Playing games on Linux used to feel like a hobby for people who love fixing things. Today it is much easier. Many Windows games run well on Linux, and a few small changes can make them run even better.
This guide shares nine simple tech hacks for Linux gaming. You do not need to be an expert. Each tip is short, and I explain what it does, why it helps, and how to try it. I also tell you when a trick will not help much, because some tips are more useful for smooth play than for raw speed.
All the information comes from official project pages, the Arch Wiki, and well-known Linux gaming sites. You can find the full list at the end.
Why Linux Gaming Works Better Than Before
The biggest change is Proton. Proton is a tool made for the Steam client that lets games made only for Windows run on Linux. It is built on Wine and other parts, and Steam already includes several versions of it.
When Valve first announced Proton, it explained that DirectX 11 and 12 games are translated to Vulkan. That means less work for your computer and better game compatibility. Valve also sells the Steam Deck, a handheld PC that runs a custom Linux system. This pushed Linux gaming forward for everyone.
So the question is no longer “Can I play games on Linux?” The better question is “How do I get the best result on my own computer?” That is what these hacks are for.
Before You Start
Here are three quick rules that save time:
- Change one thing at a time. If you change five settings at once, you will not know which one helped.
- Measure your FPS. Hack number 6 shows you how. Without numbers, it is hard to know if a change worked.
- Menu names can change. Steam and Linux tools update often. If a button has a new name, look for something similar.
Hack 1: Keep Your System and Graphics Drivers Up to Date
Your graphics driver is the most important part of your gaming setup. A good driver can fix crashes, bad speed, and missing features.
If you have an AMD graphics card: You are in a good spot. AMD cards use Mesa, an open-source driver stack. Its Vulkan driver is called RADV, and it comes with the major Linux gaming distributions. In most cases you do not need to download a driver by hand. AMD also stopped working on its own open-source Vulkan driver, AMDVLK, and now supports RADV instead. So RADV is the one to use.
If you have an NVIDIA graphics card: You usually need the proprietary NVIDIA driver. On Ubuntu, a tool called ubuntu-drivers can install the recommended version for you. Other distributions have their own driver tool, so check your software store or your distribution’s guide.
If you have an Intel graphics chip: Intel also uses Mesa, so updating your system is usually enough.
A simple habit helps a lot: update your whole system before you install new games or tools. A forum post on linux.org about Linux gaming setups gives the same advice, and it is a good place to begin.
Hack 2: Turn On Steam Play and Choose a Proton Version
If you use Steam, this is the main switch for Windows games.
Open Steam, then go to Steam > Settings > Steam Play. Turn on the option to enable Steam Play for all other titles. After that, you can install and play Windows games from your library.
Steam uses a default Proton version, but you can pick another one. Open the game’s Properties, go to Compatibility, tick the box to force a compatibility tool, and choose a version from the list.
Why does this matter? Sometimes a new Proton version fixes a game that did not work before. In other cases, an older version works better. If a game crashes, trying another Proton version is one of the quickest tests you can do.
Hack 3: Check ProtonDB Before You Buy
This is the cheapest hack on the list, because it can save you money.
ProtonDB is a website where Linux players share how well games run through Proton. It gives each game a medal rating:
- Platinum: runs well right away, with no changes.
- Gold: runs well after a small tweak, such as a launch option.
- Silver: runs, but with small problems.
- Bronze: runs, but with bigger problems.
- Borked: does not run at all.
For a smooth experience, look for Platinum or Gold. Also look at the date of the reports. Proton and games change all the time, so a rating from two years ago may not be true today.
The reports often include tips. Many Gold games become easy to play after you copy a launch option that another player shared.
One warning: the most common reason a popular online game is marked Borked is anti-cheat. I explain that later in this guide.
Hack 4: Try GE-Proton With ProtonUp-Qt
Valve’s Proton is the safest choice, but it is not the only one. GE-Proton is a community-made version. Some Windows games work better with it because it includes extra fixes.
There is a trade-off. Community builds get less testing than Valve’s version, so use them when the normal Proton has a problem, not by default for every game.
The easiest way to install GE-Proton is a program called ProtonUp-Qt. You can get it from Flathub or as an AppImage. On a Steam Deck, you can find it in the Discover app in Desktop Mode. Here are the steps:
- Open ProtonUp-Qt and make sure Steam is selected at the top.
- Choose GE-Proton and install the version you want.
- Restart Steam.
- Open your game’s Properties > Compatibility, tick the box, and select GE-Proton.
ProtonUp-Qt can also set up Wine builds for other launchers like Lutris and Heroic, which is handy if you use more than Steam.
Hack 5: Use GameMode to Help Your CPU Focus on the Game
GameMode is a small tool from Feral Interactive. It lets a game ask your system to apply a few speed settings while the game is running. When you close the game, things go back to normal.
The project was first made to solve problems with the Intel and AMD CPU power-saving modes. In simple words, your processor can run slowly to save power, even when a game needs more speed. GameMode helps with that.
To use it with Steam, install the gamemode package from your distribution, then open the game’s Properties and add this to the launch options:
gamemoderun %command%Some games and launchers support GameMode already. Lutris, for example, turns it on for all games by default if the right libraries are installed.
Do not expect a huge jump. The gain depends on your hardware and your game. Still, it takes one minute to set up, and it is easy to turn off if you do not like it.
