Windows Games on Arch Linux (Part 1): Complete Steam and Proton Setup

Windows Games on Arch Linux (Part 1): Complete Steam and Proton Setup

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Abdullah Musa

January 31, 2026

Running Windows games on Linux is no longer experimental. With Steam and Proton, many modern Windows titles now run reliably on Linux, making it a practical gaming platform.

Welcome to MusaBase. In this first part of the Windows Games on Linux series, I show how I run Windows games on my daily-use Linux system using Steam for games and Proton for compatibility. I'm using Arch Linux btw, but you can treat it as a reference rather than a requirement.

This guide focuses on real-world setup and playability, not benchmarks or FPS chasing.

Although Arch Linux is used for demonstration, the concepts covered here apply to most modern Linux distributions. Differences mainly come down to package management and system configuration.

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Table of Contents

• Prerequisites
• My System Specifications
• Step 1: Enable Multilib Support on Arch Linux
• Step 2: Install Steam, Steam Native Runtime, and Proton
• Step 3: Launch Steam for the First Time on Arch Linux
• Step 4: Steam vs Steam Native Runtime for Windows Games
• Step 5: Configure Steam and Proton for Running Windows Games on Linux
• Step 6: Launch Windows Games on Linux
• My Recommendation: Which Steam Runtime Should You Use?
• Reality Check
• Common Mistakes When Running Windows Games on Linux
• What's Next?

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Prerequisites

Before continuing, make sure you have a working Linux system and are comfortable using the terminal. This guide uses Arch Linux with KDE Plasma as a reference setup, not a strict requirement.

• A Linux system with a graphical desktop environment
• A non-root user with sudo access
• An AUR helper (yay is recommended) to install tools commonly used for running Windows games on Linux
• An active internet connection

For a smoother experience, I recommend setting up your system as a reliable daily-use Arch Linux environment , which covers yay, essential packages, and stability-focused tweaks.

Graphics drivers are not covered here. A properly installed GPU driver is required before running Windows games on Linux. Steam may install additional runtime components on first launch.

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My System Specifications

This guide is based on my own Linux gaming system, which I actively use for running Windows games on Linux with Steam and Proton. Everything discussed in this article is tested directly on this setup.

Operating System	Arch Linux (Rolling Release)
Kernel Version	6.18.6-arch1-1
Desktop Environment	KDE Plasma 6.5.5
Display Server	Wayland
CPU	Intel Core i5-4460 (4th Gen)
GPU	AMD Radeon RX 580 (8GB)
Memory	16GB DDR3
Storage	3TB HDD
Graphics Driver	amdgpu (Mesa)
OpenGL Version	4.6 Compatibility Profile (Mesa 26.0.0-devel)
Vulkan Runtime	1.4.335

These specs are shared to give context to compatibility, stability, and behavior mentioned throughout the guide. Your experience may differ depending on your hardware, drivers, and system configuration.

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Step 1: Enable Multilib Support on Arch Linux

Note: This multilib setup is specific to Arch Linux. Other distributions may enable 32-bit (multilib) support by default or use different methods.

To run Windows games on Linux with Steam and Proton, multilib support must be enabled. Many Windows games and Proton components still rely on 32-bit libraries, even on a 64-bit Linux system. Without multilib, games may fail to launch, crash on startup, or miss required dependencies.

• Open a terminal and run:

sudo nano /etc/pacman.conf

If you do not have nano installed, install it first by running:

sudo pacman -S nano

• In the pacman.conf file, scroll down using the Down arrow key and locate the following commented lines:

#[multilib]
#include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

• Uncomment both lines by removing the # character.
• Press Ctrl + O to save the file, press Enter to confirm, then press Ctrl + X to exit.

After enabling multilib, the system must be updated so pacman can synchronize and install the required 32 bit libraries needed by Steam and other gaming tools.

