Unified Linux Wine Game Launcher (UMU) from Thomas "GloriousEggroll" Crider version 1.1.1 is out now as the first official release to help improve Linux desktop and Steam Deck gaming.
A refresher on what it is: despite the name, it's not a launcher in the sense of it being an app like Steam, Heroic Games, Lutris, Bottles, Legendary and so on. Instead, it's a tool that various apps can use to run Windows games on Linux, acting as a copy of the Steam Runtime Tools and Steam Linux Runtime that Valve uses for Proton to allow Proton to properly run outside of Steam.
From the release notes:
First official release of UMU launcher!
- Should work inside both flatpak and snap
We do not have official builds for flatpak or snap yet, but instructions are provided on building and using for both:
https://github.com/Open-Wine-Components/umu-launcher/tree/main/packaging/flatpak
https://github.com/Open-Wine-Components/umu-launcher/tree/main/packaging/snap
So what does it actually mean? It means that any app can run games using Proton just like they would from inside Steam so you can get a good experience with Windows games on Linux / Steam Deck from Epic Games, GOG, Amazon and various other stores via apps like Heroic, Lutris and others (when they add in full support for UMU).
This is all part of Open Wine Components, and so all apps will end up using the same online database of game-specific fixes that some games need to run properly via protonfixes. In short: better compatibility overall for gaming — eventually.
More info on the GitHub.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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fenglengshun Oct 4
Umu! That is some good news. Looking forward to integration in Heroic, Lutris, and Bottles.
9 Likes, Who?
Looking forward to integration in Heroic
It's already in Heroic (experimental flag) :)
9 Likes, Who?
Nateman1000 Oct 4
If there’s UMU why not OMO /s
3 Likes, Who?
Wow.
It took me several minutes of research just to understand what this code is supposed to do.
It took me several minutes of research just to understand what this code is supposed to do.
1 Likes, Who?
GloriousEggroll is really doing a lot for Linux gaming. Glad we have a guy like that in our community.
11 Likes, Who?
Just a question: what about games not on steam? My understanding is, they can't be run in umu, because the database entry is missing for them.
Will they fallback to wine-GE or something, if I try to start them in Lutris or heroic?
Will they fallback to wine-GE or something, if I try to start them in Lutris or heroic?
0 Likes
Also, can it be used to run native games? On steam you can choose a linux runtime that will solve possible future compatibility problems (I think). Like for example, new versions of libraries no compatible with the game.
1 Likes, Who?
what about games not on steam?The last time I looked, you had to manually specify a fitting profile. If there is nothing for the game then it would be mostly like running wine-ge.
1 Likes, Who?
Dont see the point of this. PortProton has been doing this for ages - I can use it to run proton, TKG builds, etc and download it all right from the app. It even let you run Ragnorok on day 1. It has alot of game specific fixes and configurations too
Last edited by Cato-the-younger on 4 October 2024 at 2:56 pm UTC
Last edited by Cato-the-younger on 4 October 2024 at 2:56 pm UTC
0 Likes
If a non-Steam game needs "protonfixes" to run, they can be submitted to the umu-protonfixes repository and the respective ID to the umu-database. The game can be in any store or in no store at all.what about games not on steam?The last time I looked, you had to manually specify a fitting profile. If there is nothing for the game then it would be mostly like running wine-ge.
3 Likes, Who?
so is this basically like going into steam and doing the "add non steam game" from the menu? But just in a different launcher?
That's how I was able to get the battlenet launcher to work as well as the awful ea launcher I think. (battlenet instructions from this site!)
Also, lol at the name ... where exactly did the letters umu come from?!?!?!?
Last edited by Jarmer on 4 October 2024 at 3:48 pm UTC
That's how I was able to get the battlenet launcher to work as well as the awful ea launcher I think. (battlenet instructions from this site!)
Also, lol at the name ... where exactly did the letters umu come from?!?!?!?
Last edited by Jarmer on 4 October 2024 at 3:48 pm UTC
1 Likes, Who?
so is this basically like going into steam and doing the "add non steam game" from the menu? But just in a different launcher?You can use it to run vanilla Proton (from Valve) outside of Steam or in any umu supported launcher. But
primarily it simplifies things for third party Proton builds like GE or others used by Lutris and Heroic.
If built against the Steam Runtime there would be no need for a separate projects like Wine-GE-custom, and same day support for Proton-GE and similar in Steam, Lutris and Heroic (when umu support is finalized).
At least as I understand it.
2 Likes, Who?
As much as I love Valve, proton outside Steam needs to exist. Hooking up windows games from Gog or itch.io to Steam is a mild pain. Here's to a little competition, even if a little outmatched. 
6 Likes, Who?
If built against the Steam Runtime there would be no need for a separate projectsNo. The wine version used by Proton (official or GE) uses patches that make assumptions about a running Steam client.
Wine-GE builds have (or had since they are discontinued) have those patches reverted.
0 Likes
Caldathras Oct 4
Also, can it be used to run native games? On steam you can choose a linux runtime that will solve possible future compatibility problems (I think). Like for example, new versions of libraries no compatible with the game.To my knowledge, this project has nothing to do with native games. That being said, I could see how this could be incorporated into the project. The idea has very beneficial possibilities ...
0 Likes
Caldathras Oct 4
Unified Linux Wine Game Launcher?Certainly less of a mouthful than ULWGL.
Maybe I'm not understanding your response correctly but, my understanding of the whole point of the project is to remove the need for Wine-GE completely by essentially enabling Proton to function without a running Steam client.If built against the Steam Runtime there would be no need for a separate projectsNo. The wine version used by Proton (official or GE) uses patches that make assumptions about a running Steam client.
Wine-GE builds have (or had since they are discontinued) have those patches reverted.
It means that any app can run games using Proton just like they would from inside Steam
acting as a copy of the Steam Runtime Tools and Steam Linux Runtime that Valve uses for Proton to allow Proton to properly run outside of Steam.
1 Likes, Who?
Maybe I'm not understanding your response correctly but, my understanding of the whole point of the project is to remove the need for Wine-GE completely by essentially enabling Proton to function without a running Steam client.Yes and no. Yes, it is meant to replace Wine-GE completely. No, it does not use the wine builds that Proton uses.
Perhaps the confusion is that Proton is two different things: a python script and a bundle of things including wine with lots of patches (some of them adding a Steam dependency).
1 Likes, Who?
loved the name UwU
Last edited by elmapul on 4 October 2024 at 9:30 pm UTC
Last edited by elmapul on 4 October 2024 at 9:30 pm UTC
1 Likes, Who?
PoliticsOfStarving Oct 5
Seeing comments about this elsewhere, people asking for screenshots, why should they switch to this one from Lutris, how many more launchers do we need and so on.
People are not really getting what this is. And annoyingly most of those posts linked back to this one too, so they’re obviously not reading what Liam has spelled out.
People are not really getting what this is. And annoyingly most of those posts linked back to this one too, so they’re obviously not reading what Liam has spelled out.
1 Likes, Who?
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