Among the reasons for many users not using Linux is the difficulty or impossibility of enjoying video games. Most games are developed for Windows environments, but the reality is that the catalog of games for Linux increases. We are going to teach you some shops of video games that have a huge catalog of titles for the Linux environment.
Currently, the main game developers create their games for Windows environments because it is the most popular platform. Developing games for Linux is a high cost that they never fully compensate for.
Because of this, many users must have a dual-boot system with a Linux and Windows distro. Some choose to install emulators or compatibility layers, such as Wine. But many stores are betting heavily and encouraging the development of games that work under Linux distributions and we will tell you which ones they are.
Play without headaches on Linux thanks to these game stores
We have seen a huge growth in Linux gaming over the past few years thanks to brave developers. We are seeing more and more native games for this operating system that run without any problems. In addition, the installation process is simple, it does not require any complex settings.
The biggest bets on Linux are Valve’s GOG and Steam stores. Above all, Valve offers incentives for its store if you develop games with full compatibility with these open source distributions. In addition, Valve offers the Steam Decka console that uses SteamOS, which is a customized version of Ubuntu.
If you want to find native games for these open source operating systems, we are going to leave you with a few options. All of these stores have a large catalog of games that do not require emulators to work. These are:
- Steam: The leading game store for Linux distributions with a dedicated section to make it easier to find titles. As we said, to encourage the use of these open distributions, the company sells the Steam Deck which is based on SteamOS. The catalog of compatible games is huge and constantly growing.
- GOG: It is currently the go-to store for users with some variant of Linux. It has a unique catalog of games that prioritizes user compatibility and freedom. It has many retro games that are usually hard to find and, of course, modern games. It also includes a large catalog of DRM-free games, which we can play as much as we want.
- Itch.io: If you’re more into discovering new games, this is a great option, as it’s a store and community for independent developers. They have a huge selection of games for this operating system, many of which aren’t on other stores. You can find everything from short but intense experiences to authentic indie wonders for an affordable price.
- ArchWiki: A very interesting option that offers games that are difficult to find through third-party sources or AUR. It is worth noting that AUR (Arch User Repository) is a community-driven repository that includes a large number of native Linux games. Finding and installing games from here is not too difficult.
- Humble Bundle: It is not really a store, it is more of a website that offers game bundles, great deals and also all kinds of digital book bundles. It usually offers great deals on Linux games, which is why many users are regular users.
- Flathub: repository of flatpacks, which are nothing more than stand-alone applications with all the elements necessary to run the application. Among other things, it allows for simplified installation of games on Linux. In addition, it has a large catalog of games that is expanded fairly regularly.