Hack 6: Watch Your FPS With MangoHud
MangoHud does not make your games faster by itself. It shows you what is going on. It is an overlay for Vulkan and OpenGL games that displays FPS, temperatures, and CPU and GPU load.
This is useful for two reasons. First, you can test every hack in this article and see if it really helped. Second, if your game stutters, you can check if your CPU or your GPU is the weak point.
You can install it with your package manager. For example, sudo apt install mangohud on Ubuntu or Debian, and sudo dnf install mangohud on Fedora. On Arch-based systems, install mangohud and lib32-mangohud.
To use it with a Steam game, add this to the launch options:
mangohud %command%You can use both tools together:
gamemoderun mangohud %command%If you want to change what the overlay shows, edit the file ~/.config/MangoHud/MangoHud.conf. If you do not like text files, a program called GOverlay lets you change the settings with buttons.
One note: if you use MangoHud together with Gamescope (Hack 8), read the MangoHud notes first. Some settings need a special setup with mangoapp.
Hack 7: Let Steam Prepare Your Shaders
Have you seen a game freeze for a moment when a new area loads? Often, the cause is shader compilation. Shaders are small programs that tell your graphics card how to draw things. If the game has to build them while you play, you can see stutter.
Steam has a feature called Shader Pre-Caching to reduce this problem. It can download shaders that are already prepared, and it can also process Vulkan shaders in the background using a tool called Fossilize. The goal is not a higher maximum FPS. The goal is less stutter.
You can find the option in the Steam settings, in the section about shader pre-caching. The exact names can change, so look for words like “shader” and “background processing”.
Does it help everyone? Not always. Some players say they see no change, and others say it helps a lot in games with many shaders. If your game stutters, turn it on and compare. If it does not help, you can turn it off again.
Hack 8: Use Gamescope to Upscale Games
Gamescope is a micro-compositor from Valve. It is used on the Steam Deck, and you can also use it on a normal Linux desktop. It runs your game inside its own small window or screen, so it can control the resolution and the refresh rate.
This is helpful in two cases:
- Your GPU is too slow for your screen. Say you have a 1440p monitor. You can run the game at 720p and let Gamescope scale it up with AMD FSR or NVIDIA Image Scaling. You get more FPS, with a softer image.
- A game has screen problems. Some games do not go full screen correctly, or they do not support your resolution. Gamescope can fix this.
The Arch Wiki gives this example for FSR:
gamescope -h 720 -H 1440 -F fsr -- %command%Here -h is the game’s height and -H is the output height. The -F fsr part turns on FSR upscaling. You can use -F nis for NVIDIA Image Scaling instead. While a game runs, you can also press Super+U to switch FSR on and off.
Gamescope options have changed over time, so run gamescope --help to check what your version supports.
Hack 9: Use Lutris for Games Outside Steam
Not every game is on Steam. For games from other stores, or old games from your collection, Lutris is a good choice.
Lutris is an open-source gaming platform for Linux. It helps you install, set up, and start your games from many sources in one window. It uses “runners” to start different kinds of games, such as native Linux games, Windows games through Wine, and many emulators. For tricky Windows games, it offers install scripts that choose good settings for you. It can also keep track of several Wine versions, and it can sync your Steam library with your Lutris account.
To install it, use your package manager, for example sudo apt install lutris or sudo dnf install lutris. Then search for your game on the Lutris website and use the installer script if one exists.
If you want better compatibility, you can also use ProtonUp-Qt (Hack 4) to add GE builds for Lutris.
The One Thing Tweaks Cannot Fix: Anti-Cheat
Sometimes a game does not work on Linux, and no hack can change that. The most common reason is anti-cheat software in online games.
Here is the short version. On Linux, kernel-level anti-cheat is not used. Easy Anti-Cheat and BattlEye can work on Linux, but the game developer must turn that support on. Some studios do, and some do not. A few games even lost Linux support after adding a new anti-cheat tool.
Before you buy an online game, check Are We Anti-Cheat Yet? (areweanticheatyet.com). It is a community-made list with more than 1,000 games. GamingOnLinux also has a guide that checks which competitive games work on Linux and SteamOS.
Please do not try to bypass anti-cheat. It can get your account banned, and it is not worth the risk.
What to Skip
Some advice online sounds exciting but does not help most players. One example is a real-time kernel. Arch Wiki editors have pointed out that people sometimes install one because they think it will give better gaming performance, and that is far from the truth. It is made for very steady response times, not for more FPS.
If you are new, start with the nine hacks above. They are safer and easier to undo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Linux good for gaming in 2026?
Yes, for many games. Proton lets lots of Windows games run on Linux, and Steam Deck has made the platform more popular. Check ProtonDB for the games you want. The main limit is anti-cheat in some online games.
Which graphics card is easiest to use for Linux gaming?
AMD cards are often the easiest, because the Mesa driver and its RADV Vulkan part come with major Linux gaming distributions. NVIDIA cards can work well too, but you usually need to install the proprietary driver. Intel graphics use Mesa as well.
Will these hacks really give me more FPS?
Some will, but not all of them. GameMode and FSR upscaling with Gamescope can raise FPS in some cases. Shader pre-caching mostly reduces stutter. MangoHud only measures speed. GE-Proton helps with certain games. Results depend on your hardware and your game, so test each change with MangoHud.
