Valve announced the release of the new version of the project «Proton 7.0«, which is based on the code base of the Wine project and which aims to run on Linux game applications created for Windows and presented in the Steam catalog.
For those who do not know about Proton, they should know that this allows you to directly run Windows-only game applications on the Steam Linux client. The package includes the implementation of DirectX 9/10/11 (based on the DXVK package) and DirectX 12 (based on vkd3d-proton) working through the translation of DirectX calls to the Vulkan API, provides improved support for drivers of games and the ability to use full screen regardless of the mode supported by the screen resolution games.
Main novelties of Proton 7.0
This new version that was presented arrives synchronized with the release of Wine 7.0 (previous branch was based on Wine 6.3), along with which backlog specific patches have moved from Proton upstream, which are now included in the main part of Wine.
The DXVK layer, which translates the calls to the Vulkan API, has been updated to version 1.9.4, while VKD3D-Proton, a fork of vkd3d created by Valve to improve Direct3D 12 compatibility on Proton, has been updated to version 2.5-146 and the wine-mono package has been updated to version 7.1.2.
Another change that stands out is that support for local H.264 video decoding was added and that, in addition, added support for the Linux module of the Easy Anti-Cheat anti-cheat system (EAC), which is used to ensure the launch of Windows game builds with anti-cheat enabled. Easy Anti-Cheat allows you to run a network game in a special isolation mode that checks the integrity of the game client and detects process meddling and memory tampering.
On the part of the improvements for some video game titles, we can find in this new version of Proton 7.0 added support for: Call of Juarez, DCS World Steam Edition, Disgaea 4 Complete+, Dungeon Fighter Online, Epic Roller Coasters XR ,Eternal Return ,Forza Horizon 5 ,Gravity Sketch VR ,Monster Hunter Rise ,NecroVisioN, Nights of Azure, Oceanhorn: Monster of the Uncharted Seas , Order of War, Persona 4 Golden, Resident Evil 0, Resident Evil Revelations 2, Rocksmith 2014 Edition, SCP: Secret Laboratory, Wargroove, Wartales, and Yakuza 4 Remastered.
Of the other changes that stand out of this new version:
- Improved sound support in Skyrim, Fallout 4, and Mass Effect 1.
- Improved support for Steam controllers in games launched from the Origin platform.
- Moved performance optimizations related to input handling, windows, and memory allocation from the Proton Experimental branch.
Also, it should be noted that support for 591 games has been confirmed for the Linux-based Steam Deck game console. 337 games are marked as manually verified by Valve employees (Verified). Of the games tested, 267 (79%) do not have a native Linux version and run on Proton.
Finally if you want to know more about it about the changes implemented in this new version of the project, you can check the detailss in the following link.
How to activate Proton on Steam?
For those interested in trying Proton, they must have the beta version of Steam installed on their system In the event that it is not, they can join the beta version of Linux from the Steam client.
For this they must open the Steam client and click on Steam in the upper left corner and then Settings.
In the "Account" section you will find the option to sign up for the beta version. Doing this and accepting will close the Steam client and download the beta version (a new installation).
At the end and after accessing their account, they return to the same route to verify that they are already using Proton.
Now you can install your games regularly, you will be reminded for the only time that Proton is used for it.
Moreover if you are interested in compiling the code on your own, you can get the new version by downloading it from the following link.
The instructions, as well as the details to carry out this process and other information about the project can be found this link.