beginner 20 minutes

How to Set Up Gaming on Linux

Complete guide to gaming on Linux. Install Steam, enable Proton, and play Windows games.

Prerequisites

  • Ubuntu, Pop!_OS, or Linux Mint recommended
  • Dedicated GPU (NVIDIA or AMD)
  • At least 8GB RAM
  • Internet connection for game downloads
1

Install Graphics Drivers

For NVIDIA GPUs, install proprietary drivers. For AMD, the open-source drivers work great out of the box.

# For NVIDIA (Ubuntu/Pop!_OS)
sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall

# Then reboot
sudo reboot
2

Install Steam

Install Steam from your distribution's repository or download from steam website:

sudo apt install steam
3

Enable Steam Play (Proton)

In Steam, go to Settings → Compatibility and check:

  • Enable Steam Play for supported titles
  • Enable Steam Play for all other titles

Select the latest Proton version from the dropdown.

4

Install Gamemode (Optional)

Gamemode optimizes your system while gaming:

sudo apt install gamemode
5

Install MangoHud (Optional)

MangoHud provides an in-game overlay showing FPS, CPU/GPU stats:

sudo apt install mangohud
6

Test a Game

Try installing a Windows game from your Steam library. Check ProtonDB (protondb.com) to see compatibility ratings and any tweaks needed for specific games.