Looking forward to 2021 for gaming on Linux? We are and there's plenty of sweet indie games coming to get interested in and follow along. Now and then we like to stop, slow down a moment and just take it all in as so many announcements get lost in a vast ocean of news.
Here's just a small slice of games and expansions confirmed for Linux desktop support through 2021, hand-picked for those that look like they could be worth keeping an eye on. Some have likely been mentioned across other articles but this is a fresh gathering for you. Some will be entering Early Access, some leaving to hit the big 1.0. Not everything has an up to date trailer but we're including one where we can.
Alchemic Cutie
"Alchemic Cutie is a wholesome relaxing RPG set on colorful Wimba Island. While taming wild jellies, you’ll meet villagers, enter jelly competitions and uncover the secrets of the island."
Release Date: Sometime in 2021. See it on: Official Site - Steam - itch.io
APICO
"APICO is an upcoming casual-sim game about breeding and collecting bees. Set in a series of lush environments, it uniquely combines farm building, resource gathering & production, and beekeeping minigames."
Release date: June 2021. See it on: Official Site - Steam - itch.io (demo available)
Arcadian Atlas
"Arcadian Atlas is a 2D isometric tactical role playing game about the choices people make in pursuit of the things they love, and the havoc it wreaks on a kingdom."
One from a Kickstarter we totally missed!
Release date: sometime in 2021. See it on: Steam
ASYLUM
"An epic supernatural horror adventure and the spiritual successor to cult classic Scratches set in a massive, decaying mental institute. Inspired by H. P. Lovecraft, Hammer Films and twisted Euro Horror from the 80s."
Release date: Sometime in 2021. See it on: GOG - Steam
Backbone
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"Backbone is a noir roleplaying detective adventure. You are raccoon private eye Howard Lotor, a second-class citizen of dystopian Vancouver, BC inhabited by animals. Interrogate a diverse cast of characters, collect evidence, and choose which leads to follow."
Release date: Sometime in 2021. See it on: Steam (try the free Prologue)
Bonfire Peaks
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"Bonfire Peaks is the latest puzzle game designed by Corey Martin, developer of Pipe Push Paradise & Hiding Spot, with art by Mari Khaleghi and Zach Soares. Featuring a beautiful and distinctive voxel-based art style, Bonfire Peaks is a dense game full of expertly designed challenging puzzles, with no filler content."
Release date: Sometime in 2021. See it on: Steam - itch.io
Book of Travels
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"Ready your pack, grab your walking stick and step into a world of mystery and legend. Craft a unique character and immerse yourself in the enchanted lands of Braided Shore. Set your own goals and adventure alone or together with Travellers you meet on the road in this serene TMORPG."
Release date: Q2 2021. See it on: Steam
Cyber Knights: Flashpoint
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"Cyber Knights is a tactical RPG in an original cyberpunk setting ten years in the making. Build your team of hackers, mercs and thieves wisely; their stories will become interwoven with your own. Use powerful cyberware, shady connections, stealth, hacking and more to rise in the neon-soaked future."
Be sure to check out our previous interview with the developer Trese Brothers.
Release date: Early Access in 2021 sometime. See it on: Steam
Dead Cells - Fatal Falls (DLC)
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"Gain a sharp and somewhat overprotective aerial ally as you fight through two new biomes and a boss! Challenging level designs will force you to rethink your approach in this new mid game content designed to add variety to your runs and continue support for the development of the game."
Release date: Q1 2021. See it on: Steam
Death Trash
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"A world where cosmic horrors long for humanity but meet punks with shotguns. Influenced by post-apocalyptic, horror, and cyberpunk classics, but with a fresh personality of its own. Death Trash combines the crunch and depth of old-school, role-playing classics with the controls and game feel of modern games."
Release date: Sometime in 2021 (early access). See it on: Steam
dotAGE
"Forget about epic battles, lone heroes, splendid cities, and see how dark the Dark Ages actually were!
In dotAGE, you are the village elder, spiritual guide of a secluded village. A dark omen was seen above your village and the Apocalypse looms over it. Plan, build, produce, research, lead your Pips in these awful times and protect them as the heavens unfold their wrath on your puny village. Will you find what caused the Apocalypse?"
Release date: sometime in 2021. See it on: Official Site - Steam
Dwerve
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"Dwerve is a tower defense dungeon crawler RPG. It tells the story of a young dwarven tinkerer that adventures into dwarven ruins armed with turrets and traps, the only weapons that can protect the dwarves from Witch Queen Vandra the Wicked and her army of bloodthirsty trolls and monstrous creatures."
