7 Best Linux Distro For Gaming In 2017
So, you want to play Games on your Linux machine? That’s pretty good.
Once Upon a Time Linux was a command line based operating system which only used for calculation and scientific purpose.But now the requirements has increased day by day.Desktop to Laptop, Smartphone to Super Computer all over IT industry use Linux gradually.So, what about the gamers?
Yes, Gamers has some great solution to play games on Linux.In this post, I will describe you about the best Linux distro for gaming which are really helpful for any type of gamers.
So, Let’s Start.
Contents
- 1 What Is The Best Linux Distro For Gaming
- 2 Steam OS
- 3 Steam OS At A Glance
- 4 Steam OS System Requirments (From Official Source)
- 5 Pros And Cons
- 6 Play Linux
- 7 Play Linux At A Glance
- 8 Play Linux System Requirments (From Official Source)
- 9 Pros And Cons
- 10 Game Drift Linux
- 11 Game Drift Linux At A Glance
- 12 Game Drift Linux System Requirments (From Official Source)
- 13 Pros And Cons
- 14 Sparky Linux Gameover Edition
- 15 Sparky Linux Gameover Edition At A Glance
- 16 Sparky Linux Gameover Edition System Requirments (From Official Source)
- 17 Pros And Cons
- 18 Fedora Games Spin
- 19 Fedora Games Spin At A Glance
- 20 Fedora Games Spin System Requirments (From Official Source)
- 21 Pros And Cons
- 22 Lakka OS
- 23 Lakka Linux At A Glance
- 24 Lakka Linux System Requirments (From Official Source)
- 25 Pros And Cons
- 26 Ubuntu Game Pack
- 27 Ubuntu Game Pack At A Glance
- 28 Ubuntu Game Pack System Requirments (From Official Source)
- 29 Pros And Cons
- 30 At the End…
What Is The Best Linux Distro For Gaming
In the gaming industry, Linux was not very familler.But, now the scene has changed.You can play the most popular and famous games on Linux.And also, there are several gaming Linux distro available on the internet which makes your Linux gaming more comfortable and more enjoyable.In this part, I will describe you about the most popular and successful Linux distro’s available on the web.
Steam OS
Steam OS is the most popular and most used Linux Gaming Distro.It also called the Best Linux Distro For Gaming.It is created by Valve Corporation (Creator Of Counter-Strike,Left4Dead etc) for those gamers who are die hard fan of Steam Games.
Steam Os mainly created for running games which are only available on Steam Store.It is based on Debian Linux and support Debian Packaging Tool APT.But you can’t download the packages from Debian Package Manager.Steam only allows you to download games from Steam store.
Steam comes with its custom GNOME desktop environment.It is easily accessible and you can control it by using your keyboard or Joystick.It supports different GPU and Gamepad.So, forget about finding and installing drivers.
Although Steam Os is one of the best Linux Distro for gaming, it has some negative point.It requires High system requirement which makes it unpopular from low-end gamers.The gaming performance also slightly lower than Windows.
But all of the combination of positive and negative side if you are a hardcore gamer and an extream fan of Steam games, Steam OS is the best solution for you.
Steam OS At A Glance
| Logo | Based On | Architecture | Desktop Environment | Package Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Debian | x86/x64 | GNOME | .deb |
Steam OS System Requirments (From Official Source)
- 4GB Or More RAM
- 3.00GHz Or More Processor (Quad Core And 64bit Preferred)
- 80GB HDD Space Or More (200GB Recommended)
- 4GB Pendrive or USB Drive or DVD-RW for Installation
- Intel HD graphics/AMD Radeon 8500 Or Later Graphics Card
- UEFI Firmware Supported Motherboard (Recommended)
- Wired or Wireless internet connection
Pros And Cons
Pros
- High Performance And High-End Games Support
- Built-In Steam Game Store
- Different CPU And GPU Supported
- Different Gamepad/Joystick Supported
- Beautiful User Interface
- Huge Games Collection
Cons
- High System Requirments
- Game Performance Lower Than Windows
- Only Steam Games Available
Play Linux
If you want a simple but effective Gaming Linux Distro, you can choose Play Linux.In our list of Best Linux Distro For Gaming, Play Linux is different than others.
Play Linux comes with its default Nebula Desktop Environment.Which makes it easier to access and use.It comes with pre-installed Steam.So, you don’t need to think about it.It also comes with its different feature Auto GPU installer.If you have a different or unpopular hardware which is not supported, Play Linux can automatically adjust them.
