If you need an easy full-screen gaming experience with Linux, perhaps with your main big TV then GamerOS looks to be the next best thing to SteamOS (since Valve aren't currently working on it).
GamerOS, despite the naff naming, is actually genuinely good. An up to date Linux distribution ready out of the box for a somewhat console-like experience. GamerOS 20 was just released, bringing the usual upgrades to things like the Linux Kernel to 5.8.10, Mesa drivers 20.1.8, NVIDIA drivers 450.66 along with updates to their own software and RetroArch 1.9 is included too.
Apart from the usual assortment of newly "certified" Steam games (what they've tested working), it also adds in support for Sega 32X, Sega CD and the Epic Games Store. There's a few issues they noted though like SEGA CD needing a BIOS supplied for it and the EGS doesn't yet have working gamepad support.
How GamerOS works is actually quite interesting as they built a tool called Steam Buddy, which is a web-based management system for installing non-Steam software.
Pictured: Steam Buddy Example
Steam Buddy can handle Flatpaks from Flathub which GamerOS 20 expanded the amount supported, and this Steam Buddy feature is how they're handling the Epic Games Store too. It does this through the use of Legendary, a free and open-source Epic Games Launcher alternative we covered before here. So far, it seems Epic themselves have left Legendary alone which is nice to see. A fun example of open source in action though, with Legendary now enabling a Linux distribution like this to hook into the Epic Games Store which has no official Linux support to run the games through Proton.
You can see their release announcement here. The GamerOS official site is here.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
QuoteSteam Buddy:So basicly, I can install Steam Buddy on my Linux Mint, and all not steam games (installed by Steam Buddy), will be available for me in Steam? Or I totally misunderstand, how this works?
After installing any app, you must restart Steam for the newly installed application or game to appear in the Steam Big Picture UI.
Ludological Oct 7, 2020
Quoting: DMGQuoteSteam Buddy:So basicly, I can install Steam Buddy on my Linux Mint, and all not steam games (installed by Steam Buddy), will be available for me in Steam? Or I totally misunderstand, how this works?
After installing any app, you must restart Steam for the newly installed application or game to appear in the Steam Big Picture UI.
Steam Buddy is a website which runs on the GamerOS computer.
For example: I have an old Steam Machine connected to the TV which runs GamerOS. I can connect to the SteamBuddy website to upload Flatpaks, ISOs etc from a laptop. For those items to appear in Steam on the GamerOS computer you need to restart Steam (either from Steam Buddy from the GamerOS comptuer itself) for them to appear.in the Steam Big Picture UI.
Hope that helps.
Mohandevir Oct 7, 2020
Quoting: mao_dze_dunAh, now we're talking. I know purists will be thoroughly pissed, but I'm plenty happy to see something like this. Market is fragmented (which is actually a good thing IMO, but I know a lot will disagree), which is why I love GOG Galaxy 2.0 on Windows. But having a Linux distro for TV that supports both Steam and Epic - now that's something else entirely. Wasn't particularly interested in GamerOS (that name IS stupid), but now I'll keep a close eye. Good job. PC gaming in general has been needing a much better living room experience.
The problem is not fragmentation. I got nothing against that. The problem is Epic with it's garbage propaganda and dubious practices. It would be the last storefront I would support, personnally. Unfortunately, many seem to forget that we vote with our wallets, when it comes to Epic. Sure thing, they won't get a dime from me.
How does it goes? "Epic sees the mote in other's eye, but can't see the beam in it's own."
This said, good job for GamerOS! Awesome console OS!
Last edited by Mohandevir on 7 October 2020 at 6:17 pm UTC
Quoting: MohandevirThe problem is not fragmentation. I got nothing against that. The problem is Epic with it's garbage propaganda and dubious practices. It would be the last storefront I would support, personnally. Unfortunately, many seem to forget that we vote with our wallets, when it comes to Epic. Sure thing, they won't get a dime from me.
How does it goes? "Epic sees the mote in other's eye, but can't see the beam in it's own."
This said, good job for GamerOS! Awesome console OS!
The great thing is you are in no way obliged to use it, so your user experience is in no way affected. People like me who do not imnd the Epic store, will appreciate it. I'd say that's a win-win. And I suggest we leave it at that as I really know how things go when somebody says something good about Epic around here :).
Quoting: mao_dze_dunGamerOS (that name IS stupid)
About the name, there is huge thread on discord about the dev asking feedback and suggestions for names, but and actually it's really difficult to find a good one. Most are taken by other gaming or semi-gaming related websites / products, or focus on a non-core feature of the OS.
No good one has been found yet (or at least when I looked at it 1-2 months ago)
Quoting: nullzeroQuoting: mao_dze_dunGamerOS (that name IS stupid)
About the name, there is huge thread on discord about the dev asking feedback and suggestions for names, but and actually it's really difficult to find a good one. Most are taken by other gaming or semi-gaming related websites / products, or focus on a non-core feature of the OS.
No good one has been found yet (or at least when I looked at it 1-2 months ago)
I always find it easier to remember names when they are not generic, so maybe they should just pick up something that is completely removed from gaming.
Mohandevir Oct 8, 2020
Quoting: mao_dze_dunQuoting: nullzeroQuoting: mao_dze_dunGamerOS (that name IS stupid)
About the name, there is huge thread on discord about the dev asking feedback and suggestions for names, but and actually it's really difficult to find a good one. Most are taken by other gaming or semi-gaming related websites / products, or focus on a non-core feature of the OS.
No good one has been found yet (or at least when I looked at it 1-2 months ago)
I always find it easier to remember names when they are not generic, so maybe they should just pick up something that is completely removed from gaming.
Maybe it could be a new label (like Nintendo, Playstation or Xbox), that defines an open source, store agnostic, pc gaming console?
At this moment, SteamOS-Compositor is the easy go to as a basis for this use-case, but who knows what the futur holds? GamerOS could come to integrate Gamehub, GoG Galaxy and/or Lutris, at some point, into a unified, controller friendly interface. Who knows, some kind of Android like OS, based on Gamescope?
Just brainstorming here... Probably not going to happen.
Last edited by Mohandevir on 8 October 2020 at 7:04 pm UTC
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