SHARE
Facebook X Pinterest WhatsApp

7 Best Linux Distros for Gaming and Playing Windows Games

Written By
T
TecMint
Oct 15, 2025

Want to play Windows games on your Linux system but not sure where to begin? Heard that some Linux distros are better optimized for gaming but don’t know which ones to pick? Don’t worry, here’s a guide to the five best Linux distros that make running Windows games smooth and hassle-free.

The good news is that gaming on Linux has improved dramatically in recent years. Besides the many native Linux titles already available, you can also play a huge selection of Windows-only games using compatibility tools like Proton (built into Steam) and Wine. In fact, nearly 80% of the most popular Windows games now run on Linux with little to no extra effort.

Now, technically, you can install almost any Linux distro and get gaming to work with a few tweaks. But let’s be honest, if you’re just starting out or you simply want something that “just works”, you don’t want to spend hours configuring drivers, gaming tools, and compatibility settings. That’s where specialized Linux gaming distros come in!

T

TecMint

Recommended for you...

Debian 13.2 Released with Security Fixes and Stability Updates
Bobby Borisov
Nov 28, 2025
Mesa 25.3 Open-Source Graphics Stack Improves Support for Many Video Games
Marcus Nestor
Nov 28, 2025
Wine 10.19 Released With Reparse Point Support
Bobby Borisov
Nov 28, 2025
KDE Frameworks 6.20 Adds a Fancier Push/Pop Animation to System Settings Pages
Marcus Nestor
Nov 28, 2025
Linux Today Logo

LinuxToday is a trusted, contributor-driven news resource supporting all types of Linux users. Our thriving international community engages with us through social media and frequent content contributions aimed at solving problems ranging from personal computing to enterprise-level IT operations. LinuxToday serves as a home for a community that struggles to find comparable information elsewhere on the web.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2025 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.