Play windows games with linux

How to play Windows games on Linux

The most often question you’ve been asked as a Linux user is how do you play games? Well, when it comes to gaming we know that Windows leads Linux to some extent. That doesn’t mean that we can never play our favorite Windows games again. It’s just a misconception that Ubuntu does not support Windows gameplay. What people don’t usually know is that game developers are increasingly taking advantage of the Linux’s growing market. Not only there are companies making Linux based games but companies like Valve or Steam are trying to develop tools that can support Windows games on your Linux system, not just Ubuntu but Linux in general.

A big advantage of using Linux over any other gaming platforms is the stability it has to offer. Other systems are generally loaded with bugs or freezing issues. Gamers can easily get frustrate from untimely interruptions whilst completing their missions. To save you from this trouble, Linux will give you better stability in the gaming domain as well.

So now coming to the juicy part of our topic, how exactly can you play Windows games on Linux? Below are tools that support your favorite Windows games on Linux.

The most common way to support Windows games is to get Wine installed on your system. When the WineHQ released their first stable version 1.0, it already supported 200 most popular games of Windows. The latest version of wine also offers rankings of the games which help in determining the number of configurations they require. If you see a Platinum ranking, it means that the game has 99% chances of working. Gold ranking means that you’d need to configure them a little bit, but in the end, they’ll work fine. They are labeled as gold because they haven’t been integrated with the newest version of wine. Silver and Bronze labels mean that there may be some issues in the game. Of course, if a game shows garbage ranking, the chances of it working would be as rare as seeing a penguin talk. Check out their huge database before installing it.

Steam Play

A new beta version of the Steam play was released this year. A way that allow users to access Windows, Mac and Linux versions of steam games. They already had more than 3000 games for Linux users and have been adding more with each day. In order to increase the compatibility with the Windows games, they decided to include the beta version of Steam Play which includes a modified of Wine, Proton.
Their official site has listed some of the benefits that the new version will provide:

• Windows games with no current Linux versions can be installed and run directly from Linux Steam client.
• It will include complete built-in support for Steamworks and OpenVR.
• Improved game compatibility and reduced performance impact due to the implementation of DirectX 11 & 12
• Games will recognize all controllers automatically.
• Multi-thread games will have improved performance as compared to vanilla Wine.

Check out the list of games that new Steam beta version supports.

PlayOnLinux (POL)

Not only does it provide an interactive and user-friendly front-end, but also includes a series of pre-built scripts to help users install some specific games pretty quickly. It is an effective and more user-friendly interface to Wine emulator, allowing you to configure and access it outside of command line. The advantage that you have is if you cannot find your game listed in PlayOnLinux or if the script fails, you can just visit Wine Application Database and enter the name game you desire in the Search box. Cons of POL is that Wine is hardware specified meaning that its performance will depend on the kind of hardware you’re using and unfortunately POL cannot work without Wine.

Lutris

Lutris is a tool that allows you to install and manage games on Linux. It works for built-in and Windows games as well as emulators. A Wine-based compatibility layer, Proton, which allows playing Windows-only games, but is strictly for steam games. Lutris can be used to enhance your experience of playing other games, like Blizzard games. It provides a large database of games and has install scripts for download.

Conclusion

People are trying to move towards Linux due to the greater degree of stability it offers. Gamers have this idea that Linux won’t be able to support their favorite games, hence they are hesitant. However, it is just a hox and companies, worldwide, are putting efforts to provide comfort to gamers who might want to shift to Linux.

About the author

Zeeman Memon

Hi there! I’m a Software Engineer by degree, Blogger by skills who loves to write about tech, develop websites & do SEO. You can reach out to me on LinkedIn.

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Запускаем Windows игры в Linux

На мой взгляд, именно Steam и Lutris предлагают максимально современные и легкие решения для запуска игр. В качестве примера, поиграем в World of Tanks и World of Warships на Ubuntu 19.04.

Еще недавно, запускать Windows игры в Линукс было тем ещё квестом, затмевающим интерес к игре из-за тяжелого и не всегда удачного процесса установки игры.

С появлением DXVK (библиотеки основанной на Vulkan, позволяющей транслировать 3D приложения (игры) Direct3D 10/11), и как следствие Steam Play (Proton) – установка многих игр в Линукс стала почти такой же легкой как и в Windows.