• Run:

sudo pacman -Syu

This is a one-time setup step on Arch Linux. Once enabled, your system is properly prepared to run Windows games through Steam and Proton without recurring library issues.
Without multilib support, Steam may fail to launch due to missing 32-bit libraries. During my initial setup, Steam refused to start and displayed errors such as:

You are missing the following 32-bit libraries: libc.so.6
You are missing the following 32-bit libraries: libGL.so.1
Fatal Error: Failed to load steamui.so
Unpack runtime failed, error code 1
Could not load module 'vgui2_s.so'

After enabling multilib support and updating the system, these errors disappeared and Steam launched normally. If you are encountering similar issues, enabling multilib is usually the fix.

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Step 2: Install Steam, Steam Native Runtime, and Proton

This is where Windows gaming on Linux actually starts to work. Steam is the core platform for running Windows games on Linux and can be installed either with its bundled libraries or as Steam Native Runtime, which relies on system libraries. Both options support Windows games, but runtime choice can affect stability on some setups.

Windows games run on Linux through Proton, a compatibility layer developed by Valve and integrated directly into Steam. Proton allows most Windows-only games to install, launch, and run on Linux without additional manual configuration.

Once Steam, Proton, and the required runtimes are in place, running Windows games on Linux closely mirrors the Windows experience. While installation steps vary slightly between distributions, the overall workflow remains consistent across Arch Linux, Ubuntu, Fedora, and other modern Linux systems.

Standard Steam Installation

• Installing the standard Steam client on Arch Linux is straightforward. Simply run the following command:

yay -S steam

Steam Native Runtime Installation

• Run the following command:

yay -S steam-native-runtime

• After selecting the steam-native-runtime package, yay will prompt you to choose providers for lib32-libjpeg6 and libjpeg6.
  • These providers are compatibility runtime libraries that allow Steam Native Runtime to use system provided shared libraries instead of Valve’s bundled runtime.
• For lib32-libjpeg6, select lib32-libjpeg6-turbo, which is the default (option 1), and press Enter.
• For libjpeg6, select libjpeg6-turbo (option 3) and press Enter.

Note: During installation, yay will ask several standard prompts. For all of these, simply press Enter to accept defaults:

• Packages to cleanBuild?: Press Enter (skip)
• Diffs to show?: Press Enter (skip)
• Import PGP keys?: Type Y and press Enter
• Remove make dependencies after install? [y/N]: Press Enter (keep dependencies)
• For any package installation confirmations, press Enter to continue

On my system, this entire process took approximately 10 minutes. Installation time may vary depending on your hardware, storage speed, and internet connection.

If yay or pacman becomes slow or fails with errors like could not resolve host, the problem is usually related to mirror or DNS configuration. I ran into this exact issue myself and covered the fix step by step here: Fix slow pacman downloads and mirror issues on Arch Linux.

ProtonUp-Qt Installation

Steam includes Proton by default, but in practice many Windows games need a different Proton version to run properly. Instead of managing this manually, ProtonUp-Qt provides a simple graphical way to install and switch between custom and community Proton builds, making Windows games much easier to run on Linux through Steam, Bottles, and Lutris.

• To install ProtonUp-Qt, run the following command:

yay -S protonup-qt

• The installation process is similar to Steam Native Runtime. When yay prompts for:
  • Packages to cleanBuild?: Press Enter (skip)
  • Diffs to show?: Press Enter (skip)
  • Installation confirmations?: Press Enter to continue

• To launch ProtonUp-Qt, either open it from your application launcher or run the following command in the terminal:

protonup-qt

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Step 3: Launching Steam for the First Time on Arch Linux

With both Steam and Steam Native Runtime installed, the first launch process is mostly identical. This initial startup is where Steam prepares everything required to run Windows games on Linux through Proton, regardless of which runtime is selected.

