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How Easy Is It To Play Windows Games On Linux?

Author : | Category : Linux | Last Updated :

Many people know of the OS Linux, but few people know how difficult it is to play games on Linux if you do not know a few tricks. There are games that are specifically developed for Linux users, and there are Windows games that provide patches for downloading to a Linux system.

We are not always that lucky, sometimes you have to get a little bit creative in order to figure a way out for getting Windows games onto your Linux system.

The Problem

Linux is a completely different OS than Windows. Many people prefer the Linux system for they feel that it does not have a lot of the quirks and issues that Windows does. They feel that they can better protect their computer, and they also feel that there are more benefits to using their Linux system than having to return to Windows just for the gaming capabilities.

Linux is supposed to be a faster more efficient operating system, it does not suck a lot of your power, memory, or Ram like Windows does for it function regularly.

The main issue that many people run into when they are using a Linux system is that many of their favorite Windows games are not available for download on the Linux. Most people wonder if there is a way to get around this, fortunately there is one that will work most of the time.

The Quick Fix

A Linux powered system will need something called a Wine in order to be able to download Windows games to their computer. A Wine system will basically allow you to bypass the Linux system for downloading the gaming properties that you will need in order to play some of Windows top games. The Wine basically will work as a download assistant. You will be able to open your Wine and select the Windows game file that you would like to download and then manually request the download to your Linux powered computer.

The Wine is what will allow you to operate the Windows program on your Linux computer. Wine will work as a translator for your computer taking Windows code or “language” and translating it to Linux code or “language.” Wine has been in development for over 2 decades, and it was not until 2008 that a truly functional version was released. There are still a lot of glitches that will need to be ironed out, but Wine has come a long way, and with an estimate amount of users to be in the millions, seems to be doing a decent job.

Just because a person is using Linux does not mean that they are not interested in gaming. They just have to have a Wine program in order to be able to play. Most Windows games can download and run through Wine rather smoothly, but there are still a few issues that will need to be addressed or a few games where the creators are not happy with the Wine usage.

Wine has created ways for Linux individuals to play popular games such as WOW and Diablo III, but Blizzard was not happy with the usage of Wine and banned them from playing Diablo III through it. Other popular Windows games have not had any problems running, and their creators have not had a problem with their customers playing it through a Wine system. It is just important to remember that using a Wine powered system on a Linux is not the same as running the game through Windows, so you might not get the exact same experience. A person that loves their Linux and gaming will find that it is not that difficult to do, and it is well worth the hassle.


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