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Запуск Windows игр в Linux с помощью Lutris

Lutris – сервис с игровым приложением, предоставляющий автоматизированные, настроенные скрипты для установки игр.

Интеграция с такими игровыми магазинами, как GOG и Steam, позволяет импортировать существующую библиотеку игр, а поддерживаемые сообществом установочные сценарии обеспечивают полностью автоматизированную настройку.

Установка Lutris в дистрибутивы на основе Ubuntu

Для корректной работы Lutris, разработчики рекомендуют предварительно установить Wine (версию Staging). Установить Wine в Ubuntu можно по инструкции официального сайта: Installing WineHQ packages

Для Ubuntu подобных дистрибутивов добавляем репозиторий Lutris:

Для лучшей производительности необходимо установить последнюю версию видеодрайвера и библиотеки Vulkan.

Пользователям видеокарты Nvidia нужно добавить репозиторий с новыми драйверами и затем удобным способом установить последнюю версию драйвара:

Выбрать драйвер можно с помощью встроенной утилиты Программы и обновления – Дополнительные драйверы.

Если видеокарта поддерживает Vulkan API, то устанавливаем необходимые библиотеки (скорее всего они уже установились при установке видеодрайвера. Проверить, если видеокарта поддерживает Vulkan можно по ссылке: Vulkan API):

Пользователям видеокарт AMD / Intel (Ubuntu 18.04 и выше):

Установка игр в Linux с помощью Lutris

Переходим на официальный сайт программы в раздел Games и выбираем нужную нам игру.

Найдя игру, выбираем (если доступно) редакцию скрипта с нужным нам сервером (например для World of Tanks это будет RU DXVK version). Нажимаем на Install. В качестве примера будет показана установка игры World of Tanks в Ubuntu 19.04.

Ссылка откроется в установленном приложении Lutris, нам предложат установить игру. Нажимаем на Install.

Дальше можно выбрать папку, в которую будет установлена игра. Продолжаем установку. Будет установлена нужная для данной игры версия Wine, соглашаемся на все установки. По окончанию установки онлайн установщика будет предложено создать ярлыки и запустить игру.

Затем откроется полноэкранное окно, в котором будет осуществляться установка игры. Не пугаемся, с помощью клавиш ALT+TAB можно вернуться в рабочее окно.

Запустить установленную игру можно как из программы Lutris, так и из списка установленных приложений.

Аналогично установил игру World of Warships в Ubuntu 19.04.

Именно в Ubuntu столкнулся с проблемой, при которой курсор мыши в игре не позволял делать обороты около 180 градусов. Ранее устанавливал игру в окружениях KDE и Cinnamon (Linux Mint), такой проблемы там нет. Если курсор вывести нажатием на CTRL, то можно захватить другие обороты мыши. Решение: переключение отображения игры в оконный режим.

Устанавливаем Windows игры в Linux с помощью Steam (Proton)

Для совместимости игр с операционными системами GNU/Linux, компания Valve разрабатывает проект Proton (Steam Play), который в свою очередь состоит из различных наработок, таких как Wine, DXVK, esync. Подробнее почитать о Steam Proton можно в нашей статье: Steam Play улучшает поддержку Windows-игр для Linux.

Информация о качестве поддержки Windows игр в Steam Proton доступна по ссылке: ProtonDB.

Для включения опции Proton, нам необходимо открыть Steam – затем Настройки – Steam Play – и включить доступные опции.

Версию Steam Proton стоит выбирать самую актуальную, т.е с большим номером.

Дальнейшая установка игр ничем не отличается от установки в системе Windows. Steam Play автоматически произведет нужные настройки для установки игры.

Сравнение производительности видеокарты Nvidia Geforce 1060 в Ubuntu 19.04 и Windows 10

Сравнение проводилось на ноутбуке с видеокартой Nvidia Geforce 1060 (6 ГБ) и процессором Intel® Core™ i7 8750H. Операционные системы Windows 10 1903 (build 18362.10019), версия видеодрайвера NVIDIA GeForce Game Ready 436.15 и система Ubuntu 19.04 с версией видеодрайвера 430.40 (самый актуальный в репозитории ppa:graphics-drivers).

World of Tanks

Танковые сражения в World of Tanks в Windows 10 показывали от 115-130 fps до 150-165 fps, в зависимости от игровой сцены.

