Upgrade to Windows 11 from a fresh Windows 10 setup versus a complete clean install.
Upgrade to Windows 11 from a fresh Windows 10 setup versus a complete clean install.
In truth, I believe its influence is much smaller than what a person would naturally consider. If many exclusive titles arrived each year with exceptional quality, I’d likely agree. But over the past decade I haven’t observed that. If I focus on the most popular free games, I notice they’re generally accessible on FreeBSD. Apex Legends also runs smoothly on Linux. The ratings remain disappointing—most top ten lists lack a single high-quality free title for Linux players.
If you examine the games ranking in the top 10-20, it’s clear there aren’t many strong contenders. Here are some titles I’ve played on Linux: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbg2ZEs...fqg/videos This only reflects a small slice of my past experiences. Other games I enjoyed include Portal 2, Firewatch, Dishonored, The Talos Principle, God of War, World of Warcraft, Minecraft, Divinity: Original Sin 2, Oblivion, Valheim, Kona, Northgard, Half-Life 2, BioShock, Hitman 2, among others. I can generally play most classic Zelda games on FreeBSD and Linux with better results than on Windows.
Playing L4D2 with friends often caused crashes on my Linux or FreeBSD machine, not mine. Where are the standout titles Linux players can’t access? If I compiled a list of games I couldn’t play on Linux, it would be extremely short. It also raises the question: if Windows offers few top games for Linux, which ones do Windows players primarily enjoy?
I suspect this is covered elsewhere: https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/overw...er-reviews, https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/elex-...ic-reviews, https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/dying...er-reviews, https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/tom-c...er-reviews, and more.
I understand there are still a few promising releases each year, but overall, most of them seem to work well on Linux. Stray performs better on Linux than Windows, while Ghostwire Tokyo, Deathloop, Syberia, Forza Horizon 5, and Elden Ring also run smoothly. Ultimately, I see Windows fans often praising its gaming features, yet in practice they frequently invest heavily in less compelling versions of popular franchises. That doesn’t align with my experience—playing on FreeBSD has been far more enjoyable for me over the years. My favorite game, Dota 2, showed better stability, lower latency, and higher FPS on FreeBSD than on Windows or Linux.
We veered far from the original subject, but the main idea remains the same. What I’m emphasizing is not whether something functions, but whether it can be done effortlessly—just one click. I receive those results, yet you mentioned some need setup and there’s likely preparation required just to run games on Windows. That’s not a disagreement, just a difference in perspective. In my view, most users won’t enjoy Linux for gaming right now, especially given the current state of the OS. I appreciate Linux and use it heavily for work, but I’m aware that Windows often has quirks and issues. Professionals are accustomed to troubleshooting Windows, which isn’t as common on Linux. I considered switching to Linux as my primary operating system, not just for work, since I’m already somewhat comfortable with it. However, I won’t abandon my current setup unless I have a moment when I can focus without distractions.
The additional effort was mostly my decision. Back then I relied on Proton and Lutris, while I manually used DXVK and Wine due to familiarity, offering greater control. Now I think installing Linux games is essentially the same as installing them on Windows—just click the install button in Steam Proton. The experience remains largely consistent across platforms. Many titles are already available. They’re currently checked by Valve, though the verification process can be slow since it requires playing the full game and testing settings. However, progress is accelerating: https://boilingsteam.com/steam-deck-6000...-verified/. A chart shows our growth trajectory, aiming for around 7000–8000 titles by year-end. If you’re considering a switch, here are some recommended Unix systems: Nobara Project, Void Linux, Mint, EndeavourOS, MX Linux, NetBSD, Devuan, FreeBSD, and Clear Linux. Not all are ideal for gaming or ease of use, but these options are manageable for intermediate users who enjoy gaming.