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Gaming on Aurora

Prerequisites​

Before starting with gaming on Aurora, ensure you have:

  1. The correct Aurora image for your system:

    • aurora-stable for Intel/AMD GPU systems
    • aurora-nvidia-stable for NVIDIA GPU systems

    All available builds, including specialized images for Surface devices, Framework laptops, and ASUS hardware, can be found at https://getaurora.dev.

  2. Enough storage space for games

  3. A stable internet connection for downloads

Overview​

Despite not being primarily a gaming-focused image, you can still run video games at nearly the same performance as nearly any other Linux operating system out there. Aurora supports gaming through various methods including Flatpak Steam, Lutris, and containerized gaming environments. This guide will help you set up and choose the best gaming solution for your needs. However, Bazzite is the better choice if your gaming needs rank higher over productivity, development, or general computing usage.

Quick Install Gaming Tools​

The fastest way to get started with gaming is to install all necessary gaming Flatpaks and dependencies using:

ujust install-gaming-flatpaks

This command will install:

Gaming Options​

Flatpak Steam​

Steam through Flatpak provides several advantages:

  1. Sandboxed environment for improved security with granular and adjustable permissions
  2. Automatic updates
  3. Consistent runtime environment
  4. Cross-distribution compatibility

View the Steam Flatpak Github Wiki for a short list of workarounds that may need to be done in comparison to other package formats.

Bazzite-Arch Container​

For those wanting a dedicated gaming environment without switching distributions, Bazzite-Arch provides a containerized solution:

distrobox-create --unshare-netns --nvidia --image ghcr.io/ublue-os/bazzite-arch --name bazzite-arch -Y

After creation, export the gaming applications to your host system:

distrobox-enter -n bazzite-arch -- 'distrobox-export --app steam'
distrobox-enter -n bazzite-arch -- 'distrobox-export --app lutris'
distrobox-enter -n bazzite-arch -- 'distrobox-export --app protontricks'
distrobox-enter -n bazzite-arch -- 'mkdir -p ~/.steam && distrobox-export --bin /usr/bin/steamcmd --export-path ~/.steam && mv ~/.steam/steamcmd ~/.steam/steamcmd.sh'

Switching to Full Bazzite​

If gaming is your primary focus, consider switching to Bazzite as your main operating system. It offers:

  1. Pre-configured gaming optimizations
  2. Latest gaming-related drivers and tools
  3. Built-in support for multiple gaming platforms
  4. Regular updates focused on gaming performance
  5. Active gaming-focused community

To switch to Bazzite from Aurora , use:

rpm-ostree rebase ostree-unverified-registry:ghcr.io/ublue-os/bazzite:stable

Recommendations​

  1. Casual Gaming: Use Flatpak Steam and gaming tools installed through ujust install-gaming-flatpaks
  2. Mixed Usage: Consider the Bazzite-Arch container for a dedicated gaming environment while keeping Aurora as your daily driver
  3. Gaming Focus: Switch to full Bazzite installation for the best gaming experience

Tools and Performance Monitoring​

The ujust install-gaming-flatpaks command installs several useful gaming tools and runtimes:

  1. Gaming Platforms:

    • Steam
    • Heroic Games Launcher
    • Lutris
    • ProtonUp-Qt

  2. Performance Tools:

    • Gamescope Vulkan Layer
    • OBS VKCapture for recording

Managing Multiple Gaming Platforms​

When using both Steam and Lutris:

  1. Steam is best for games in your Steam library
  2. Lutris can manage:
    • Traditional Windows games
    • Native Linux games
    • Emulators
  3. Heroic Games Launcher can manage:
    • GOG games
    • Epic Games Store titles
    • Amazon Games

Troubleshooting Common Issues​

Performance Issues​

  • Verify you're using the correct Aurora image for your hardware (aurora-stable for Intel/AMD or aurora-nvidia-stable for NVIDIA)
  • Check if a game is running through the correct Proton version
  • Monitor system resources with MangoHud to identify bottlenecks

Game Launch Problems​

  • Try updating Proton or switching to a different Proton version
  • Verify game files through Steam
  • Check game compatibility through ProtonDB

Storage Issues​

  • Games are stored in their respective platform directories
  • Steam: ~/.var/app/com.valvesoftware.Steam/data/Steam
  • Lutris: Games can be installed in custom locations

Community Support​

This guide is regularly updated as Aurora evolves. For the most recent information, troubleshooting help, or if you have any questions:

Additional Notes​

  • The bazzite-arch container comes with paru pre-installed and modified xdg-utils for seamless integration with your host system
  • Flatpak Steam may have slight performance overhead due to sandboxing, but this is usually negligible
  • When using Flatpak Steam, be aware that games are run in a sandboxed environment for improved security