I forked SteamOS for my living room PC
Valve’s SteamOS and Proton are enabling more people to play Windows-only games on Linux PCs, handhelds, and even NAS or VM setups, but gaps remain around anti-cheat/DRM compatibility, VR, and “it just works” usability compared to Windows. Commenters explore alternatives such as GPU passthrough, headless streaming, and SteamOS-like immutable distros (e.g., Bazzite, Jovian-NixOS) for living-room and handheld gaming, while debating Arch Linux’s suitability as a base and how to balance tweakability with reliability. A parallel thread questions invasive anti-cheat and DRM systems, weighing their impact on privacy, compatibility, and game fairness.
Proton and Linux gaming experience
- Many report being impressed with Proton: most Windows-only titles “just work,” sometimes with performance rivaling or beating Windows.
- Others encounter issues: poor frame pacing (e.g., Apex), controller quirks (e.g., Mirror’s Edge wireless Xbox), weaker ray tracing, loss of GPU “control panel” features, and VR complications.
- Advice: check anti‑cheat compatibility via community resources; games with invasive or unsupported anti‑cheat/DRM often still require Windows or a VM.
Anti-cheat, DRM, and user expectations
- Strong split between those who see anti‑cheat/DRM as “anti‑player” and refuse such games, and those who see robust anti‑cheat as essential for enjoyable multiplayer.
- Debate centers on:
- How much can be solved by better server‑side design vs. kernel/rootkit‑style clients.
- Whether “occasional cheaters” are preferable to intrusive software.
- Whether telling users their favorite anti‑cheat games are “garbage” is hostile vs. a principled stance.
Desktop environments, VRR, and UX
- KDE/Plasma is praised for VRR and Deck alignment; GNOME is preferred by some for cleanliness but currently weaker for gaming features like VRR and Gamescope integration.
- Workarounds include: separate DEs per user, gamescope wrappers, or immutable gaming-focused distros. Many dislike needing a second session/DE just to play.
VMs, GPU passthrough, and streaming
- GPU passthrough on Linux via KVM/QEMU/virt‑manager/Proxmox and VFIO is described as mature, with caveats: motherboard IOMMU grouping, some games’ VM detection, and anti‑cheat bans.
- Others prefer headless or remote setups: Steam Headless in Docker, Sunshine+Moonlight, KVM VMs launched declaratively, or NAS/servers as game hosts. Input lag and video quality are active concerns but not systematically answered.
SteamOS, Arch, and immutable designs
- SteamOS’s Arch base is seen as fine when combined with immutable root and A/B updates; end users should not be fixing upgrades manually.
- There’s recurring debate over Arch: some call its instability reputation outdated; others note that rolling upgrades, AUR usage, and extension breakage demand more maintenance.
- Immutable SteamOS‑like spins (e.g., Bazzite, ChimeraOS, HoloISO) and NixOS integrations (e.g., Jovian) are highlighted as powerful ways to get “Deck‑like” or pure SteamOS experiences on PCs and handhelds.