Release date: no exact date in 2021. See it on: Official Site - Steam
Encodya
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"Neo Berlin 2062. Tina – a nine-year-old orphan – lives with SAM-53 – her big clumsy robot guardian –in a rooftop makeshift shelter in Neo-Berlin, a dark megalopolis controlled by corporations. Tina is an urban jungle kid, who has learned to live alone, scavenging from city dumpsters and eking out a living from scraps. Her funny robot is always with her, programmed to protect her no matter what."
Release date: January 26. See it on: Steam
Ex-Zodiac
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"Ex-Zodiac is a fast-paced rail shooter with a stylized look reminiscent of early 90's 3D games. Join protagonist Kyuu as she fights to free the worlds of the Sanzaru Star System, overrun by the intergalactic terrorist organization known as Zodiac."
Release Date: Early Access in 2021. See it on: Steam (try the free demo)
Impostor Factory
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"Impostor Factory is a narrative-driven adventure game that is categorically out of its mind.". Following on from To the Moon & Finding Paradise. Where does it fit in? Is it a sequel? "Maybe not. Maybe it's a sequel. Maybe it's a prequel. Maybe it's both. But again, there is no prerequisite to playing Impostor Factory." according to Freebird Games.
Release date: Spring 2021. See it on: Steam
Inscryption
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"From the creator of Pony Island and The Hex comes the latest mind melting, self-destructing love letter to video games. Inscryption is an inky black card-based odyssey that blends the deckbuilding roguelike, escape-room style puzzles, and psychological horror into a blood-laced smoothie. Darker still are the secrets inscrybed upon the cards..."
Release date: sometime in 2021. See it on: Steam
Learning Factory
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"A factory automation game that applies machine learning to find the answer to a question: what do cats really want? Build, craft, renovate a factory, design automated production lines, sell goods to cats and learn how to analyze data with real-world machine learning."
Release date: sometime in 2021. See it on: Steam (play the Alpha demo now)
Luna's Fishing Garden
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"Luna's Fishing Garden is a cozy fishing and building game. Catch fish, trade it in and create the garden of your dreams by planting new trees, placing water objects and bringing animals to the archipelago."
Release date: March 2nd. See it on: Steam
Metro Exodus
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"Metro Exodus is an epic, story-driven first person shooter from 4A Games that blends deadly combat and stealth with exploration and survival horror in one of the most immersive game worlds ever created.
Explore the Russian wilderness across vast, non-linear levels and follow a thrilling story-line that spans an entire year through spring, summer and autumn to the depths of nuclear winter."
Did you forget about this one? They confirmed it's still coming.
Release date: sometime in 2021. See it on: Humble Store - Steam
Mutropolis
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"MUTROPOLIS is a lovely sci-fi adventure set on the abandoned Planet Earth. Play as Henry Dijon (hero, nerd, detective) in search of a legendary lost city. Uncover weird ancient artifacts. And PLEASE don’t get obliterated by an ageless evil. You’ve been warned."
Release date: Q1 2021. See it on: Steam
Narita Boy
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"Become symphonic in Narita Boy! A radical action-adventure as a legendary pixel hero trapped as a mere echo within the Digital Kingdom. Discover the mysteries behind the Techno-sword, lock swords with the corrupt and tainted Stallions. Save the world!"
Release date: sometime in 2021. See it on: Steam
Nebuchadnezzar
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"Nebuchadnezzar is a classic isometric city builder game inviting players to experience the mysterious history and culture of ancient Mesopotamia. In the campaign, players get to rule over influential historical cities filled with magnificent monuments."
Release date: February 17. See it on: GOG - Steam
OFF GRID : Stealth Hacking
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"OFF GRID : Stealth Hacking is a 3rd person stealth hacking game where data is your most powerful weapon. OFF GRID forgoes combat for hacking tools and ingenuity, and is completely moddable."
Release date: sometime in 2021. See it on: Steam
One Lonely Outpost
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"Start a farming colony and grow it into a vibrant community. Choose from traditional animals and natural produce or opt for robo-cows and gene-spliced crops. You can take a break from farming by mining, socializing with colonists, finding a love interest, exploring alien ruins, and so much more!"
Release date: 'late' 2021. See it on: Steam
Patrick's Parabox
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"Patrick's Parabox is a mind-bending puzzle game that explores a unique recursive system of boxes within boxes within boxes within boxes. Learn to manipulate the world's structure by pushing boxes into and out of each other. Wrap your head around what happens when a box contains itself, and learn to use infinity to your advantage. Explore more mechanics and recursive twists as you delve deeper and deeper into the system. It's boxes all the way down."
