Is Linux actually good for gaming now? Yes, here's what changed
For years 'gaming on Linux' meant a short list of compatible titles. Proton quietly rewrote that story.
If your last attempt at Linux gaming was more than a few years ago, it's worth trying again. A translation layer called Proton changed the calculus almost completely.
What actually changed
Proton runs most Windows games on Linux without the game ever being rebuilt for it, it translates the calls in between. Combined with mature GPU drivers, the overwhelming majority of a modern Steam library now just works, often within a few percent of native Windows performance.
The honest exceptions
A handful of competitive multiplayer titles with kernel-level anti-cheat still don't run, that list is shrinking but it isn't zero. Check before you commit if your one must-play game is in that category.