В Ubuntu 19.04 от 100 до 120 fps. Настройки Высокие, sd клиент.

World of Warships

В морских сражениях World of Warships в Windows 10 производительность держалась от 65 до 75 fps.

В Ubuntu 19.04 игра World of Warships показала производительность от 60 до 70 fps, но периодически сильно проседала до 25 fps. Настройки высокие, hight клиент.

Обе игры в Ubuntu были установлены с помощью Lutris.

War Thunder

Также, с интересом проверил производительность видеодрайвера в игре War Thunder. В Windows 10 игра была установлена с помощью нативного клиента, а в Ubuntu 19.04 с помощью Steam (нативная версия).

В морских сражениях в War Thunder в Windows 10 отображался fps от 65 до 85, в воздушных боях около 100 fps.

В Ubuntu 19.04 варьировался fps от 35-55 в морских сражениях и 75 fps в воздушных.

Версия из Lutris, использующая DXVK, в Ubuntu 19.04 показала fps от 50 до 75 в морских сражениях и 60 fps в воздушных.

Знаю, что разработчики War Thunder тестируют версию с использованием библиотек Vulkan. Не тестировал её, но уверен, что производительность будет значительно выше, чем у нативной версии, использующей OpenGL.

Euro Truck Simulator 2

В симуляторе Euro Truck Simulator 2 производительность в Windows 10 отображалась от 85 до 120 fps.

В Ubuntu 19.04 производительность игры ETS 2 варьировалась от 55 fps (в редких случаях) до 110 fps. В обоих случаях были использованы настройки Ультра.

Как видим, производительность игр в Linux уступает Windows 10, но при использовании библиотек DXVK и Vulkan разница гораздо меньше, чем при использовании OpenGL. В любом случае это прорыв для пользователей Linux: доступных игр стало гораздо больше, а их установка стала максимально простой.

На мой взгляд, осталось решить проблему работы античитов. Именно из-за проблемы с работой некоторых античитов, в Linux не доступна еще масса игр.

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How to Play PC Games on Linux

If you’re fed up with Windows but don’t want to give up your PC games, don’t worry. These days, gaming on Linux is a lot easier than it used to be thanks to Steam Play and compatibility layers like Proton and WINE.

Linux is an open-source operating system that’s great for programmers, but it also offers enough options to keep gamers happy too. If you’re new to the OS, it might be best to read our guide for switching from Windows before reading further, as it will help to know the basics.

There’s no one distro that’s “best” for gaming, but Ubuntu-based distros like Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and Pop!_OS are good options for their widespread support and helpful communities. If you have a different Linux environment on your system, you may have to research the best way to install the right packages and drivers, but you can almost certainly get games working.

Before trying anything, you should make sure your distro comes with the requisite graphics drivers. If not, Nvidia users should grab the company’s official proprietary drivers, and AMD users should install the open-source Mesa drivers. The procedure for installing drivers may vary from system to system, so we won’t get into it too deeply here, but I used these instructions for Linux Mint for the drivers and these instructions for some extra Vulkan packages, which produced good results.

Now, before we continue, temper your expectations just a tad. While Linux gaming is easier than ever, it still isn’t on par with Windows. Some games won’t run at all, and others may have small graphical quirks, or decreased performance. Others may require some web searches and command-line tweaking to get playable. The experience isn’t exactly smooth as butter yet—it’s still very Linux-y—but once you have the basics down, you might be surprised at how many games you’re able to run. Here are your options.

Find Linux-Compatible Games

Linux has gained a bit of ground in the gaming world, and a number of worthwhile titles are natively playable on the platform. As you shop for games, try filtering your digital store by Linux-friendly titles. In Steam, for example, head to the Store tab, click the Games drop-down, and choose SteamOS + Linux to see all of Steam’s Linux-native games.

You can also search for a title you want, then look at the compatible platforms. If you see a little Steam logo next to the Windows logo, that means it’s compatible with SteamOS and Linux. You’ll find a lot of indie games alongside some big-name titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Civilization VI, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

Other stores have similar filters. On GOG.com. Head to Store > Browse All Games > All Games for Linux. Any game with a little penguin icon should be compatible. The same goes for The Humble Store, where you can go to Browse > All and then filter the Platform to Linux—look for that penguin icon. You might be surprised how many games are developed specifically for your favorite open-source OS. But don’t stop there—it gets better.

