Should you switch to Linux gaming?
Linux gaming has progressed over the past few years to become, in some respects, a viable competitor to Windows for gaming. But should you swap to Linux for gaming? The answer to this question is: it depends. What matters is if the games you care about work on Linux, and the amount of bandwidth (e.g. your level of technological literacy, patience for troubleshooting, and free time) that you personally have.
Gaming on Windows is frequently better/easier than Linux. So, you really should see how you like Linux as a general desktop experience first, and then try gaming on it. Most Linux gamers game on Linux because they enjoy using Linux - not because Linux gaming works better for them compared to Windows gaming.
General expectations
Running Windows-native games on Linux affects the amount of frames per second (FPS) and general performance that you get in the game. You usually can get up to 15% better or worse FPS compared to Windows, depending on the game and your computer. Typically, its worse by around ~5%.
Genres in Linux gaming
If you play mostly indie games, singleplayer games, older games, do game emulation, etc., you'll likely have a satisfactory gaming experience on Linux.
Problematic genres
If you care the most about these parts of gaming, you're more likely to run into some issues on Linux. These issues range from something you can troubleshoot and fix with some patience, or plain can't overcome:
Competitive First Person Shooters (FPS)
Many competitive shooters have anti-cheat software which currently lock out Linux. It depends on the game, though - CS:GO, Overwatch, Splitgate, and more are playable on Linux.
AAA Games
Again, it depends on the game. If it's a singleplayer AAA game, it's a lot more likely to work with the first few days of release. But if you're looking to play the new AAA multiplayer game day one, Linux isn't the best platform for that.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is doable on Linux, mainly through the Valve Index Headset. But it currently lacks many quality of life features, and isn't really worth recommending as of right now.
Racing Simulators
Much racing simulator equipment isn't well-supported on Linux.
Game Modding
Game modding is a hit or miss on Linux. Some games support it, especially through the Steam Workshop, but it really depends. Many mods are also Windows-only.
Conclusion
As aforementioned, things really depend game by game. Use ProtonDB and Are We Anti-Cheat Yet? to check game compatibility.
Future
With the further development of Linux as a gaming platform, these hurdles can definitely be overcome! Things to watch for:
- The release of the Steam Deck (Linux gaming device) in February 2022.
- Amazon putting funding and development into Proton for their Amazon Luna cloud gaming platform.
- And more...
Additionally, Linux has so much potential as a gaming platform, depending on whether things goes its way. Compared to Windows, Linux is much more lightweight and gets better performance in Vulkan games. It can also be modified and optimized a lot more easily than Windows due to its open source nature, which opens up a wide door for impactful gaming optimizations on a core system level. Further development and more Linux-native games could mean better performance in games compared to Windows.