compatibility layer Archives

AppWizard

April 18, 2026

This is not a drill: All-timer weirdo game Deadly Premonition now playable on Linux as of Valve’s most recent Proton beta, plus 17 others and your EA library (until EA breaks it again)

Proton 11 beta 1 has been released by Valve, enhancing the Steam Deck and Linux desktops, and incorporating features from Wine 11. This update includes an initial Arm64 version of Proton, with plans for implementation in the upcoming Steam Frame. Some Windows games may perform better on Linux with this update. Newly playable games include "Unknown Faces," "Gothic 1 Classic," "X-Plane 12," "Breath of Fire IV," and "Deadly Premonition." The update also fixes various issues, such as video playback in "She Sees Red," rendering problems with the Ukrainian language option in "Chambers," and voice chat issues in "Phasmophobia." Improvements have been made in VR support for "No Man's Sky," and many other gameplay and performance enhancements have been implemented across various titles. Proton 11 beta 1 is based on Wine 11.0 and includes updates to several components, including vkd3d, dxvk, and Wine Mono.

BetaBeacon

April 17, 2026

Valve’s Proton gets a big upgrade, and it could improve PC gaming on Android

Valve has released Proton 11 beta, allowing for the emulation of Windows apps and games on Linux, including popular titles like Resident Evil, now playable on Android devices. The update is based on Wine and includes support for NTSync to enhance performance. Valve has also introduced a Proton 11 profile for ARM64 devices, enabling games designed for x86 hardware to be emulated on devices with Arm chips, such as Android phones and tablets. Additionally, the update has enabled Steam to run on unofficially supported devices like the Nintendo Switch, expanding gaming possibilities for Windows gaming on various devices.

BetaBeacon

April 17, 2026

Your Android gaming handheld can now run Steam games, but there’s a catch

Rocknix has announced support for running Windows games via Valve's Proton compatibility layer on Android devices, effectively turning them into unofficial Steam Decks. The latest build only supports select Qualcomm chipsets and games that rely on RTX may not work. Support is currently only available via unstable nightly builds, so caution is advised before using the feature.

Winsage

April 16, 2026

Windows 11 vs CachyOS in gaming: Has Linux finally caught up to Windows?

Serious gaming on Linux has become a reality, with modern games showing impressive performance. A performance comparison was conducted between Windows 11 (25H2 build) and CachyOS (March 2026 build), a Linux distribution optimized for gaming. The test system specifications included a Cooler Master GA27127-inch monitor, Intel Core i5 12400F CPU, 24GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, 1TB HDD, AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT GPU, and the respective operating systems with their drivers. In gaming performance benchmarks, CachyOS outperformed Windows 11 by an average of 8.6% across five tested games. Specific game performances included: - Dead Space Remake: 70 FPS (Windows 11) vs 76 FPS (CachyOS) - Resident Evil 4 Remake: 84 FPS (Windows 11) vs 95 FPS (CachyOS) - Scorn: 118 FPS (Windows 11) vs 120 FPS (CachyOS) - Silent Hill 2 Remake: 53 FPS (Windows 11) vs 54 FPS (CachyOS) - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Next-Gen: 95 FPS (Windows 11) vs 111 FPS (CachyOS) In ray tracing (RT) enabled games, performance varied: - Resident Evil 4 Remake: 77 FPS (Windows 11) vs 83 FPS (CachyOS) - Silent Hill 2 Remake: 30 FPS (Windows 11) vs 24 FPS (CachyOS) - The Witcher 3: 51 FPS (both systems) Most PC games are designed for Windows, while Linux games require the Proton compatibility layer, which can complicate performance. Multiplayer titles often face compatibility issues on Linux, particularly due to anti-cheat systems. Linux has matched or surpassed Windows 11 in single-player scenarios for users with AMD GPUs, while NVIDIA users face challenges due to proprietary drivers.

Winsage

April 8, 2026

Linux gamers didn’t do anything wrong, but they might pay for Windows piracy anyway

Gaming on Linux has advanced significantly due to Valve's Proton compatibility layer and the Steam Deck, allowing most single-player PC games to run on the platform. Data from ProtonDB indicates that nearly every Windows game is now playable on Linux. However, hypervisor-based DRM bypass techniques have emerged, weakening Denuvo's anti-tamper protections and reviving day-zero piracy. Hypervisors operate beneath the operating system, allowing pirates to manipulate Denuvo's validation checks, drastically reducing the time to crack games. This resurgence of piracy poses security risks, as users must disable kernel-level security features, exposing their systems to vulnerabilities. Irdeto, the company behind Denuvo, recognizes the need for updated security measures, but these could complicate the gaming experience for Linux users. Linux's open-source nature complicates enforcing kernel integrity, making effective anti-cheat and DRM systems challenging. Despite these issues, Linux gaming has seen considerable growth, but the threat of hypervisor-based piracy could jeopardize this progress and lead to tighter DRM measures that may reduce Linux compatibility.