On Arch Linux, Steam launches using the bundled Steam runtime by default. Even though the application menu shows two entries, Steam and Steam (Native), both typically start with the bundled runtime unless explicitly overridden. On my system, using environment variables is currently the only reliable way to control which runtime Steam actually uses.

⚠️ Important: Run only one Steam instance at a time. Launching Steam and Steam Native Runtime together can cause login or library issues.

You can launch Steam either from the application menu or by running the following command in the terminal: steam

Steam First Boot

Steam Native Runtime Launch

To run Steam using the Steam Native Runtime, Steam must be launched from the terminal with an environment variable. This explicitly forces Steam to disable Valve’s bundled runtime and use the system-installed shared libraries instead, which directly affects how Windows games run through Proton on Linux.

• Open a terminal and run:

STEAM_RUNTIME=0 steam

• You can also explicitly launch Steam using Valve's bundled runtime with:

STEAM_RUNTIME=1 steam

💡 Tip: Steam can be launched using either Valve’s bundled runtime or native system libraries, depending on how STEAM_RUNTIME is set.

• STEAM_RUNTIME=1 steam: Uses Valve’s bundled runtime libraries. Steam runs in an isolated runtime environment, similar to Windows and most Linux distributions.
• STEAM_RUNTIME=0 steam: Enables Steam Native Runtime. Steam uses system-installed libraries from /usr/lib and /usr/lib32, including glibc, libstdc++, SDL, and libX11.

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Step 4: Steam vs Steam Native Runtime for Windows Games

When running Windows games on Linux through Proton, the choice between Steam and Steam Native Runtime often comes down to stability rather than features. The user experience for launching games, managing your library, and accessing Steam features remains effectively the same in both cases.

How to Check Which Steam Runtime Is Running

• Open Steam, click on Help in the top navigation bar, and select System Information from the dropdown menu. A new dialog box containing detailed system information will open.
• In the System Information dialog box, scroll down to the Operating System: section.

• If you are running standard Steam (Valve’s bundled runtime), you will see an entry similar to the following:

Steam Runtime Version: steam-runtime_1.0.20251202.187498

• If you are running Steam Native Runtime, you will see this exact line instead:

Steam Runtime Version: <Runtime disabled>

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Step 5: Configure Steam and Proton for Running Windows Games on Linux

In this step, we will prepare Steam and Proton to run Windows games on Linux. This covers library setup, Proton selection, custom Proton installation, and forcing compatibility tools where needed.

5.1: Add Windows Games on Linux Using Steam

Storage handling on Linux is very similar to Windows. You can point Steam to any drive that already has a SteamLibrary folder and it will detect it automatically. In my case, the library already existed at /mnt/data/sdb6, so Steam picked it up and continued updating games from there. This method also works for adding standalone Windows games to Linux. You can add them as Non-Steam games and run them through Proton.

• Open Steam and click the + Add a Game button located in the bottom-left corner. A dropdown menu will appear with multiple options.
• Select Add a Non-Steam Game…. A new dialog box will open.
• In the dialog box, click Browse in the bottom-left corner.
• Navigate to the game’s executable file, select it, and add it as a Non-Steam Game.

• At this stage, you may notice that some Windows games refuse to launch or crash immediately after starting on Linux.
• This is where Proton and ProtonDB come into play. Proton handles Windows compatibility, while ProtonDB helps determine which Proton builds are known to work reliably for each game.

5.2: How to Use Proton and ProtonDB to Run Windows Games on Linux

Some games on Steam work on Linux without any extra setup. For example, Dota 2 launches out of the box because it has native Linux support and is fully integrated into Steam’s Linux ecosystem.

Most PC games, however, are built for Windows. This is where Proton becomes essential, allowing those Windows-only titles to run on Linux through Steam.

When I tried running Red Dead Redemption 2, it would not launch at all. That led me to ProtonDB, where other Linux users had already shared which Proton versions worked on different distros and hardware. By following their reports (in my case, Proton-GE and specific launch options), I was able to get RDR2 running on my Arch Linux system. We will follow the same process here.