You can easily customize the look and feel of Play Linux.On the other hand, you can use it as an ordinary desktop operating system.It comes with Chromium web Browse,File Manager, and Package Manager to install different applications.Which makes it a great combination of Desktop And Gaming Linux Distro.
Play Linux At A Glance
| Logo | Based On | Architecture | Desktop Environment | Package Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Debian | x86/x64 | Nebula | .deb |
Play Linux System Requirments (From Official Source)
- 1GB Or More RAM (2GB Recommended)
- 2.0GHz Or More Processor (Dual Core And 64bit Recommended)
- 10GB HDD Space Or More (20GB Recommended)
- 4GB Pendrive or USB Drive or DVD-RW for Installation
- Intel HD graphics/AMD Radeon 8500 Or Later Graphics Card (For Steam Games)
- Intel/Nvidia/AMD Graphics Card(Regular Linux Games)
- Wired or Wireless internet connection
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Simple And Easy To Use
- Pre-Installed Steam And Chromium
- Beautiful User Interface
- Auto GPU Supported Feature
- Can Be Use As Desktop Operating System
Cons
- Currently Available In Beta Version
- Not For Hardcore Gamers
Game Drift Linux
Game Drift Linux is a new and feature rich Linux gaming distro.It is one if the best Linux distro for gaming.
Why?
Game Drift Linux mainly based on Ubuntu.So, you can easily install any Ubuntu based game in it.As like SuperTuxKart,Torcs,Speed Dreams etc.But this is not it’s main power.Game Drift Linux comes with pre-installed CrossOver (A Windows Application Layer For Linux.As Like Wine).So, you don’t need to think about which games you want to play.Prince of Persia to Need For Speed Most Wanted or Battlefield 3 to Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 3.You can easily install and play more than 1200 popular Windows games on Game Drift Linux.On the other hand, it has a separate game store (http://gamedrift.org/GameStore.html) where you can download all most popular and best games for Linux.Although, the store has a few games collection.But, is has updated regularly.So, if you are an Intermediate Level gamer, Game Drift Linux is the best solution for you.
Game Drift Linux At A Glance
| Logo | Based On | Architecture | Desktop Environment | Package Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Ubuntu (LTS) | x86/x64 | MATE | .deb |
Game Drift Linux System Requirments (From Official Source)
- 1GB Or More RAM (2GB Recommended)
- 2.0GHz Or More Processor (Dual Core And 64bit Recommended)
- 4GB HDD Space Or More (15GB Recommended)
- 4GB Pendrive or USB Drive or DVD-RW for Installation
- Intel HD graphics/AMD Radeon 8500 Or Later Graphics Card (For Windows Games)
- Intel/Nvidia/AMD Graphics Card(Regular Linux Games)
- Wired or Wireless internet connection
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Small,Fast And Simple Linux Distro
- Easily Play Any Ubuntu/Linux Based Games
- Easily Install And Play Most Popular Windows Games
- 3D Video Driver Can Install Easily
- Can Be Install To HDD And USB Storage
Cons
- The CrossOver Will Expire After 30 Days
- The User-Interface Not Very Beautiful
Sparky Linux Gameover Edition
Sparky Linux GameOver Edition is another best Linux Distro For Gaming.It’s some simple features makes it different from others.
This distro comes with many pre-installed games available for Linux.On the other hand, it has also built-in with Steam, Wine, and PlayOnLinux.So, you can easily install and play Regular and Classic PC games.
It has included with a special repository which called Sparky APTus Gamer.By using this tool, you can easily different types of console emulator including Atari800, DOSBox, DOSEMU, MAME, ePSXe, PCSX, VisualBoyAdvance, PPSSPP, DeSmuME, ZSNES and others.
Sparky Linux GameOver Edition can be run on USB.But without installation, you can’t enjoy the full features.
Sparky Linux Gameover Edition At A Glance
| Logo | Based On | Architecture | Desktop Environment | Package Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Debian | x86/x64 | LXDE | .deb |
Sparky Linux Gameover Edition System Requirments (From Official Source)
- 256MB Or More RAM (1GB Recommended)
- 2.00GHz Or More Processor (64bit Recommended)
- 20GB HDD Space Or More (30GB Recommended)
- 16GB Pendrive or USB Drive or DVD-RW for Installation
- Intel 4500 Graphics/AMD Radeon 4500 Or Later Graphics Card
- Wired or Wireless internet connection
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Full Of Features And Games
- Pre-Installed With Steam, Wine, And PlayOnLinux
- Special Sparky APTus Gamer Tool For Install Emulators Easily
- Stable And Rock Solid
Cons
- Slightly Slower Than Other Distros
Fedora Games Spin
Fedora Games Spin is one of a Linux Gaming Distro.Although, it is not a very best Linux Distro For gaming but it can be a good choice for Fedora lovers.