Winsage

April 6, 2026

Death of Windows? Cachy OS Destroys Windows 11 in Gaming Performance

Recent benchmark results show that Linux, specifically CachyOS, outperforms Windows 11 in various modern gaming titles. Tests conducted by NJ Tech used identical hardware configurations, including an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X processor and a Radeon RX 6700 XT graphics card. In the game Crimson Desert, CachyOS achieved 63 FPS compared to Windows 11's 59 FPS, and in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, CachyOS delivered 81 FPS versus Windows' 68 FPS. In Red Dead Redemption 2, CachyOS averaged 85 FPS while Windows recorded 81 FPS, and in Cyberpunk 2077, CachyOS reached 98 FPS compared to Windows' 91 FPS. Overall, Linux showed frame rates approximately 3 to 10 percent higher across multiple tests. However, in The First Descendant, Windows outperformed CachyOS with 63 FPS to 54 FPS, and in The Division 2, both platforms had identical average frame rates of 128 FPS, though Windows had slightly more stable lows. All games on Linux were run using Proton, which has evolved into a robust solution for running Windows games on Linux. The results indicate that the performance gap between Linux and Windows in gaming is narrowing, with Linux capable of matching or surpassing Windows in certain scenarios.

Winsage

April 6, 2026

Linux gaming reaches 5.3% on Steam, Windows drops below 93%

The Linux gaming market share among Steam users has reached 5.3%, a historic high, coinciding with Windows usage dropping below 93%. Windows 10 usage has decreased by nearly 15%, while Windows 11 has gained only 10.6%. SteamOS Holo 64-bit is the leading Linux distribution, making up 25% of all Linux users, largely due to the popularity of the Steam Deck. macOS has gained 1.2% market share, indicating a shift in gaming preferences. Valve announced plans to expand SteamOS to desktop PCs, which may further boost Linux gaming adoption.

BetaBeacon

April 3, 2026

Wine 11.6 Brings Android Driver Work, Game Mod Fixes

The Wine Project has released version 11.6, which includes improvements and bug fixes to enhance user experience. The update focuses on reviving the Android driver and improving VBScript compatibility. Gaming compatibility has been addressed, fixing issues in popular games like Minecraft Windows 10 Edition and Mount & Blade: Warband. For Linux gamers, the update resolves problems in Diablo IV and Cyberpunk 2077. Additionally, enhancements have been made for DLL handling in Gecko-based browsers and modded game setups. Compatibility fixes have also been provided for various applications like StarOffice 5.1 and PDF-XChange Editor. The source code for Wine 11.6 is available for download on GitLab, with binary packages for different distributions expected to be available soon.

Winsage

April 2, 2026

Wine has been translating Windows games to Linux since 1993, but Proton is what made it effortless

Wine is a compatibility layer, not an emulator, that translates Windows API calls into POSIX equivalents, allowing Windows applications to run on Linux. Proton, developed by Valve, builds on Wine and includes additional components like DXVK and VKD3D-Proton to enhance performance for Windows games on Linux through Steam. For Steam users, Proton is recommended for a streamlined gaming experience, while Lutris is suggested for those outside the Steam ecosystem. Wine has been in development since 1993, focusing on recreating the Windows API, but faced challenges with gaming compatibility. Cedega was an early attempt to improve gaming support over Wine but ultimately declined. Valve's development of Proton was motivated by the need for better compatibility for Windows games on Linux, especially highlighted by the launch of the Steam Deck. Wine struggled with synchronization issues and handling direct kernel access by Windows applications, which Proton addressed with seccomp-bpf filters and syscall user dispatch. Both Wine and Proton are crucial to the current state of Linux gaming.

Winsage

March 31, 2026

Microsoft to upgrade Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) with faster file access, better networking and easier setup

Microsoft plans to enhance the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) in 2026, focusing on several key improvements for developers. These enhancements include: - Faster file performance between Linux and Windows to address current latency issues. - Improved network compatibility and throughput for better communication between environments. - A streamlined setup and onboarding experience to simplify installation for newcomers. - Enhanced enterprise management and security features to improve control and safety in corporate settings.