Release date: sometime in 2021. See it on: Steam (play the demo now)
Plague Inc: The Cure
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"Can you save the world? Take control and stop a deadly global pandemic by any means necessary. Allocate resources to boost testing capacity, make facemasks compulsory, lock down countries or investigate experimental treatments in Plague Inc.’s biggest expansion ever!"
Release date: early 2021, free until "until COVID-19 is under control". See it on: Steam
Prodeus
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"Prodeus is a first-person shooter of old, re-imagined using modern rendering techniques. It reaches the quality you expect from a AAA experience while adhering to some of the aesthetic technical limits of older hardware."
Early Access currently only supported on Windows
Release date: expected later in 2021. See it on: Humble Store - Steam
Psychonauts 2
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"Razputin Aquato, trained acrobat and powerful young psychic, has realized his life long dream of joining the international psychic espionage organization known as the Psychonauts! But these psychic super spies are in trouble. Their leader hasn't been the same since he was kidnapped, and what's worse, there's a mole hiding in headquarters. Raz must use his powers to stop the mole before they execute their secret plan--to bring the murderous psychic villain, Maligula, back from the dead!"
Release date: sometime in 2021. See it on: Steam
Pyramid Plunge
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"Pyramid Plunge is a lighthearted action platformer with procedurally generated levels that offer a challenging experience every time you play. Take control of an odd cartoony couple and protect your partner from peril. Have complete freedom while you explore the fully-destructible pyramids of ancient civilizations filled with deadly creatures, booby traps and immense treasure. Be fast or slow, greedy or cautious, safe or reckless... it's all about fine balance between risk and reward!"
Release date: Early Access in Q1 2021. See it on: Steam (free demo out now)
Roadwarden
"Roadwarden is an illustrated text-based RPG that uses isometric pixel art and combines mechanics borrowed from RPGs, Visual Novels, adventure games, and interactive fiction, such as inventory puzzles, dialogue choices, character abilities and progression, hit points. simple survival mechanics. or quests restricted by in-game time."
Release date: sometime in 2021. See it on: itch.io - Steam (demo up on both)
Rogue State Revolution
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"Rogue State Revolution is a nation-building political thriller from LRDGames, the creators of Rogue State, Deep Sixed and Precipice. You helped to transition your beloved country from a monarchy into a true democracy. Now it is time to rebuild, reform and prepare for new challenges as the Glorious People's Republic of Basenji becomes a new political, economic and cultural hotspot."
Release date: Early 2021. See it on: Steam
Rosewater
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"It's been several years since Harley Leger left New Bretagne and headed west, hoping to leave the past behind and make her way as a freelance writer. After arriving in the sleepy border town of Rosewater, a seemingly trivial assignment for the local paper leads to the hunt for a missing man's fortune—and the story of the century.
Harley and her ragtag posse embark on a harrowing journey across Western Vespuccia, encountering bandits, rebels, visionaries, eccentrics, and many more friends and foes on their quest for fame and riches."
Release date: sometime in 2021. See it on: GOG - Steam
Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood
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"Scarlet Hood and the Wicked Wood is a story-driven adventure game. As Scarlet, you must relive seven days of misfortune, and make a series of decisions to guide your Munchkin troupe safely out of the Wicked Wood. Experience branching outcomes based on your decisions. Most importantly, immerse yourself in a bewitching story of fantastic adventure!"
Release date: Early Access in February. See it on: Steam
SkateBIRD
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"Grind on bendy straws, kickflip over staplers, and carve killer lines through cardboard and sticky tape parks, in SKATEBIRD®!
You're a lonely lil' bird, and your Big Friend has hung up their board for good. Their job sucks, and lately, they're barely ever home to play with you. You're gonna fix all that with the power of being a chill little skateboarding bird. You may be tiny, but the more you skate, the more friends you’ll make. Birds will come check out your park, help you find more parks, and together you'll (somehow) fix Big Friend's life! Above all else, skate birds try their best."
Release date: sometime in 2021. See it on: Steam
Skellboy Refractured
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"Sometimes, when there is nobody up to the task, old heroes have to rise from the grave to save the day! Crush your enemies and make good use of their guts - literally, as you can augment Skippy with your foe's body parts and weapons!
Help Skippy, the cubic skeleton, to fight off Squaruman's endless forces of undead and vicious foes in this rectangular action packed cardboard adventure!"
