Wine 11 rewrites how Linux runs Windows games at kernel with massive speed gains (xda-developers.com)

Article summary

Wine 11 introduces significant changes, including NTSYNC support, which reworks how Linux runs Windows games at the kernel level, resulting in massive speed gains. The WoW64 architecture overhaul is also complete, allowing 32-bit Windows applications to run on 64-bit Linux systems without requiring 32-bit system libraries. These changes, along with other improvements, make Wine 11 a notable release for Linux gaming. The improvements will trickle down to projects built on top of Wine, such as Proton and Lutris.

Main themes

• Wine 11 features and improvements
• Linux gaming and adoption
• Microsoft and Windows
• Software compatibility and longevity
• Gaming performance and optimization
• Operating system development and strategy

What commenters say

• Wine's improved performance and compatibility may lead to increased adoption of Linux as a gaming platform, potentially causing developers to create native Linux ports.
• Some commenters believe that Microsoft's efforts to lock in users to Windows may be undermined by Wine's progress.
• The development of Wine may eventually make it a more stable and viable option than Windows itself.
• There are differing opinions on whether Microsoft will ever adopt a Linux-based solution for Windows, with some arguing that it would be unprecedented and others pointing to the company's past decisions, such as retiring Internet Explorer in favor of a Chromium-based browser.
• Wine's ability to run older Windows games and software better than modern Windows versions is seen as a significant advantage.
• Some argue that Wine's success may lead to a situation where Windows software has more longevity on Mac and Linux than native software.
• The possibility of Microsoft creating a Linux-based version of Windows is seen as unlikely by some, while others think it could be a cost-effective solution for the company.