Yes, I know. Every year is the "year of Linux," even if it has never actually happened yet. It'd be a lot easier if I just wrote a template, "[Year number] is the year of Linux," and then updated the number every January 1st. However, I really do think that 2026 is going to be the year that people take gaming on Linux seriously. A lot of cool things happened in January 2026 alone that made me feel like this is the year, so I'm pretty confident that, at the very least, this'll be the year where we see people take gaming on Linux seriously.
GOG has made Linux a "major frontier" in the market
Right after one of the co-founders reclaimed the store
First, let's check out a small but very welcome change in the Linux gaming scene. Good Old Games (GOG) managed to break free of its previous owners, CD Projekt Red, two months ago. Since then, GOG published a job description for a developer to work on GOG Galaxy, with the following text:
GOG GALAXY is our desktop client and ecosystem hub - the place where players manage their libraries, connect with the community, and access features that go far beyond a store. Today, it delivers experience on Windows and macOS, but Linux is the next major frontier.
As such, we'll likely see GOG pick up on its Linux support in the coming months. And while people probably won't flood over to Linux just because GOG is on there, it does show how companies see Linux as worthy of developing for.
GOG calls Linux "the next major frontier" for gaming as it works on a native client
Good for Good Old Games.
The Open Gaming Collective is working together to make running games easier
Developing standards is a great way to ensure a good experience
About a week ago, we also saw several Linux development teams come together under one banner. It's called the Open Gaming Collective, and while the Bazzite team announced the group, it doesn't seem like they're its leaders. In fact, it seems more like one big pool of knowledge that each team can add to or take from.
The list of current members is pretty impressive by itself:
The Open Gaming Collective (OGC) is a collaborative organization bringing together key projects in Linux gaming, including ChimeraOS, Nobara, Playtron, Fyra Labs, PikaOS, ShadowBlip, ASUS Linux, us here at Bazzite under Universal Blue, and more partners to be announced soon.
This is one of the bigger books with open-source software. While proprietary companies are more likely to guard their progress as a trade secret, open-source developers can share their discoveries with everyone else, causing a rising tide that lifts all boats. In fact, in the original announcement of the Open Gaming Collective, the Bazzite team said they were sending all the work they've done with Valve packages upstream for the other teams to enjoy. Likewise, those other teams can share what they've worked on with everyone, including Bazzite, for an overall gain.
GOG calls Linux "the next major frontier" for gaming as it works on a native client
Good for Good Old Games.
People are beginning to understand the power of gaming distros
The distros are catching up, and quickly
I think the biggest sign that 2026 will be the year for gaming on Linux is how well the gaming distros performed in 2025. We saw the open-source scene turn heads when it began single-handedly dethroning Windows on gaming handhelds, including Microsoft's own. Linux doesn't always win versus Windows when it comes to performance, but it is putting up a damn good fight. There are still some good reasons why Bazzite isn't the Windows gaming replacement everyone hopes it is, but for some, it's a better fit than Windows 11. Just not a universal recommendation.
Despite Linux not being the superior choice in all aspects of gaming, I think the damage has been done to Microsoft's previously ironclad defense of "Windows is the best OS for gaming." We're beginning to see the cracks in Microsoft's operating systems, and I think Linux will continue posting more wins over Windows 11 in the coming months, especially if the Open Gaming Collective proves to be a huge help for information sharing.
These are the only two Linux distros I'd use for gaming
Bazzite and CachyOS should be primary considerations for gamers looking to get out from under Microsoft
2026 will be the year that people take gaming on Linux seriously
It has only been a month and a bit into 2026, and we're already seeing exciting progress in the world of gaming on Linux. It's to the point where, if 2026 isn't the year that Linux cements itself as a gaming powerhouse in people's minds, I'm not sure if it ever will. However, I have enough faith that we'll see even more developments over time that will achieve that ever-elusive goal of achieving the year of Linux.