So, Valve has indeed done a lot to make Linux more attractive for gamers. It isn't perfect yet, but we are getting there. And yes, kernel-based anti-cheat is one of the reasons why it isn't perfect yet.

I've been using mint exclusively for like 3 months and have been using a hearty blend of terminal installs and the program manager app.

It seems to not have caused any problems YET, but I've been assured it will. I see flatpack conversations a lot and don't fully understand the differences (apart from the install method).

Is it worth understanding and committing to a single system or can I just be a low-power user for a while?

One thing you might notice is that flatpak defaults to "system" installs. Is your root system directory filling up? You probably want to start installing onto --user, as this will put things in /home where they belong and, by default, sandbox permissions away from root (that, too, can be easily changed).

Also, don't fear mixing different ways of installing. I use AppImage, Flatpak, the default app-get install method, and .deb. FlatPak at this point is the best, because it offers the ease of use of AppImage, but the flexibility and auto-maintenance of apt-get/Software Update. The only problems I've encountered were due to me not understanding that it was filling up my root partition by default...

I've been running Mint MATE for about 9 years. Love it to death.

I think I was using an NVidia GPU up until about 3 years ago, when I switched to AMD when upgrading, so my knowledge on that front is a bit outdated.

The arch wiki has more information if you're curious, but I'm aware of official proprietary drivers, official partially opensourced drivers, separately packaged legacy drivers, and the unofficial opensource Nouveau drivers which weren't really usable back then.

What you're describing sounds odd to me, but looking it up, sounds like Fedora doesn't package official drivers? I'm having trouble finding proper information on this, but it could be for ideological reasons, since those drivers are proprietary - so the default drivers might be Nouveau, which might be rather broken, both because of lack of workforce and NVidia blocking unofficial drivers from using their devices properly.

If that's the case, it's basically a conflict between ideology and usability within that distribution - it might seem like a great distro for users, and it might be competently made, but when somebody doesn't care about the ideology and just wants their device to work, they'll end up with confusion and work to do.

Also free. Because macOS is free.

It was sort of a trick question. To upgrade to Sequoia you need to buy a new Mac because the 2016 MacBook Pro doesn’t support it. The Mac is a license dongle to use MacOS until you’re required to buy a new dongle.

How do they make money with proton and foss?

They sell games to people with SteamDecks, I guess. My comment was probably a bit blunt TBF. I think Valve is transformative in the gaming space. They’re not doing it for free though, and I think it helps to remember that.

Bazzite has native drivers included. I believe Fedora requires you to install them.

I'm getting back into PC gaming after being consult exclusive for a while. I'm assuming anything with kernel anti-cheat is still not trying to work which is a problem because it means I either have to buy a windows licence or mess around with a cracked one which has its own security concerns.

I think my plan is to dual boot and use Windows as little as often.

So, Valve has indeed done a lot to make Linux more attractive for gamers. It isn't perfect yet, but we are getting there. And yes, kernel-based anti-cheat is one of the reasons why it isn't perfect yet.

Are they working on a fix for the kernel anti cheat? Is it possible?

As they need to be installed on Apple hardware, there's an implicit cost associated with it.

If you want to be super pedantic for no reason, you're correct, it is technically free.

So, my middle aged ass plays the microtransaction-laden bullshit known as Roblox because my 3rd grader and all his friends love it.

It doesn't even have a Linux version but thanks to the project "sober" it plays absolutely fantastically on Linux. I think they claim 2x the performance of the windows version. I just know I have a powerful but old system (8c/8t 9700k cpu and gtx1080 gpu) and I can lock it at 144fps at 1440p and it uses like 20% of my system resources. Not that it's a visually demanding game, lol.

Going all-in on my switch to Linux (my win10 partition for dual booting lasted less than two weeks) has had zero negative impact on my ability to play the games I want. In fact, it has led to me using my PC a lot more and my phone a lot less. Feels good.

Not really. But from a security perspective, giving software for a video game, done by InfinityWard, EA, Activision, Treyarch and similar, access to the lowest level of your operating systen is kinda insane.

I wouldn't want any personal data on such a device, let alone do online baking on that thing. It's weird how normalized it has become give entertainement-software this kind of power over your devices.

So, Valve has indeed done a lot to make Linux more attractive for gamers. It isn't perfect yet, but we are getting there. And yes, kernel-based anti-cheat is one of the reasons why it isn't perfect yet.