Proton
Valve's Wine-based compatibility tool that lets Steam run Windows games on Linux.
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About Proton
Proton is the compatibility tool behind Steam Play. It combines Wine with additional components, such as DXVK for translating Direct3D to Vulkan, FFmpeg and GStreamer for media, and FEX, so many Windows games can be installed and played from Steam on Linux.
Most people use it through the Steam client, which downloads and selects Proton versions automatically; the repository is for those who want to build it themselves. Development is active, with a proton_11.0 branch current. It is not the same product as the Photon geocoder.
Strengths
- Integrated into Steam with no setup
- Bundles DXVK and other translation layers
- Actively developed by Valve
Limitations
- Linux only
- Tied to the Steam client for normal use
- Some games, especially with anti-cheat, may not run
Details
- Pricing
- FreeFree and open source, distributed through Steam.
- License
- Open source, license not stated
- Developer
- Valve
- Platforms
- Linux
- How it runs
- Downloadable app
- Best suited for
- Linux players running Windows games from their Steam library
- Categories
- Emulators, Gaming tools
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.
Alternatives to Proton
Compare allSoftware that can replace Proton for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
GE-Proton
A community build of Valve's Proton compatibility tool for running Windows games through Steam Play on Linux.
GE-Proton is a community build of Proton with extra patches, chosen per game in Steam, but it must be installed manually and is not an official Valve release.
Wine
An open-source compatibility layer that runs Windows applications and games on Linux, macOS and BSD.
Wine is the underlying compatibility layer, usable on Linux, macOS and BSD without Steam, but setup can be fiddly and it lacks Proton's bundled translation layers.
CrossOver
A commercial Wine-based tool that runs Windows applications and games on macOS and Linux.
CrossOver is a paid commercial Wine-based tool for macOS and Linux with support and forums, working outside Steam rather than integrated into it.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
DXVK
Vulkan-based translation layer that runs Direct3D 8, 9, 10 and 11 games on Linux.
vkd3d-proton
A translation layer that runs Direct3D 12 games on Vulkan, used as Proton's D3D12 implementation.
umu-launcher
A unified launcher that runs Windows games on Linux with Proton outside of Steam.
Protontricks
A wrapper that runs Winetricks commands against the prefixes of Steam Proton games.
ProtonUp-Qt
A Linux desktop app that installs and manages GE-Proton, Wine-GE and other compatibility tools.
SteamTinkerLaunch
A Linux wrapper for Steam that adds graphical configuration of launch options and third-party tools.