Play Windows Games With Proton/Steam Play

Thanks to a tool from Valve called Proton, which leverages the WINE compatibility layer, many Windows-based games are completely playable on Linux through Steam Play. The jargon here is a little confusing—Proton, WINE, Steam Play—but don’t worry, using it is dead simple.

When you open Steam on Linux, look through your library. Some games have a blue Install button even if they aren’t listed as Linux-compatible in the store. Those games are cleared to run under Proton, and playing them should be as easy as clicking Install. In my case, both NieR: Automata and Doom were Proton-ready out of the box.

If you’re shopping for Proton-compatible games, you’ll have a hard time because the Steam Store doesn’t show which games are compatible. Instead, you will have to look at your existing game library to see which titles are installable. What makes things even less clear is that many games will work with Proton, even if Steam hasn’t officially cleared them for duty yet.

This is where ProtonDB comes in handy. It’s a community-curated list of games that work under Steam Play with Proton, along with details on what hardware, which version of Proton, and any tweaks are required for optimal performance. For example, Dishonored doesn’t have that blue Install button, but is reported as “Gold” by ProtonDB users, which means it should be playable.

To install unsupported games, open Steam’s settings, head to the Steam Play tab, and check the Enable Steam Play for All Other Titles box. You’ll then be able to install and play any game in your library. Keep in mind that many won’t work, but ProtonDB can tell you which titles will get the best results. If you have trouble, try sorting ProtonDB reports by your CPU or GPU to see notes from people with similar hardware.

If a ProtonDB listing says that a game works with a specific version of Proton, you can right-click the game, head to Properties, and check Force the Use of a Specific Steam Play Compatibility Tool to choose the right one. You can also click the Set Launch Options button to include any extra flags mentioned in the ProtonDB listing. It may take a little trial and error to find what works, but I’ve been able to get quite a few games up and running with a bit of fiddling.

Install Other Games With Lutris

Proton isn’t the only tool bringing Windows-only games to Linux. Lutris is a game management program designed to run games under WINE and other emulators or compatibility layers. It acts as a one-stop shop for all your games, with one-click install scripts that include all the necessary tweaks. That said, it may still require a bit of command line work to get up and running. You’ll be rooting through documentation to put all the pieces together, so it helps to have some Linux experience.

You can install Lutris using these instructions, though your favorite games may need some other packages before they’ll work properly. On first startup, Lutris told me that I needed certain 32-bit drivers, along with WINE and its dependencies, installed before a game would work. Then, on top of that, the game in question may need some extra packages—Overwatch, for example, has a few prerequisites for Battle.net to run properly.

Lutris should point you in the right direction when you go to install a given game, but the instructions aren’t always perfect. As a result, you may run into a few hiccups as you’re installing all the prerequisites, depending on your system and level of experience.

Once you have all those packages installed, though, setting up a game should be fairly simple: search for it in Lutris, click the Install button, and Lutris will prepare the game with the optimal WINE settings. Note that some games may run very slowly until they finish compiling shaders, after which performance should be more playable—you have to wait a bit after opening the game for the first time before it runs smoothly.

Alternatives: PlayOnLinux, Streaming, and Beyond

These are far from the only ways to get a game running on Linux, but most of the modern, big-name titles you can play should be available through one of these means. If you have a specific game you want to run that isn’t available through the above resources, do some searching on that specific game. Some may require a bit more fiddling to get running, though you may be able to skip the legwork with similar WINE-based tools like PlayOnLinux.

If you get the game working through one of the above methods but encounter problems, there may be specific settings you need to tweak, dependency packages to install, or patches to apply to the game—again, ProtonDB is a great resource. Don’t get discouraged, and don’t be afraid to ask for help in communities like /r/linux_gaming (after searching to see if your question has already been asked, of course).

And hey, if all else fails, you can always stream the game from the cloud. Stadia and Luna only need a browser, while GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming have been known to work with Linux. You can also stream directly from a Windows PC in your house with Steam’s Remote Play, AMD Link, or Moonlight—check out our guide to in-house game streaming for more.

Disclosure: Humble Bundle is owned by IGN, which is owned by PCMag parent company Ziff Davis.

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