cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/14762903

I am switching to Linux for the first time.

I heard Mint is really good but am not sure exactly which distro is best to use with Steam, as well as with newer games, as I primarily use my computer for gaming.

I generally play games like Final Fantasy XIV, Baldur’s Gate 3, Elden Ring, Elder Scrolls Online, and Total War: Warhammer 3.

  • TurtlePowerEnglish
    2·
    5 months ago

    SteamOS was Debian based with GNOME, until 3.0, which is Arch based with KDE Plasma. I think the important thing is that you use Plasma or GNOME with your distro, though I can’t say from experience how well it runs with GNOME. Fedora KDE Plasma spin has been flawless with Steam for me, even after upgrading to Fedora 40 and Plasma 6.

    • breakfastmtn@lemmy.caEnglish
      1·
      5 months ago

      I don’t think you’ll have problems on other distros – it’s in everyone’s interest to have Steam work well and I’m sure they do a great job of it across the board.

      But if you go to Steam’s linux client support page it says:

      Currently, Steam for Linux is only supported on the most recent version of Ubuntu LTS with the Unity, Gnome, or KDE desktops.

      So that’s the distro they’re testing on and they provide something kinda sorta like a guarantee that it’ll work there. Also note that it isn’t a guarantee that it won’t work elsewhere - if your heart aches for Arch, that shouldn’t keep you from the Arch wiki.

      • TurtlePowerEnglish
        1·
        5 months ago

        it’s in everyone’s interest to have Steam work well

        Obviously. I just found it odd that their supported Linux client is Ubuntu when their own os is Ach, but after thinking about it, it makes sense that they would work on several different clients for that very reason that it would end up working well for as many as possible.