Steam Deck: How Proton will make your Steam games shine on Valve’s handheld

Steam Deck: How Proton will make your Steam games polish on Valve's handheld

(Image credit: Valve)

Valve only appear the upcoming Steam Deck handheld gaming PC. Pre-orders also went live to varying degrees of success, only word has it that a lot of people are interested in Valve'due south latest hardware push, and for good reason.

But the Steam Deck doesn't run Windows, so how exactly is it going to play most games in the Steam library? It comes to software called Proton, which is essentially a compatibility layer that allows the Linux-based operating organization to play Windows games.

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Proton, and the Steam Os Linux distro that accompanies it, isn't new. In fact, information technology'south been effectually for a few years, making waves in the Linux gaming community a few years ago. Information technology simplified PC gaming exterior of Microsoft'south scope and it's gotten so much better in the days since.

All the same, Proton has limitations, which nosotros'll get into in simply a second. But information technology'southward important to empathize that information technology means that the Steam Deck could encounter infinitely greater success than the ill-fated Steam Machines. Valve has taken Linux seriously for years now, and it looks similar the Steam Deck is the company's side by side big push button.

Steam Os and Proton: What are they?

If you've used Windows, or mayhap Mac, all your life, so yous may not be aware of a whole alternative ecosystem based around the Linux kernel. In this space, the sky'south practically the limit, where you have the freedom to do nigh anything a computer can possibly do.

Linux is everywhere — if you're using an Android telephone correct now, you lot're using something built on top of the Linux kernel. But Linux has never really taken off in the desktop infinite despite many, myself included, wishing information technology would. The reason why comes downward to user-friendliness.

Many of the Linux distributions (referred to as distros) are very welcoming to newcomers, just you have to relearn some processes since Linux handles things differently than Windows. Not anybody is down with that, and Linux has gained a reputation for having a steep learning curve.

Linux is everywhere, but it has never really taken off in the desktop space despite many wishing information technology would.

The nigh popular Linux distro in the earth is Ubuntu, which itself is based on the long-standing Debian. Many of the other pop distros are and so based on Ubuntu with their own tweaks and desktop environments (which is another term for UI). When Valve created Steam OS originally, it was based on Ubuntu. Only the new version launching with the Steam Deck is based on another distro chosen Curvation (using the KDE Plasma desktop surroundings).

Arch Linux itself is somewhat of a meme in the Linux customs, merely information technology's also extremely powerful. My personal distro of pick, Manjaro, is besides based on Arch. There are likely a multitude of reasons that Valve chose to alter Steam OS' base from Ubuntu to Arch, but we won't get into that hither.

Valve too came out with Proton, which was an improvement upon a customs project previously known as DXVK. Valve took the work that DXVK's developer had washed and ran with it, releasing the compatibility layer not long after. Proton'due south nature allows many Windows-only games to translate to something that the Linux-based operating system can sympathise.

Merely I must stress that Proton is not an emulator at all. Information technology only translates the APIs that the games are using, like DirectX, into something that Linux can empathize. Proton is actually a fork of the popular WINE (Due westine Is Not an Due eastmulator) software, which for years has been the main way of running Windows programs in Linux.

Valve started off with a very short whitelist of games that would work under Proton, just from the get become, users could run any game they wanted to with Proton to see if it would work. While not ever successful, it bolstered a dwindling Linux gaming community into something truly passionate. Sites like ProtonDB arose, offering a database of games with compatibility ratings with user reviews to say what worked or didn't (or how they got things to work). Run across our guide to checking if a Steam game will work on Steam Deck.

Proton is adjustable and Valve unleashing it on the community has led to many breakthroughs, such as a variant by the developer known as GloriousEggroll. Valve must've decided that Proton was fix for primetime.

Proton and anti-crook

Other than some games flat out not working under Proton, the biggest hurdle has been games with anti-cheat software. Titles like Destiny 2, Noon Legends, PUBG, and so on will non work under Linux simply because the anti-cheat kicks in. With some games, even just trying to run the game once can result in a permanent ban.

One of the biggest players in anti-cheat, Like shooting fish in a barrel Anti Cheat, was supposed to have Linux support, but then Epic Games interfered and we haven't seen much since. This has been a major sticking point for a lot of people, myself included, from jumping full-fourth dimension into Linux.

Simply Valve knows this and has claimed to be working to resolve it by the fourth dimension the Steam Deck launches. I certain hope they o; I play Apex Legends regularly with friends and I would love to be able to run Linux on my gaming rig and still be able to play with them. But, equally with anything, it's best not to go our hopes up until nosotros run into Valve come up through.

Proton and Steam Deck outlook

steam deck library — (Image credit: Valve)

The Steam Deck is an exciting piece of engineering. Not only is it an affordable entry point into PC gaming, but it's a stride forward for the Linux desktop. After all, the yr of Linux volition come... someday.

What all of this means for you and your future Steam Deck is that, as information technology stands right at present, near games on Steam will work. Between at present and the last product launch, however, I expect Valve (and the community) to really ramp up efforts to make Proton even more seamless.

And since the Steam Deck is a full-fledged PC with an AMD APU powering the whole matter, you are free to do other things, too. There'due south a whole globe of Linux gaming, including excellent software like Lutris, simply that's a different topic.

More than: Valve Steam Deck vs Nintendo Switch OLED: What should you buy?

Jordan is the Phones Editor for Tom's Guide, roofing all things telephone-related. He's written about phones for over 5 years and plans to keep for a long while to come. He loves zero more than relaxing in his dwelling with a volume, game, or his latest personal writing projection. Jordan likes finding new things to dive into, from books and games to new mechanical keyboard switches and fun keycap sets. Jordan tends to lurk on social media, but you can best reach him on Twitter.