Fedora Games Spin comes with almost 2100 games available for Linux.Including Battle for Wesnoth, FreeCiv, Scorched 3D, Super TuxKart and Nethack.In this spin of Fedora, it comes with XFCE Desktop Environment.Not GNOME.
Steam, Wine, and PlayOnLinux are not pre-installed in Fedora Games Spin.But, you can easily install it by using RPM or its default Package Manager.And also the pre-installed games which are very large, they need to download game data manually for running properly.
Fedora Games Spin At A Glance
| Logo | Based On | Architecture | Desktop Environment | Package Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Fedora | x86/x64 | XFCE | .rpm |
Fedora Games Spin System Requirments (From Official Source)
- 1GB Or More RAM (2GB Recommended)
- 2.0GHz Or More Processor (64bit Recommended)
- 10GB HDD Space Or More (20GB Recommended)
- 8GB Pendrive Or USB Drive or DVD-RW for Installation
- Intel/Nvidia/AMD Graphics Card
- Wired or Wireless Internet Connection
Pros And Cons
Pros
- A Great Solution For Fedora Lovers
- 2100 Linux Games Pre-Installed
- Can Be Run Without Installation
- Fast And Lightweight Than Fedora Desktop Version
Cons
- Not For Intermediate And Hardcore Gamers
- Large Games Not Included Properly
Lakka OS
Are you an Arcade or Retro game lover? Or you want to play Play Station,Nintendo games on your Linux Machine?
Usually, you just download an emulator for your preferred console to play the games.But, many times the emulators does not work properly.On the other hand, some are crashed and some are command line based.
Lakka OS comes with a different solution of Console game lovers.It is an OpenELEC based Linux distro which has almost all popular console emulators in one place.
Lakka supports a wide range of hardware.Including PC,Raspberry Pi,Raspberry Pi 2,CuBoxi,HummingBoard,UDOO,Odroid C1,Odroid-XU3/4,WeTek Play,Banana Pi,Cubie board,Cubie board 2, and CubicTruck.You can easily install Lakka to all of these hardwares.
Lakka also has others different features.If we compare it with RetroPi, Lakka support Desktop Computers easily.It also supports automatic Joystick configuration.It used a very low resource to run.But, if you want to play Playstation/Xbox games then it requires high resources.
As we compare the gaming performance of Lakka, it is quite good than normal emulators.The games run smoothly on Lakka.On the other hand, you will get more features like Capture Screenshot,Save Your Games Anywhere,Beautiful Frontend Control etc.
Lakka Linux At A Glance
| Logo | Based On | Architecture | Desktop Environment | Package Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | OpenELEC | x86/x64/ARM | RetroArch | N/A |
Lakka Linux System Requirments (From Official Source)
- 512MB Or More RAM (1GB Recommended)
- 1.0GHz Or More Processor
- 1GB HDD Space Or More (10GB Recommended For Games)
- 4GB Pendrive or USB Drive or DVD-RW for Installation
- Intel 4500 Graphics/Nvidia Quadro 3100M Or Later Graphics Card (For HD Games Only)
- Wired or Wireless internet connection
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Beautiful User Interface And Frontend
- Based On OpenELEC
- Very Small Size
- Low Configuration Needed
- All Console Emulator In One Place
- Multi-Hardware Support
- Automatic Joypad Configuration
- Automatic Metadata Scraper
Cons
- Only Support Console (NES,SEGA,PlayStation,N64) Games
Ubuntu Game Pack
Love Ubuntu? And want to play games on it?
Ubuntu Game Pack only made for you.
Ubuntu Game Pack is a complete Ubuntu gaming solution.It comes with all of the Windows and Linux-Based games you need.
First of all, Ubuntu Game Pack comes with pre-installed Steam.So, if you want to play Steam games you don’t need to think about this.Also, it comes with Lutris,Wine,PlayOnLinux and the largest repositories of games collection.
By using Wine and PlayOnLinux you can easily install Windows games.Ont the other side, Lutris comes with Ubuntu Game Pack which allows to easily manage your Windows Games,Linux Games,Steam Games,Console Games and others.
