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As we speculated previously, Valve have now officially announced their new version of 'Steam Play' for Linux gaming using a modified distribution of Wine called Proton, which is available on GitHub.

What does it do? In short: it allows you to play Windows games on Linux, directly through the Steam client as if they were a Linux game.

What many people suspected turned out to be true, DXVK development was actually funded by Valve. They actually employed the DXVK developer since February 2018. On top of that, they also helped to fund: vkd3d (Direct3D 12 implementation based on Vulkan), OpenVR and Steamworks native API bridges, wined3d performance and functionality fixes for Direct3D 9 and Direct3D 11 and more.

The amount of work that has gone into this—it's ridiculous.

Here's what they say it improves:

  • Windows games with no Linux version currently available can now be installed and run directly from the Linux Steam client, complete with native Steamworks and OpenVR support.
  • DirectX 11 and 12 implementations are now based on Vulkan, resulting in improved game compatibility and reduced performance impact.
  • Fullscreen support has been improved: fullscreen games will be seamlessly stretched to the desired display without interfering with the native monitor resolution or requiring the use of a virtual desktop.
  • Improved game controller support: games will automatically recognize all controllers supported by Steam. Expect more out-of-the-box controller compatibility than even the original version of the game.
  • Performance for multi-threaded games has been greatly improved compared to vanilla Wine.

It currently has a limited set of games that are supported, but even so it's quite an impressive list that they're putting out there. Which includes DOOM, FINAL FANTASY VI, Into The Breach, NieR: Automata, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, Star Wars: Battlefront 2 and more. They will enable many more titles as progress on it all continues.

To be clear, this is available right now. To get it, you need to be in the Steam Client Beta.

There will be drawbacks, like possible performance issues and games that rely on some DRM might likely never be supported, but even so the amount of possibilities this opens up has literally split my head open with Thor's mighty hammer.

Read more here.

Holy shit. Please excuse the language, but honestly, I'm physically shaking right now I don't quite know how to process this.

Update #1: I spoke to Valve earlier, about how buying Windows games to play with this system counts, they said this:

Hey Liam, the normal algorithm is in effect, so if at the end of the two weeks you have more playtime on Linux, it'll be a Linux sale. Proton counts as Linux.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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eldersnake Aug 22, 2018
Well, I'm currently somewhere with a very limited internet connection and only my laptop running Void Linux (not my main gaming desktop), but even still I enabled the beta, installed Doom II and it worked no problem at all. Granted a game wrapped with DOSBOX will work anytime, but I was just pleased that Steam itself and automagically installing the Proton stuff worked fine. Certainly makes things so much easier.
ElectricPrism Aug 22, 2018
I wonder if this will be on Mac too via MoltenVK, if so IIRC that's like 7% of Steam may have access to new games never before available -- that could make a lot of money for publishers and money for valve.

Edit: Again in other words I wanted to reiterate that just because a game runs on Linux doesn't mean it has my or everyone's favor. I will compromise some (suchas buying the whole Final Fantasy series), but there are still many situations I am unwilling to run into bugs, so I will put my dollars to Linux FIRST publishers and content first.) I am certain I am not the only one who matches my alignment.

However for noobs, converts, and everyone else, it's a dream come true.


Last edited by ElectricPrism on 22 August 2018 at 4:12 am UTC
gustavoyaraujo Aug 22, 2018
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING MEEE???!!!!
DAMN, THAT'S THE BEST LINUX GAMING NEWS IN MONTHS...
areamanplaysgame Aug 22, 2018
I love that this is happening.

A small gripe... it is (so far) not configurable. So when Dark Souls doesn't play the movies, I can't apply the fix I know from experience.

But my guess is with all the resources they've put into making DX11 and DX12 work, they're much more concerned with newer games going forward, which is a good thing.
Luke_Nukem Aug 22, 2018
Quoting: ElectricPrismI wonder if this will be on Mac too via MoltenVK, if so IIRC that's like 7% of Steam may have access to new games never before available -- that could make a lot of money for publishers and money for valve.

Edit: Again in other words I wanted to reiterate that just because a game runs on Linux doesn't mean it has my or everyone's favor. I will compromise some (suchas buying the whole Final Fantasy series), but there are still many situations I am unwilling to run into bugs, so I will put my dollars to Linux FIRST publishers and content first.) I am certain I am not the only one who matches my alignment.

However for noobs, converts, and everyone else, it's a dream come true.

Proton builds on MacOS (and uses MoltenVK)... I haven't finished the build myself though since I'm running Mojave and need to compile a lot of deps from scratch. The git for Proton shows a bit of Mac interest also, so hopefully proper support will come soon.
dubigrasu Aug 22, 2018
I know what I think about this.
I know what you think about this.
I just wanna know what Feral thinks about this.
Shmerl Aug 22, 2018
Quoting: Luke_NukemProton builds on MacOS (and uses MoltenVK)... I haven't finished the build myself though since I'm running Mojave and need to compile a lot of deps from scratch. The git for Proton shows a bit of Mac interest also, so hopefully proper support will come soon.

Speaking of Wine on MacOS. Do you know why WineHQ builds have not enabled Vulkan in the official packages? Some users on inXile forum needed help with that for The Bard's Tale I remaster. Since I'm not using MacOS, I was able to give only general guidelines on Wine usage.


Last edited by Shmerl on 22 August 2018 at 4:23 am UTC
Shmerl Aug 22, 2018
Quoting: dubigrasuI just wanna know what Feral thinks about this.

Competition is good. Let Feral work on DRM-free games and support upstream FOSS projects.
dubigrasu Aug 22, 2018
Quoting: Shmerl
Quoting: dubigrasuI just wanna know what Feral thinks about this.

Competition is good. Let Feral work on DRM-free games and support upstream FOSS projects.
Is that what they think?
SuperTux Aug 22, 2018
Quoting: Guest
Quoting: dubigrasuI know what I think about this.
I know what you think about this.
I just wanna know what Feral thinks about this.
Head Feral Linux guy left recently.

Perhaps he was (Hollywood term) "hip to the chase".

He left to work on Unity...Which really needs him. But, I am sure Feral are going to be fine as I will personally use and buy a native version over Proton (am I nerd when I think of Star Trek?).
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