To use ProtonDB for any Windows game on Linux, follow these steps:

• Go to ProtonDB.
• Search for your game (in my case, Red Dead Redemption 2).
• Select the PC platform to filter PC-specific reports.
• Note the Proton version that works best for your Linux distribution.
• Also note any additional launch options mentioned by users.

• For me, in order to run Red Dead Redemption 2 on my Arch Linux system, i needed the specific version of Proton called GE-Proton 10.27 plus the launch command as the user suggested.
• So next, we need to Force proton for windows games.

5.3: Install a Custom Proton Version in Steam Using ProtonUp-Qt

Steam includes several Proton options like Proton Experimental, Sniper, and Legacy, which work fine for many games. However, some Windows titles need very specific Proton builds that are not available directly inside Steam.

This is where ProtonUp-Qt becomes necessary. It lets you install custom and community-maintained Proton builds such as GE-Proton and older Proton versions. In my case, Red Dead Redemption 2 only ran reliably after installing GE-Proton through ProtonUp-Qt.

Important: Make sure Steam is completely closed before installing any Proton version using ProtonUp-Qt. Running Steam in the background can cause the installation to fail or not register correctly.

• Open ProtonUp-Qt.
• Select Steam from the Install for: dropdown (it is usually selected automatically).
• Click Add version.

• In the dialog window, choose the Compatibility tool (for example, GE-Proton).
• Select the required Proton version (in my case, GE-Proton10-27).
• Click Install and wait for the download and installation to complete.
• Once finished, the installed Proton version will appear under Installed Compatibility Tools.

5.4: Force Proton for Windows Games in Steam

• Forcing Proton for a Windows game in Steam is straightforward.
• Open your Steam client and go to your game library.
• Right-click on the game you want to run and select Properties.
• In the Properties window, click on Compatibility from the left sidebar.
• On the right side, you will see a checkbox labeled Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool.
• Enable this checkbox to manually select a Proton version.
• From the dropdown menu below, choose the Proton version you installed earlier (for example, GE-Proton).
• If ProtonDB recommended any additional launch options, add them in the Launch Options field.
• Close the Properties window and launch the game.

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Step 6: Launch Windows Games on Linux

Building on the Proton configuration from Step 5, I will now test actual gameplay. I'll run the same Windows game on Linux using both Steam and Steam Native Runtime. The game, Proton version, and in-game settings will stay identical, only the runtime changes. These real gameplay screenshots show how each game behaves under different runtimes.

Runtime Comparison (My Observations)

Each game was tested with identical settings on both runtimes. Left side shows Steam Native Runtime, right side shows Standard Steam.

Dota 2

• Settings: High preset, Animated Portraits disabled, Anti-Aliasing off
• Note: Native Linux game - no Proton required

Native Runtime

Standard Steam

Runtime	Proton Version	Performance Summary
Standard Steam	Not required (Native Linux)	FPS fluctuates during heavy team fights (e.g., Invoker spell chains, Phantom Lancer illusions)
Steam Native Runtime	Not required (Native Linux)	More consistent FPS overall. Minor drops during extreme visual load, but fluctuations are reduced

My Take: For competitive Dota 2, Steam Native Runtime provides noticeably smoother gameplay during team fights.

Red Dead Redemption 2

• Settings: High textures, Medium mix for other settings, AMD FSR disabled
• Proton: GE-Proton 10.27 (via ProtonUp-Qt)
• Launch Options:

mangohud RADV_TEX_ANISO=0 PROTON_ENABLE_HDR=1 PROTON_ENABLE_WAYLAND=1 ENABLE_HDR_WSI=1 %command%

Native Runtime

Standard Steam

Runtime	Proton Version	Performance Summary
Standard Steam	GE-Proton 10.27	Stable 60–75 FPS in open world travel. Drops to mid-30s in crowded areas (especially Saint Denis)
Steam Native Runtime	GE-Proton 10.27	More frequent FPS fluctuations even in less populated areas. Despite slightly higher FPS in screenshots, gameplay feels less stable

My Take: Standard Steam provides a more predictable experience for RDR2, despite lower peak FPS in cities.

