This post will guide you on how to install and run pirate releases of games on Linux. Basic knowledge (how to install stuff, get around files, opening the terminal) is assumed.
Step 0
Ensure the game you intend to pirate actually stands a chance in running on Linux. Check the game’s ProtonDB rank, if it’s Silver or below chances are it won’t work even with additional effort. If it has a good rank (Gold and above), get the cracked release from wherever you get those. If multiple options are available, the general order of preference should be: Steam/DVD Rip > GOG release > Repack
Step 1
Install Wine and Steam, then enable Steam Play for all titles (Steam → Settings → Compatibility).
Step 2
Make one central folder for all game files. Copy the game files to each game’s subfolder (e.g. ~/games/).
If it’s an ISO file, extract its contents like an archive.
If it is a repack/setup (e.g. GOG, FitGirl, Dodi, etc) run the setup by opening a terminal in the repack folder and entering:
wine ./theGameSetupFile.exe
! Make sure in the setup you set the destination folder to the main games folder you’ve made. In Wine, access to the Linux file system is through the Z: virtual drive.
e.g. in FitGirl’s setups, just change the installation folder to Z:\home\yourUsername\games\gameSubfolder if the directory you made was ~/games/
! Make sure the installer is installing only the game, not anything else. Uncheck the option of installing Visual C++ runtimes, for example.
Step 3
Open Steam, in the menu bar go to Games → Add a non-Steam Game to My Library…, click on Browse and select the game executable (.exe) from the game’s folder. Then in your Steam Library click on the new game and go to its settings (right click → Properties or open game page → Settings icon → Properties), go to the compatibility option and check the “Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool” option. In the dropdown, select Proton Experimental.
Run the game from Steam. If it works, great!
If it didn’t work, you might be missing some software requirements (vcredist, etc). To add them, you’ll need an additional step:
Step 4 (optional)
Install winetricks and protontricks.
Open a terminal and run protontricks --gui
Select the game in the list, click on OK, select Install an application, click on OK, click on Cancel and now you’ll see a slightly different options window. Select Install a Windows DLL or Component option and click on OK. The new window will list all possible requirements/dependencies, install whatever the game needs. You can get to know the game’s software requirements from its PCGamingWiki page (or just google it). Repeat for each requirement.
That’s it, with this you can run any game directly through Steam’s Proton layer. No Lutris, no juggling multiple wineprefixes, no racking your brains around multiple Wine runners. Proton Experimental gets regularly updated, so you’ll always be running your game with the best and latest compatibility option there is.
That’s a long read. Here’s what I do
- Install Lutris or Heroic
- Install your game
- Play your game
Fitgirl and steam unlocked are your friends.
If that’s the problem, my guide can also be condensed to:
- Install Steam
- Install your game
- Run game through Steam
Well played my friend!
Long read, but much less effort than going through ridiculous hoops with launchers and their own Wine runners
Yeah, makes sense. I’m an old timer so I’m used to rolling my own. I definitely see how the details are useful for someone starting out.
Same for me, but IMO Bottles is better than Lutris.
Agreed, I use bottles and steam only. Minimal issues.
The added protection is nice for cracked games. And I like how it’s more minimalist
One thing I’ll throw in to help with dependencies is that if you add a games installer as a non-steam game, set proton experimental compatibly, and when you run it will install all the dependencies you need.
Then, after install, edit the non-steam game you created to point the path to the game executable. You can’t remove the game from steam for the installer and add a second one for the game because adding a non-steam game creates a steam managed folder that holds dependencies that will be deleted when you remove it. This you need to edit the game entry for the installer to point to the game executable inside that steam created folder.
Doing this I installed battle net, and then changed the path for the exec to the battle net launcher, and was able to play Blizzard games. For me I did it to get diablo 2 resurrected running for my kids on their steam decks, but I was super impressed by the proton compatibility layer.
That sounds like a great way of doing it if it works
Update: tried with a few repacks. Both Dodi and Fitgirl setups fail during installation for some reason with Proton. Running them with Wine works fine.
When you added them as non-steam games did you manually set the compatibility to proton experimental?
I’ve only used the original game installers getting things going for my kids, so it’s possible something in the way the files are repacked is different than what proton is used to.
Yes, I did. The setups crash midway during installation.
I read quite a few articles around the web and all had one issue or another. Your guide is straight and to the point while also giving the tools to debug further with the winetricks (haven’t got into it since the game already worked). Thank you so much!
Good to hear!
Is it really a good idea to add cracked games on Steam verses other methods of running Windows apps in Linux? I’d assume Valve could notice and take some kind of action against your account…
People have been playing ‘Spacewar’ for years and it’s not been a problem. It’s the same as if you added Notepad.exe as a non-Steam game. You can call them whatever you want and Valve isn’t interested in policing this, because there’s no legal requirement or incentive for them to.
So if I have games that don’t run, installing Steam should help?
Depending on the distro you’re using, you might need to make sure you have 32 bit libraries installed. It isn’t automatic on many distros.
Good point.
To run whatever u need with wine, just set up a prefix with what u need, dump stuff into
drive_cand use some file explorer, i use explorer++ and run stuff from there.Thanks! I was looking for a simple guide like this
I tried running Alba from ovagames via flatpak bottles and it didn’t work/load 😭 it is on a laptop w open source drivers not the nvidia driver🤷 but I assume it should load something 🤷 maybe i try ur way op🤷
Install the Nvidia driver first. Most things won’t work otherwise
I’ve gonna read this carefully later.
For now I have a doubt. I have a decent amount of games on steam. My account is in danger with these external games? Can I have 2 steam installations?(I know I can have 2 accounts)
No, your account is not in danger. Steam doesn’t care. It’s not like they could take any action even if they knew the non-steam game you added was pirated, in the first place. They don’t hold the IP of every game and cannot police you on their publishers’ behalf.
Thanks for your time!!
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I have seen an exception - old installer Windows games. For example, yesterday I was installing NFS High Stakes and it was complicated, needing to mount ISO (nocd needs external installer patch that only works with mounting), installing it, running it once and then copying files over to run on Linux. Observed the same even with Razor’s repack combo of NFS Hot Pursuit I and II, which needed running game once on Windows for configuration then successful runs on Linux.
This leads me to the conclusion that either doing this is a good way, or anyway just have Windows 10 by the side on a SSD to ensure no compatibility problems. You can keep running Windows offline even after EOL if you scan files properly, since you will give no internet to it.
Alternate step 0:
Get a real operating system like Windows
Boom, that’s it; that’s all the steps.
why so it can break on me because I sneezed wrong? I cant even make a fresh install on windows on my laptop because windows updates will occur, and will brick the device necessitating a reinstall.
An update bricks your device? How?
I don’t know the specifics because quite frankly, I don’t really care. However, an update will happen. This update causes the device to boot loop. Windows Repair does not work, the only solution is to just reinstall a new operating system.
The two hypothesis I have are it’s either installing a bad driver or it’s messing around with BIOS a setting it shouldn’t, which yes Windows can do.
I did that and Windows restarted to upgrade as I tried to play the game. 😔
I will say, I have a crappy laptop with Windows on it. Sometimes I’ll just install games on there and just copy them over to my Steam Deck. Add the game exe to Bottles, run Boilr then boom it’s in my Steam library working just fine
Honestly havent had any problems with games on linux. Also why tf would anyone want to use a shit closed source, telemetry filled OS like windows that lacks so many features compared to a real OS like linux.
I respect your bravery, but get ready for hella downvotes
