The greatest Linux distributions for gaming in 2026

Here is your updated record of what distro you need to be choosing if you wish to begin gaming on Linux in 2026. The newest version of you telling me I’m incorrect.

Back within the 2025 version of the article I steered Kubuntu, and whereas it labored moderately nicely total it feels a bit like an unloved little one. I used it for a very long time and was principally proud of it, however instances change and so does the Linux and open supply world.

Despite what you learn elsewhere – you need not go together with the most recent random “gaming” distribution. The neatest thing to do is to stay with the gang, and go together with the larger extra well-known distributions. Most “gaming” distributions simply throw just a few random tweaks and a brand new theme on prime of one thing else, they will normally simply be ignored. Don’t fall for his or her hype. There are actually 100s of Linux distributions, so GamingOnLinux is right here that will help you simply reduce by all that noise.

Desktop

My total advice for 2026 on desktop? Fedora KDE. Fedora is usually much more updated than Ubuntu / Kubuntu whereas not being continually bleeding-edge like Arch Linux, and other than an unlucky snafu with a Mesa driver replace, it has been one of the crucial nice and secure experiences I’ve ever had in all my years operating Linux. With Fedora KDE additionally now promoted to a front-row seat too, it has by no means been a greater time for it.

You do not get the multiple-year long-term assist that you simply do from the likes of Ubuntu, so that you must bounce between Fedora variations extra typically however that is not precisely a nasty factor. Fedora is much more modern with updates, and for gaming with system updates that is truly fairly a pleasant bonus.

Fedora do a brand new launch round each 6 months, with ongoing updates to every launch for round 13 months. So realistically, you are able to do a serious improve solely every year and be accomplished with it.

An annoying draw back to Fedora — Installing NVIDIA GPU drivers on Fedora nonetheless wants extra steps than it ought to. Hopefully with the rise of higher open supply drivers for NVIDIA finally this might be a factor of the previous. That, or the Fedora staff simply make it simpler out of the field. Not an enormous draw back although, with the precise directions for GPU driver updates you might be accomplished in a few minutes.

Handhelds and TV PCs

An addition for this 12 months is the Handheld and TV PCs suggestion, as a result of it is a quickly rising phase of the market. With the Steam Deck, Legion Go, ROG Ally and many extra. That and small kind issue PCs for hooking as much as your TV – there’s want for one thing a bit totally different right here. You need an expertise that is good with controllers.

For all of you, I’ll undoubtedly counsel you go together with Bazzite. It works very equally to Valve’s personal SteamOS together with booting into Steam Big Picture Mode, however comes with numerous tweaks and instruments to make the expertise nice throughout many alternative gadgets. It’s additionally up to date lots sooner than SteamOS, so fixes and enhancements for newer handhelds comes lots sooner.

You nonetheless get a full desktop mode with KDE Plasma too for all of your work, net looking and different makes use of. Bazzite has been rising properly by 2025 and I totally count on 2026 to be a fair greater 12 months for it.

I’ve been utilizing Bazzite on my Lenovo Legion Go with the Z1 Extreme processor and it has been total actually nice. Bazzite is an excellent substitute for Windows on handhelds.

If you need assistance and assist for Linux and Steam Deck gaming, you’ll be able to strive asking in our Discord. Don’t neglect to observe me on Bluesky and Mastodon too when you’re at it.

Don’t agree with me? Am I so incorrect that you simply simply need to do one thing about it? Leave a remark under.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.