Release date: January 13. See it on: Steam
Skul: The Hero Slayer
Currently in Early Access right now, 1.0 this year
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"Skul: The Hero Slayer is an action-platformer that boasts rogue-like features such as ever changing and challenging maps. It will keep you on your toes, as you will never know what to expect.
The human race attacking the Demon King's castle is nothing new and has happened countless times before. What makes this time different though, is that the Adventurers decided to join forces with the Imperial Army and the 'Hero of Caerleon' to lead a full onslaught in hopes of wiping out the Demons once and for all. They attacked the Demon stronghold with overwhelming numbers and succeeded in its total destruction. All of the demons in the castle were taken prisoner except for one lone skeleton named 'Skul'."
Release date: 1.0 coming on January 21. See it on: Steam
Spacebase Startopia
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"Spacebase Startopia captivates with its original mixture of economic simulation and empire building strategy paired with classic RTS skirmishes and a good dose of humor. In addition to the challenging single player Campaign and the versatile battle mode, there are also competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes for up to four players. And as if maintaining the three Space Station Decks, entertaining the eight Alien races and defending against enemy invaders were not enough of a challenge, the dynamic narrator AI is not going to mince matters and commentates the events in a lovely but sharp-tongued manner."
Release date: Spring 2021. See it on: Steam
Starmancer
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"After a catastrophe on Earth, humanity launches the Starmancer Initiative in a desperate attempt to seek refuge among the stars. Millions of refugees upload their consciousness into your memory banks--entrusting their minds and the future of the human race to an Artificial Intelligence, a Starmancer. To you.
Your task as a Starmancer is to construct and manage a space station capable of sustaining human life, regrow bodies for the thousands of minds trapped in your memory banks, and to defend your station at any cost. Hopefully your governing protocols weren't damaged during the flight."
Release date: later in 2021. See it on: Steam
The Darkside Detective: A Fumble in the Dark
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Originally known as The Darkside Detective : Season 2.
"Delouse your room with sage and pack up your travel-sized ouija board, it’s time to enter Twin Lakes - America’s 34th most haunted city. Join Detective McQueen as he puzzles his way through six chilling cases, risking life and pixelated limb to solve the macabre mysteries that plague this poor town."
Release date: later in 2021. See it on: GOG - Steam (demo available now)
Them's Fightin' Herds
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Currently supported on Windows, Linux due at the 2.0 update as noted here.
"Them’s Fightin’ Herds is an indie fighting game featuring a cast of adorable animals designed by acclaimed cartoon producer Lauren Faust. Beneath the cute and cuddly surface, a serious fighter awaits!"
Release date: later in 2021. See it on: Humble Store - Steam.
Ultimate ADOM
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"Experience the sequel of a traditional roguelike dungeon-crawling classic. Endless procedurally generated dungeons, countless monsters, grafting, crafting and a vast amount of skill trees and items allow for unlimited replayability. Journey into the ever changing depths of the Caverns of Chaos."
Release date: February 11, 2021. See it on: Steam
Unpacking
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"Unpacking is a zen puzzle game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part “item Tetris”, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking. Over the course of eight house moves, you are given a chance to experience a sense of intimacy with a character you never see and a story you’re never told."
Release date: later in 2021. See it on: Steam
Valheim
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"A brutal multiplayer exploration and survival game set in a procedurally-generated purgatory inspired by viking culture. Battle, build, and conquer your way to a saga worthy of Odin’s patronage!
A battle-slain warrior, the Valkyries have ferried your soul to Valheim, the tenth Norse world. Besieged by creatures of chaos and ancient enemies of the gods, you are the newest custodian of the primordial purgatory, tasked with slaying Odin’s ancient rivals and bringing order to Valheim.
Your trials begin at the disarmingly peaceful centre of Valheim, but the gods reward the brave and glory awaits. Venture forth through imposing forests and snow-capped mountains, explore and harvest more valuable materials to craft deadlier weapons, sturdier armor, viking strongholds and outposts. Build a mighty longship and sail the great oceans in search of exotic lands … but be wary of sailing too far..."
Release date: when Odin is please. See it on: Steam
Viscerafest
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"The year is 3796, and you are Caroline. A bloodthirsty, psychopathic mercenary who wants nothing more than to marry her wonderful boyfriend Athens Fetter. Problem is money's tight, and rings aren't exactly cheap. But thankfully there may be hope for her yet, as a warlock named Cromune has acquired a rather hefty bounty on his head. He's being accompanied by a small fraction of the U.S.C. (The United Scientific Conglomerate) Lead by Dr Mortice. Which means he's got a small army defending him. But what's an army to someone who's taken on a legion? What're a few hundred soldiers to death incarnate? Nothing but a slaughter... Nay... A viscerafest."