Ubuntu Game Pack also pre-installed with Adobe Flash and Oracle Java.Which allows you to play a large number of online games without any hassle.
You can use Ubuntu Game Pack as a Desktop Operating System.Because it used MATE Desktop Environment for easy access and configure.
Ubuntu Game Pack At A Glance
| Logo | Based On | Architecture | Desktop Environment | Package Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Ubuntu | x86/x64 | Unity | .deb |
Ubuntu Game Pack System Requirments (From Official Source)
- 2GB Or More RAM (4GB Recommended)
- 2.0GHz Or More Processor (Dual Core And 64bit Recommended)
- 20GB HDD Space Or More
- 4GB Pendrive or USB Drive or DVD-RW for Installation
- Intel HD graphics/AMD Radeon 8500 Or Later Graphics Card (Only For Steam)
- Intel/Nvidia/AMD Graphics Card(Regular Games)
- Wired or Wireless internet connection
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Based On Ubuntu
- Built-In Steam And Lutris
- Built-In Wine And PlayOnLinux
- Can Be Launched Almost 5849 Games (According To Their Website)
- Adobe Flash And Oracle Java Pre-Installed
Cons
- Slightly Slower Than Other Distros
At the End…
In this post, I have described 7 best Linux distro for gaming.This distro will make your Linux gaming much easier, comfortable and enjoyable.
Note: If you want the best Linux distro for your Laptop, please check this guide 7 Best Linux Distro For Your Laptop In 2016
And also, check this guide if you want to secure yourself properly on the Web. >>>Click Here<<<
Please, keep commenting to encourage us.Your one comment can perfect our articles much more.
About The Author
Asaduzzaman Abir
Hi, I am Asaduzzaman Abir.I am an author of How To Use Linux and also a Moderator.So, keep watching How To Use Linux and be a Linux expert.
Leave a Reply
18 Comments on "7 Best Linux Distro For Gaming In 2017"
Wow this good article, really help. This for installing on my VM, I’m using Slackware.
Thanks For Your Comment Arief
Most people can’t afford a pc that can run the Lakka OS.
According to the above article, it requires 512 GB of ram.
Probably cost around $50,000.
The above 512 GB is a type is it not?
Thanks for your valuable comment Randall.That was a mistake.We have fixed it.
one day youll look back and say “it needs 32 TB of RAM and I have 16″… I once thought 64 MB was a big deal…
I remember when 16MB of RAM was a big deal.
“Dude! I can load a map in Duke Nukem 3D and the music doesn’t skip!”
i’ve run lakka on a 1st gen atom based pc with 2gb of ram so 512 gb of ram is obviously a typo
idk where you got the 512gb when its 512mb to play most games that it can run becuse it plays olde games at most mosst you need for it is 4 and i ran it on my olde xp pc with 1gb and made it into a great game console still uses the olde cat5 cables the dust got cleaned out the olde 200mb video card still works well for most games i play on it
Thanks for the constructive comment.I will try to add PuppyArcade and GroovyArcade to another post.
I love Puppy Linux! i went through college starting in 08 using a very old ibm laptop (2000) with puppy installed just as a test to see if i could do everything that needed to get done on a laptop that was very outdated. i was able to get all my work done easily and was also able to play tons of older games using an emulator. it was a fun experience and one of my first real experiences with linux and really helped cement my love for using linux to revive old hardware
PUPPY ARCADE 11 is the best for old pc and laptop 2nd SLACKOS !!! baby !
I would of thought Zorin would of been on here as it has steam, wine and play on Linux. it is also aimed at new comers to Linux with a theme selector for those coming from either windows or mac.
I’m pumped to see articles like this! i’ve been into gaming on Linux for over a decade now and always had to do my own research to find out what works best. this article was very informative and helpful and i cant wait to try some gaming distros that i never heard of. well done!
i well i have in planning the idea to dual boot with windows 10 pro 64 bit alongside a linux distro for testing purposes. after reading this article, which i found exceptional by the way, i downloaded Ubuntu and Sparky. ill probably go with ubuntu. thank you for this all in one guide. saved me a ton of research.
is ubuntu game pack 64 bit??
Thank you. I had been away from Linux since PCLinux OS 2011. It is nice to know and I was especially happy about the ‘Auto GPU’, which is a concept worthy to become far-spread, imo.
Nice list, though it needs updating.