Proton

Proton is an open-source software library developed by Valve Corporation for use with the Steam gaming platform and later SteamVR. It allows Windows games to be played on Linux and macOS, including support for Direct3D 9-11 games and OpenGL.

Features

• Direct3D to OpenGL translation
• Fullscreen and windowed mode support
• Gamepad support
• Multi-threaded rendering
• Built-in game fixups
• Compatibility tool for non-supported games

How it works

Proton works by translating Direct3D calls made by Windows games into OpenGL calls that can be understood by Linux and macOS. This allows the game to be rendered correctly on the screen.

Additionally, Proton has a number of built-in fixes for common issues that occur when running Windows games on non-Windows platforms. These fixes are automatically applied when the game is launched.

Requirements

• A Steam account
• Ubuntu 18.04 or later or another supported distribution
• NVIDIA or AMD graphics card (Intel graphics are not currently supported)
• Wine
• DXVK

Getting started

1. Install Steam on your Linux or macOS machine.
2. Enable Steam Play for all titles.
3. Install a Windows game from your Steam library.
4. Launch the game.

Conclusion

Proton makes it possible for Linux and macOS users to play Windows games without the need for a Windows partition or virtual machine. With its built-in game fixups and compatibility tool, Proton is a valuable tool for any Linux or macOS gamer.