Linux Gaming with NVIDIA and Proton: Crimson Desert at maximum performance

Linux has made huge strides in the world of gaming in recent years, to the point where installing Linux for gaming is now a genuine alternative to Windows. Enormous resources have been invested in making Windows games run on Linux without the user having to do anything special.

The result is that today more than 20,000 games are compatible with Linux, including the vast majority of AAA titles. In this guide, we document our real-world experience installing Nobara and Pop!_OS on a Legion 5 Pro with an RTX 4070 to play Crimson Desert.

Comparison of Linux distributions

The choice of distribution has a direct impact on drivers, HDR, stability and the overall experience. This table highlights what matters for gaming with RTX. Pop!_OS stands out as the best option thanks to its HDR support with KDE on Wayland.

Feature	Bazzite	Pop!_OS	Nobara
Ease of use	✓ Excellent	✓ High	◐ Medium-high
NVIDIA support	◐ Good	✓ Excellent	✓ Very good
Optimised gaming kernel	✓ Yes	◐ Partial	✓ Yes, advanced
Updates without breaking the system	✓ Atomic	◐ Traditional	◐ Traditional
Streaming / OBS	◐ Functional	◐ Functional	✓ Optimised
Deep customisation	✗ Limited	✓ High	✓ Full
Gaming + productivity	◐ Partial	✓ Excellent	✓ Excellent
Ideal for laptops	◐ Passable	✓Very good	◐ Good

💡 Note: HDR is the key differentiator in 2025. Pop!_OS with KDE on Wayland offers the best HDR support for NVIDIA RTX GPUs — something that Nobara and Bazzite are still in the experimental phase with.

Pop!_OS — The System for NVIDIA GPUs

Pop!_OS was created to solve the biggest historical problem in Linux gaming: NVIDIA drivers. System76, a Linux hardware manufacturer, has created a distribution where proprietary drivers are first-class citizens, not just a stopgap solution.

Dedicated NVIDIA ISO: proprietary drivers already integrated from the first boot
Functional HDR with KDE Plasma on Wayland — the game-changer in 2025
Hybrid Graphics Switch: switch between integrated GPU and NVIDIA without rebooting
Based on Ubuntu LTS: maximum compatibility and a massive community
Proprietary COSMIC Desktop in Rust: fast, smooth, low on resources
No repository conflicts or GPG errors

Nobara — Uncompromising Performance

Nobara is the distribution created by the developer behind Proton-GE. The person who best understands the challenges of gaming on Linux has built their own operating system to solve them all at once.

Gaming kernel with Fsync, futex2 and BORE scheduler for lower latency
OBS Studio with low-latency patches — ideal for streamers
Wine and Winetricks pre-installed with all dependencies
MangoHud pre-configured for monitoring FPS, GPU and temperature
The Terra repository may cause occasional GPG errors on new installations

Bazzite — A Console Experience on Your PC

If you’ve ever wanted the simplicity of a console combined with the power of a gaming PC, Bazzite is exactly that. It’s the spiritual successor to SteamOS for desktops.

Atomic updates: if something goes wrong, it automatically reverts to the previous state
Proton-GE pre-installed and configured from the outset
Steam Deck-style gaming mode included — ideal for TV and controller
Immutable system: you can’t corrupt it with incorrect installations
Limited customisation compared to Pop!_OS and Nobara

Step-by-Step Guide: Pop!_OS with KDE for Gaming with HDR

Everything you need to know, based on real-world installations. No unnecessary steps, no assumptions.

Step 1 — Download the correct ISO (NVIDIA version)

Pop!_OS releases two versions: a generic version and one with integrated NVIDIA drivers. Always download the NVIDIA version from system76.com.

Please note: If you download the generic ISO, the NVIDIA drivers will not be included and you will need to install them manually afterwards.

Step 2 — Install KDE Plasma for HDR

Pop!_OS comes with COSMIC by default. For HDR with NVIDIA, you need KDE Plasma on Wayland:

sudo apt install kde-plasma-desktop -y

sudo reboot

On the login screen, select Plasma (Wayland) before logging in.

Step 3 — Check NVIDIA drivers

nvidia-smi

This should display your GPU information, including the driver version. If it does not respond:

sudo apt install nvidia-driver-535 -y && sudo reboot

Step 4 — Enable HDR in KDE Plasma

With KDE 6.1+ and Wayland, HDR is available for NVIDIA RTX:

System Settings → Displays → HDR → Enable

Please note: HDR on Linux with NVIDIA remains experimental in 2025. X11 does not support it — Wayland is required.

Tip: Make sure HDR is also enabled in the settings menu of your monitor or TV. In Windows, you can enable it via

Settings → System → Display → HDR

Step 5 — Install Steam

sudo apt install steam -y

Please note: Use the Pop!_OS/Ubuntu repository. Do not install the .deb package directly from the official Steam website — this may cause dependency conflicts.

Step 6 — Enable Proton in Steam

Proton is disabled by default — the most common mistake made by new users.

Steam → Settings → Compatibility → Tick “Enable Steam Play for all titles” → Select Proton Hotfix

Note: For Crimson Desert specifically, Proton Hotfix is more stable than Proton Experimental with NVIDIA 595 drivers. Valve has included a specific fix for this game in that branch.

Step 7 — Configure Crimson Desert in Steam

Steam → right-click on Crimson Desert → Properties → Compatibility → Force Proton Hotfix

Under General → Launch Options, add:

PROTON_ENABLE_NVAPI=1 DXVK_ASYNC=1 %command%

Step 8 — NVIDIA RTX Optimisation

sudo nvidia-smi -pm 1

sudo apt install vulkan-tools -y

vulkaninfo | grep ‘GPU id’

Please note: Crimson Desert uses Denuvo DRM. Switching between Proton versions counts as an installation — you are limited to five per day. If you exceed this limit, you will be locked out for 24 hours. Decide which Proton version to use before experimenting.

Tip: Check protondb.com before launching any new game — the community reports which version of Proton works and which environment variables to use for each title.

Real Limitations You Need to Be Aware Of

Linux gaming has come a long way, but there are real hurdles. Knowing what they are helps avoid frustration.

Experimental HDR: works on Wayland + KDE with NVIDIA but is still under active development
Fixed driver version: on Nobara, only driver 595 was available via DNF, complicating downgrades
Connecting a second monitor is a bit more complicated; it may require additional commands and is less automatic than on Windows
Denuvo DRM: limit of 5 Proton version changes per day — plan ahead before experimenting

Quick Command Reference — Pop!_OS / Ubuntu

Action	Command
Check NVIDIA GPU	nvidia-smi
Install Steam	sudo apt install steam -y
Check Vulkan	vulkaninfo \| grep GPU
GPU persistence	sudo nvidia-smi -pm 1
Update system	sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
View active session	echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE
View network devices	nmcli device status
View system errors	journalctl -xe
Install WiFi firmware	sudo apt install iwlwifi-modules -y
Reset Steam	steam –reset

Linux gaming, ready to play!

We install and set up the Linux system that best suits your hardware and your needs. Optimised drivers, Steam set up, Proton-GE ready. Just switch it on and play.