Release date: sometime in 2021. See it on: Steam
X4: Cradle of Humanity (DLC) + 4.0 free update
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"X4: Cradle of Humanity, the second big expansion for X4: Foundations, brings the X series back to Earth. While significantly increasing the size of the game's universe with new sectors, the expansion also welcomes two Terran factions to X4: Foundations, along with their economy, ships, weapons and stations. New game-starts introduce the identity and political stance of the Terran factions, as well as give an alternative perspective on existing story developments in X4: Foundations.
X4: Cradle of Humanity also sheds a light on what has happened to Earth in the decades since the jump-gate shutdown. Furthermore, a certain pirate faction that is well known to fans of the series is making a dramatic comeback."
Release date: Q1 2021. See it on: GOG - Steam
That's just a few of what looks interesting or what we're excited to try. There's absolutely loads more that will be offering up Linux builds through 2021. This list should get you going for some to look at.
What are you looking forward to trying?
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Looking forward to Prodeus and Metro Exodus as well, even though the latter works perfectly in wine/proton and probably Prodeus also
Last edited by Xpander on 6 January 2021 at 11:57 pm UTC
Quoting: NezchanOpen Roads scheduled for 2021
Hadn't heard of this one, and the Steam page doesn't indicate Linux support. Have they promised it somewhere?
Last edited by Spirimint on 7 January 2021 at 9:55 am UTC
Quoting: kaimanLooking through my own list of interesting upcoming games, Linux support is mostly absent. Sad.That's thanks to Proton I guess. Why bother with a bad port when Proton does it better?
This is good - as long as it works.
Makes the preferable native releases feel very thin today.
Ah, anyway, good that I've a huge backlog of games to play (or replay) :)
Quoting: PhlebiacQuoting: NezchanOpen Roads scheduled for 2021
Hadn't heard of this one, and the Steam page doesn't indicate Linux support. Have they promised it somewhere?
It's from Fullbright, who's been very good on Linux support in the past. Same folks who did Gone Home and Tacoma.
I'm disappointed not to see Vulcanoids slated for release in the coming year, but I can sette well enough to know that it's still healthy and moving forward apace.
Last edited by lelorrain on 10 January 2021 at 3:10 pm UTC
on_en_a_gros Jan 7, 2021
Quoting: 14I feel like we're starting to see the negative impact of Steam's Proton. That is: Larger development studios are no longer building (or porting) Linux releases because they can get Linux buyers "for free" anyway. Linux gamers (myself included) will buy the Windows version and rely on a compatibility tool to play.I dunno. That may be the negative impact of Proton, or it may simply be a long term withdrawal due to market share. Back in the days when Valve was ramping up for the Steam Machine, Linux acquired a certain . . . perception that there might be momentum. Even after the Steam Machine failed, I think studios made quite a few games for it on the feeling that Valve would at some point do something that would push Linux share. That never happened, and we've been gradually returning to the base level of studio support one might expect for an OS with a 1%-ish market share ever since.
(Well, plus a bit more because its omnipresence everywhere except the desktop, plus sentimental/technical/ideological fondness for open source, commands quite a bit of developer mindshare. But still, especially at the larger studios, 1% with no obvious expectations for growth doesn't lead to a lot of development.)
Mind you, I do think that Linux desktop share is slowly growing . . . but it's very slow. And share of gaming desktops is probably growing slower than desktop share overall. Reasonably enough, because frankly while it's easy to argue that overall, Linux as a desktop is better than Windows and maybe Mac right now . . . there really is no argument for Linux being a better gaming desktop than Windows right now. This has little to do with the inherent characteristics of Linux as an OS and much to do with problems caused by market share. And it's plenty good enough for me because I'm a light gamer and my favourite kinds of games are well represented on Linux, and plausibly plenty good enough for many Linux users who game. But still, if you're going to ask which desktop is better for gaming right now, the answer is unfortunately obvious--even if Windows' advantages are largely irrelevant to my personal gaming experience, they are nonetheless there.
We could really use some sort of disruptive event that boosted market share to a level where developers needed to pay attention to us. Even getting to 10% would make a massive difference given the relative ease of cross-platform development nowadays. If that happened I don't think Proton's existence would particularly hold back native development.
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