I’m in the same boat. Just buy games. Don’t care if it’s supported by Proton. If it’s not now, it will be soon. That’s how I feel. So far, everything I’ve bought has worked flawlessly.

Funny how the “Year of Linux” had to switch to the “Year of Desktop Linux”. Any place Microsoft can not use their vendor lockin strategy, some you mention, Linux eventually dominates.

Not sure why you think you are arguing. You said you didn’t think Linux was taking over anytime soon and you gave your reasoning. Makes sense. I made the claim, so I gave you my reasoning. As I said I’ve been using Linux for almost thirty years. I’m a Software Developer, obviously I would be using Linux professionally. I can understand if you’ve felt the burn from all the “Arch BTW’s” and the “Mint FYI” fanboys out there. Pretty sure I gave you unfanboy like advice by telling you to stop fighting a Janky mess. Get the tools you need. If that means Windows or MacOS or something else, then let that be it. That’s what I did. I needed Linux for work and I liked using Linux, so that’s what I used. That also meant I only had a few game titles that would reliably play. But that’s what I needed. That’s how it goes sometimes. That’s what I gave you the same advice.

Windows is dominant only on Desktop thanks to their Vendor lockin strategy. Everywhere else, it’s Linux (except game consoles). Even Linux is the dominant OS on Azure, Microsoft’s cloud platform. Handheld PC’s are going to SteamOS. Even Microsofts OEM partners Lenovo and Asus are getting on board with their handheld PC’s. The reason they can do this is because Microsoft was forced to make Windows free on small screen devices (Build 2014). Linux has 80% of the IoT market. As Microsoft’s vendor lockin strategy continues to weaken, Linux will continue to take over. It’s only a matter of time. That 1-2% is only Steam Gaming world wide. For English speakers we are about 5%. Which, consequently is enough to get Day 1 Proton support for many Triple A game titles. 3-4 years from now, the games that will be releasing will have been developed from start to finish with Proton as a first class citizen. The Desktop landscape will be wildly different, no question.

Linux is a bit snappier to interact with, but everything I do works on Windows, so that arrangement means not using Linux at all, indefinitely.

Yep, sometimes that’s the breaks.

Been using Linux for almost three decades now. Just use Linux for what you need it for. Use Windows for what you need it for. Stop using either OS for the sake of using either OS. Gaming on Linux has come a hell of a long way in the last couple years. In a couple more years, the gaming landscape will be wildly different. You can always reassess at that time. If you have a couple games that are your number 1 must plays and they only work on Windows, then just use Windows. Trying to cobble together some janky mess, it’s just not worth it at all. Personally, I just played the games that played on Linux for a lot of years. It’s great what Proton has done for gaming on Linux. But if your games or your work are still on the fringe for Linux, no hard feelings. Just use what OS you need. That’s how this is all supposed to work. 30 years ago before Microsoft’s vendor lockin strategy. We bought pieces of software because we needed that software. Then we bought the OS that that software needed and bought the hardware that that OS worked on. Then you’d look and see what games were available to you and that was it. You should do the same. Linux is taking over anyways. Microsoft’s vendor lockin strategy is coming to an end if they don’t do something soon. In 3-4 years from now, you will see a lot of investment into the desktop side of Linux. You can always come back then.

Definitely lost my co-op Elden Ring save. My normal game play was saved of course.

Agreed. Long time Linux user here. The distro is just supposed to get you near what you want or need. There are science distros for different science labs. Because there is a certain set of tools and software that all the researchers would be using. And likely, the distro is not useful for anybody else. I think there is only the big gaming distro issue because, gaming hasn’t really been a huge thing on Linux. Now it is, and new people to Linux have no clue what all is needed or what all is possible. Most don’t even realize they could install and switch DE’s without having to “distro hop”. But, 100% agree with you.

Well, Steam doesn’t install leading edge versions of Proton. For instance, if you install Battle.net through Steam. Sometimes Battle.net breaks. like here https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/01/ge-proton-9-23-released-with-a-battlenet-fix-for-linux-steam-deck/ , so you need the latest changes which wont be available to the Steam Deck, proton-experimental wont get the changes right away. If you just pop open protonup-qt, you can just download ge-proton-9-23. Of course once you have ge-proton-9-23 installed, then the Steam UI can switch between the various versions installed, or you can do it from protonup-qt while you have it open after downloading the latest leading edge proton that you need. I think it’s a good tool, especially for beginners.

Should do for all - after all, it’s just a matter of prefixes

naa, they do two different things. Sure you can go to the Lutris wine manager under runners and install Lutris versions of wine or select an already installed version of wine. That’s not the same as what ProtonPlus and ProtonUp-qt are doing. They are like Lutris wine manager on steroids, for Lutris and Steam and Bottles and whatever else. Always the possibility I completely overlooked a feature of Lutris.

No problem. I use Gnome as well for my desktop and yes that is KDE on your Steam Deck. If you’ve got a Steam Deck then protonup-qt is definitely a must have. Maybe it was more important when the Steam Deck first released, but it’s still handy to manage Proton versions for games that are already rock solid on older versions.

Does Lutris manage Proton for just Lutris or will Lutris manage proton for all your other launchers?

Nice. ProTip, checkout ProtonPlus or ProtonUp-qt. They manage different versions of Proton for you. They both do the same things in about the same ways. ProtonPlus will match better with Gnome based Desktop Environments and ProtonUp-qt will match the Kde like environments.

People reinstall?

I did get your point. You don’t want the Android situation. So I say again, buy hardware that is compatible with Linux then.

Buy hardware that is compatible with Linux then.

First iterations of a console always start out small. It’s the second iteration that has the consumer confidence and you get a boom in sales. If the Steam Machine drops this year. I expect it to sell 10 million consoles in the first year.

This is how it’s done man. Keep it up.

lol, I’m sure you could just casually walk away from them in a serpentine pattern and avoid any harm. Likely they are too busy clearing Cheeto dust from their neck beard anyways.

Wow, right over your head dude. It’s just the sentiment he is sharing.

The internet is amazing sometimes.