Forza Horizon 5

• Settings: High preset, AMD FSR disabled
• Proton: GE-Proton 10.27
• Launch Options:

mangohud WINEDLLOVERRIDES="winmm=n,b" %command%

Native Runtime

Standard Steam

Runtime	Proton Version	Performance Summary
Standard Steam	GE-Proton 10.27	Rock-solid 60 FPS on High settings. Gameplay feels smooth and predictable
Steam Native Runtime	GE-Proton 10.27	FPS fluctuates between 35–60, resulting in noticeable stuttering during races

My Take: Standard Steam is clearly superior for Forza Horizon 5. The native runtime causes unacceptable performance instability.

GTA V Enhanced Edition

• Settings: All settings on High
• Proton: GE-Proton 10.25
• Launch Options:

mangohud WINEDLLOVERRIDES="socialclub=n,b;version=n,b" %command%

Native Runtime

Standard Steam

Runtime	Proton Version	Performance Summary
Standard Steam	GE-Proton 10.25	Smooth 60+ FPS gameplay. Performance remains stable in all tested scenarios
Steam Native Runtime	GE-Proton 10.25	Also stable at 60+ FPS, with slightly higher average FPS in benchmarks

My Take: Both runtimes work well for GTA V, but Native Runtime has a slight edge in average FPS.

Methodology Note: All screenshots captured on the same Linux system with identical in-game settings. No upscaling, reshade, or post-processing filters applied. Screen recording was avoided as it caused 50% performance drops even with hardware encoding.

This is not about benchmarks or FPS charts. It simply shows how the same Windows game behaves on Linux when launched with Standard Steam versus Steam Native Runtime. The game, Proton version, and graphics settings remain identical, only the runtime underneath changes.

Takeaway: There is no universal “best” Steam runtime for Linux gaming. Some games behave better with Steam Native Runtime, while others are more stable on Standard Steam. The right choice depends on the game, Proton version, and your system setup.

Now that you've seen how different games perform, check out the key takeaways and common mistakes to optimize your own Linux gaming setup.

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My Recommendation: Which Steam Runtime Should You Use?

Start Here: Use Standard Steam (For Most Users)

Based on my testing across multiple games, I recommend starting with Standard Steam for every new game. Here's why:

• Better overall stability: 3 out of 4 tested games performed better with Standard Steam
• Predictable performance: Valve's bundled libraries ensure consistent behavior
• Less troubleshooting: If a game works here, you're done. No need to test further
• Rolling-release friendly: System library updates won't break your games

When to Switch to Steam Native Runtime

Switch to Steam Native Runtime only if you experience:

• Consistent stuttering or frame drops in Standard Steam
• Games crashing on launch with Standard Steam
• Specific community reports recommending Native Runtime for your game
• You're playing native Linux games (like Dota 2) where Native Runtime showed clear benefits

Testing workflow: Game not smooth? → Launch with STEAM_RUNTIME=0 steam → Compare performance → Stick with whichever feels better.

Game-Specific Recommendations (Based on My Testing)

Game	Recommended Runtime	Why
Dota 2	Steam Native Runtime	More consistent FPS during team fights
Red Dead Redemption 2	Standard Steam	More predictable performance, less fluctuation
Forza Horizon 5	Standard Steam	Rock-solid 60 FPS vs stuttering on Native
GTA V Enhanced	Both work well	Minor FPS difference, choose either

Quick Decision Guide

1

Start new game → Launch with Standard Steam

↓

2

Game runs smoothly? → YES → Stop here, enjoy!
Game runs smoothly? → NO → Continue to step 3

↓

3

Launch with STEAM_RUNTIME=0 steam (Native Runtime)

↓

4

Better with Native Runtime? → YES → Use Native Runtime
Better with Native Runtime? → NO → Stick with Standard Steam

Bottom line: Default to Standard Steam. Only test Native Runtime if you have performance issues. This workflow saves time and ensures the best experience for each game.

