this post was submitted on 27 Jun 2025
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I'm just so sick of Microsoft and Google. But there's two things holding me back:

  1. I wanna play Steam games on my PC

  2. I am just an amateur hobbyist, not a tech wizard

Is there any hope for me?

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[–] Jean_le_Flambeur@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Yes, ez one (if you have installed operating systems before and know how to paste an error passage into google ) -4hours and your done start to finish. (Given you have standard hardware and don't want to set up something crazy like dual boot with raid and nas)

Moderate complexity if you have never done anything like that, plan 2-6 evenings to get it fully working with everything you need

Also: consider your scopes. For most cases Linux will just work, you just have to get used to some different interfaces.

BUT: some things will not run under linux no matter how hard you try --> google if stuff you can't live without will work

(for me I still have a dual boot windows for playing league of legends and running my vive wireless adapter, as those will not run under Linux.

For games use protonDB

I may be oldschool, but for people not comfortable around terminals I would suggest Debian KDE as it never breaks and the transition from windows is easy. You can do everything from GUI (clicky button interfaces)

For the installation of steam you might need a terminal, but there are good guides online (and you really dont need to be a wizard for that) from where you can just copy paste (when searching just add your distro e.g. "install steam Debian", and once you've got that running you can just run every game from within steam.

Since Steam has done a lot of work with proton, most games just run under Linux. In steam: Install-->play

For nearly all games not directly running, you can just force them to run with proton. It will say: "Game not compatible" in steam, you just click the gear icon on the right to open settings, go to "compatibilty" and tick "force use of compatibility layer" and select the newest proton from the drop down

The button where steam previously said "not compatible" magically turns into the blue "install" button we all know and love. And nearly all games run with only minor inconveniences (like showing keyboard hotkeys even when playing with a gamepad) or no issues at all.

You need to be aware that some games using kernel level anticheat (e.g. league of legends, valorant) can not and will never run on Linux, if the developers of the games don't add the possibility.

EDIT: for programs not related to gaming its often easier to use an alternative, if the program is not available for Linux. Most times its also more privacy foccused, open source and free

Adobe light room --> darktable

Microsoft office --> libre office

Adobe Premiere pro --> davinci resolve/shotcut

Paint/Photoshop --> gimp/davinci/dark table

Edge --> firfox

Notepad --> Kate

Fraps/relive/shadowPlay --> OBS

Etc. Pp.

What gamepad are you using? If it's Xbox One/S/X try out xpadneo

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 2 weeks ago

This is the book that got me on the train. I have so many tech books but they all started with this. I'm a terminal afficianado now; this got me started. Anyway, good luck and I hope you have a good time.

https://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Unix-Paul-Love/dp/0764579940

[–] jivandabeast@lemmy.browntown.dev 2 points 2 weeks ago (6 children)

Consider your library: most games will be able to run fine on Linux. However, if you predominantly play online multiplayer games which require anticheat you should check compatibility on ProtonDB.

Second, consider your hardware: if your GPU is AMD you're good to go. Nvidia might have issues (not sure if this has been resolved since I last had to look into it).

Finally, choose a distro: I'd recommend Ubuntu or anything Ubuntu-based. There's a lot of mixed answers in the Linux community and definitely a ton of hate for Ubuntu. However, as someone who has been running Linux for nearly a decade at this point, there are a few key points:

  1. Ubuntu is debian based, so it's extremely stable(but not as slow to update)

  2. Ubuntu is very beginner friendly, and you won't need to touch the terminal if you don't want to

  3. Everyone hates on snaps, but for you I don't think you'll run into an issue with it.

Personally, I steer towards debian based distros for my devices as well because I'd rather spend time messing with the software I'm running or other things NOT debugging why my config is suddenly shitting the bed

[–] seralth@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Oh boi, for gaming Ubuntu and it's family is... Iffy at best. You tend to end up with weird problems cause of the older software frequently. Not a problem till it VERY much is.

Modern gaming basically requires you to be really close to cutting edge if you want remotely reliable performance and timely bug fixes. Which you just do not and will never get on Ubuntu.

It's why valve choose arch for steam OS. It's why cachyOS exists. It's why the big popular alterative is fedora based.

Tho suggesting bazzite is iffy with how fedora likes to break things with dumb changes.

¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

FWIW I run Ubuntu and do some gaming. Haven't hit any issues, and I've run multiple AAA games on release (TLOU, Indiana Jones, Hogwarts Legacy, GoW 2018) as well as other, lighter, titles like Cities Skylines 2, Asetto Corsa, Project Cars, American Truck Simulator

I'm sure there are bugs that I haven't experienced, and my system is probably newer/higher performance than the average person + i chose parts with Linux in mind. But based on my experience, I wouldn't tell someone to jump into a less user friendly distro because of problems I myself haven't run into. Much better to try one, see if you hit an issue, then jump rather than doing the hard one up front

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Back up your data and dual boot. Or just try it out from a USB stick and see how you like it.

[–] myrmidex@belgae.social 1 points 2 weeks ago

Sure there is hope! Admitting you have a problem is the first step in tackling that problem!

Welcome to the club 😀

[–] melroy@kbin.melroy.org 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Just welcome to the club. Greetings.

☺️ it's gonna be a quite a long while before the first install but thanks!

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