Linux gamers on Steam cross over the 3% mark (gamingonlinux.com)

Article summary

The number of Linux gamers on Steam has surpassed 3%, according to the Steam Hardware & Software Survey for October 2025. This milestone is attributed to the growing popularity of Linux and the end of support for Windows 10, with the Steam Deck contributing significantly to the increase. The survey also provides a breakdown of the Linux distributions used by Steam users, with SteamOS, Arch Linux, and Linux Mint being the most popular. The growth of Linux gaming is seen as a positive trend, with millions of active users and a increasing adoption of Linux-based gaming systems.

Main themes

• Linux gaming
• Steam Deck
• SteamOS
• Gaming distributions
• Anti-cheat systems
• Linux adoption

What commenters say

• The number of Steam Deck users may not be as high as reported, with some users opting out of the Steam Hardware survey or not using their devices regularly.
• Many popular games are still not compatible with Linux due to anti-cheat systems, which is a major obstacle for Linux gaming adoption.
• Some users argue that Linux is a better general computing device than Windows, while others point out that it still has usability issues and debugging problems.
• The use of immutable distros can be irritating for users who are used to Windows or macOS, but others argue that this is not a significant issue for most users.
• The growth of Linux gaming is hindered by the lack of support from game studios, with some users calling for a boycott of games that do not support Linux.
• Some users believe that the ProtonDB ratings are generous and do not accurately reflect the playability of games on Linux.
• The audio stack on Linux can be brittle and prone to issues, but some users have reported improvements with the use of Pipewire.
• The idea that most people will not switch to Linux due to lack of knowledge or willingness to try something new is a common theme in the comments.