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Reality Check

The difference between Steam and Steam Native Runtime is not about features or usability, even for Windows games running through Proton. The real difference usually appears over time, mainly in terms of stability.

The standard Steam runtime uses Valve’s bundled libraries, which stay consistent because Valve controls their versions. Steam Native Runtime relies on system-installed libraries, which can change on rolling-release systems and occasionally affect stability.

In real-world gaming performance on Linux, whether it's Steam or Steam Native Runtime, neither guarantee higher FPS. FPS stability should be measured by hardware bottlenecks such as CPU cores, GPU capability, RAM speed, along with driver stability and in-game settings, not by which Steam runtime is used.

On my system, Dota 2 runs with more consistent FPS when played with Steam Native Runtime, while Red Dead Redemption 2, Forza Horizon 5, and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales have been more consistent with the standard Steam runtime.

These results are specific to my setup. Different hardware, drivers, kernel versions, and library combinations can easily produce different outcomes, which is why there is no single “best” runtime for everyone.

One important limitation to mention is online and multiplayer category. FPS titles like Battlefield 6, Marvel Rivals, Call of Duty, Fortnite, Pubg, and similar competitive games still do not run on Linux. This is usually due to anti-cheat systems that are not enabled for Linux yet. This is not a Linux limitation itself, but a developer-side decision, and support may improve as more studios enable Linux-compatible anti-cheat.

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Common Mistakes When Running Windows Games on Linux

• Expecting every game to work with Steam’s default Proton. In reality, many Windows games only behave properly after switching to a specific Proton build, most often GE-Proton.
• Jumping straight into random fixes without checking ProtonDB. A quick search there usually tells you which Proton version actually worked for real users and what launch options were needed.
• Assuming one Steam runtime is always better. Some games feel smoother on Standard Steam, others behave better on Steam Native Runtime. You usually only find out by testing on your own system.
• Thinking runtime switching will magically boost FPS. Whether it’s Steam or Steam Native Runtime, neither guarantees higher FPS. CPU, GPU, RAM, drivers, and in-game settings matter far more than the runtime itself.
• Installing Proton builds with Steam still running. If Steam is open in the background, ProtonUp-Qt may install correctly, but the new Proton version won’t show up inside Steam.
• Blaming Linux when an online game refuses to launch. Many multiplayer titles still fail because anti-cheat is not enabled for Linux. That’s a developer decision, not a Linux limitation.

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Explore More

With Windows games now running smoothly on your Arch Linux system, you've transformed Linux from just a development platform into a full-fledged gaming machine. From competitive esports games like Dota 2 to open-world adventures like Red Dead Redemption 2, your Linux setup can handle it all through Steam and Proton.

Level Up Your Linux Setup

🎮 Dual Boot Configuration: Having trouble with dual boot setup? Learn how to resolve bootloader issues with our guide on fixing Windows missing from GRUB bootloader in Arch Linux.

🖥️ GPU Virtualization: Want to run Windows games in a virtual machine with near-native performance? Master virtualization with our guide on single GPU passthrough for Windows virtual machines on Linux.

⚡ Complete Arch Setup: New to Arch Linux or want a fresh install? Follow our comprehensive tutorial on complete Arch Linux installation from scratch with desktop environment setup.

That's it for running Windows games on Linux. Your gaming library is now accessible, your performance is optimized, and you have the tools to troubleshoot any compatibility issues. If you run into problems with a specific game or need help with Proton configuration, drop a comment below.

Game on, see you in the next one.

Abdullah Musa January 31, 2026