Steam's latest beta build makes gaming on Linux a breeze by enabling Proton for all titles by default

For the longest time, gaming on Linux felt like it pretty much ended with Super Tux Cart. If you wanted to try out the newest games on Steam, you'd have to have a Windows setup somewhere to play them on. You were stuck unless the game developers were kind enough to make a Linux version.

Today, things have changed. There's a handy compatibility layer called Proton that allows Linux systems to run games developed for Windows with zero effort from the developers themselves. Of course, if they want to make a Linux-native version, they can, but they don't have to.

Right now, if you boot up Steam on Linux, you need to manually enable the Proton layer and select which version you want to use. Presumably, this is because Proton is still being tested, and Valve wanted the feature to be opt-in while it works out the bugs. However, the latest Steam beta build seems to have removed the toggle, meaning that Steam games will boot up with Proton by default if needed.

The new Steam Beta makes gaming on Linux simple by default

As spotted by Gaming on Linux, the Steam beta build has changed how the program handles Proton. If you grab the beta version and head over to the page to enable or disable Proton, you'll notice that the setting has totally vanished.

In its place is a tweak to the wording for "Steam Play," the program's Proton layer. Beforehand, the setting would state that Steam Play is enabled "for supported titles " and give you a toggle that allows you to activate it "for all other titles." Now, that toggle has vanished, and Steam claims that Steam Play is enabled "for all titles."

You can still get into the settings and tweak which version of Proton you want to use, which is welcome. However, it seems that whatever Valve has been doing in the background has really paid off, as removing the toggle and changing the setting's wording implies that it managed to get Proton working well with its entire library. No more guesswork or activating options; just load up Linux, boot up Steam, grab a game, and you're off. Easy peasy.

If you're still in the mindset that gaming on Linux is a joke, it's time to stop laughing. We've had a few XDA members witness the power of Proton lately, and things are looking good for gamers who want to migrate to the Land of Tux. For example, one of our editors wishes he could switch to Linux given how good Proton is, and one writer has noticed that Linux is slowly taking over his life as a PC gamer. The punchline's dead, folks; gaming on Linux is here to stay.