real time, and VKD3D-Proton handles Direct3D 12. This means even titles built for older DirectX pipelines get modern translation. The result is that performance often lands within a few percent of native Windows, and in some cases the Vulkan back-end actually outperforms the original DirectX path on the same hardware.
Go to protondb.com and search a game by name. Each entry shows a medal-style tier built from player reports:
Work through your most-played titles first. If they sit at Gold or Platinum, your everyday gaming will feel almost identical to Windows. The reports also list the Proton version and any launch options that helped, which saves you guesswork. Handhelds like the Steam Deck made this whole ecosystem mainstream, and you can see the current crop in the handheld gaming consoles at Evetech.
The one consistent wall is kernel-level anti-cheat. Some competitive multiplayer titles ship anti-cheat that refuses to run under Proton, and a handful of publishers actively block Linux even when the technology could work. GamingOnLinux maintains a live anti-cheat compatibility list that currently tracks over 220 games with some form of protection, and Are We Anti-Cheat Yet is a crowd-sourced companion resource.
The picture is not entirely bleak for competitive players. In 2026 more publishers are opting their anti-cheat implementations into the Proton flow: EasyAntiCheat and BattlEye both have runtime packages in Steam that enable Linux compatibility for titles whose developers choose to turn it on. Some semi-competitive shooters with large player bases now carry Platinum ratings on ProtonDB precisely because their EasyAntiCheat implementation was opted in. The divide is commercial rather than purely technical: it comes down to each publisher deciding whether to validate their title on the SteamOS runtime. If your main game is a competitive shooter, check both resources specifically, because that single factor can decide whether Linux is viable for you at all. Everything single-player and most co-op tends to be fine.
ProtonDB focuses on Steam, but you are not limited to it. Tools like Lutris and Heroic let you run games from other launchers through similar compatibility layers, and many of those titles work too. Epic Games Store titles and GOG releases run through Heroic with Wine or Proton, and community install scripts in Lutris smooth over Battle.net games. The picture is brightest inside Steam, so if most of your library lives there, the path is smoothest.
Rather than checking titles one by one, the ProtonDB website and third-party tools let you connect your Steam account and generate a compatibility overview of your entire library. This bulk view highlights at a glance which of your owned games are Platinum or Gold, which need tweaks, and which are currently Borked, making it easy to make an informed decision before committing to a switch.
Both major GPU brands work under Linux, but driver maturity differs noticeably. NVIDIA cards require proprietary drivers that are now well supported and easy to install on most distros, but occasionally lag on new kernel versions. AMD's open-source AMDGPU driver ships inside the Linux kernel itself, which means it is available from day one on a fresh install with no separate driver package needed. For gaming specifically, AMD cards benefit from fewer driver-related headaches, while NVIDIA's latest generation still leads in raw rasterisation and AI features. Whichever GPU you have, check ProtonDB reports filtered to your card model to see real-world results from users on the same hardware. If you decide a full desktop is the better home for Linux gaming, the best-selling gaming PCs at Evetech give you the horsepower to drive it.
Around 90% of tested Steam titles run through Proton, many of them flawlessly. The main exceptions are games with kernel-level anti-cheat or publishers that deliberately block Linux.
For most titles the gap is small, and some games even match or beat their Windows frame rates because the Vulkan translation path can be more efficient than the original DirectX route. A few demanding titles run slightly slower, which is why checking individual ProtonDB reports is worth the time.
Almost always because of kernel-level anti-cheat that refuses to run under Proton, or a publisher block. The game code itself might work fine, but the protection layer stops it launching.
Yes. ProtonDB is public, so search any title whether or not it is in your library. This lets you plan a switch around what you intend to buy as well as what you already have.
Both major GPU brands work, though driver maturity differs. AMD's open-source drivers are built into the Linux kernel for a smoother out-of-the-box experience, while NVIDIA's proprietary drivers work well but require installation. Check that your specific card has solid Linux driver support, and read ProtonDB reports from users on the same hardware where you can.
Enable Steam Play for all titles in Steam's settings, and install the EasyAntiCheat Runtime and BattlEye Runtime from your library if you play games that use those systems. Beyond that, Proton activates automatically when you launch a Windows-only game and picks the best version it knows for that title.
Curious about Linux-friendly gaming hardware? Browse the gaming PCs at Evetech and pick a rig that runs your Proton-verified library at full pace.
Around 90% of tested Steam titles run through Proton, many of them flawlessly. The main exceptions are games with kernel-level anti-cheat or publishers that deliberately block Linux.
For most titles the gap is small, and some games even match or beat their Windows frame rates because the Vulkan translation path can be more efficient than the original DirectX route. A few demanding titles run slightly slower, which is why checking individual ProtonDB reports is worth the time.
Almost always because of kernel-level anti-cheat that refuses to run under Proton, or a publisher block. The game code itself might work fine, but the protection layer stops it launching.
Yes. ProtonDB is public, so search any title whether or not it is in your library. This lets you plan a switch around what you intend to buy as well as what you already have.
Both major GPU brands work, though driver maturity differs. AMD's open-source drivers are built into the Linux kernel for a smoother out-of-the-box experience, while NVIDIA's proprietary drivers work well but require installation. Check that your specific card has solid Linux driver support, and read ProtonDB reports from users on the same hardware where you can.
Enable Steam Play for all titles in Steam's settings, and install the EasyAntiCheat Runtime and BattlEye Runtime from your library if you play games that use those systems. Beyond that, Proton activates automatically when you launch a Windows-only game and picks the best version it knows for that title.
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