Valve just fixed several broken games on Linux with a Proton Experimental update

Credit: Jorge Aguilar / How To Geek | Ubisoft

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Valve has dropped a significant new Proton Experimental update. While today's update specifically targets launch issues inUno andFar Cry 4. It comes after a wave of updates for other titles.

If you’ve been running into trouble starting certain titles lately, you’ll be happy to know that the compatibility layer is getting some serious polish. A major regression in Proton Experimental that caused games like the classic party favoriteUnoand the open-world shooterFar Cry 4to simply not start has been completely fixed in this latest patch.

I would say the biggest problem with compatibility updates is that sometimes they unintentionally break older titles, so getting these big names playable again is great news for the community.

ARC Raidersalso got an issue fixed where the Xalia tool, which was used for accessibility and gamepad support in launchers, wasn't interacting correctly with dialogue boxes. Also,Rigid Force Alphagot a fix for the voice line playback.

This follows closely on the heels of a larger update that broughtMarvel RivalsandSkull & Bonesback to playable status. Beyond those immediate fixes, Valve is also tackling persistent performance issues that have plagued some of the newest titles.

If you’ve been waiting for Xbox Game Studios titles likeAvowed,Grounded 2,Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, orThe Outer Worlds 2to launch, you’ll see a massive improvement in wait times. That long delay on every launch should now be gone.

The update also brings specific quality-of-life improvements to some older classics and modern hits.Sackboy: A Big Adventureshould no longer show a series of frustrating errors upon launch. Longtime fans ofChrono Triggerwill appreciate that the full-screen flickering issue is finally resolved. For those running the KDE Wayland desktop environment,RAGE no longer has focus issues when you Alt-Tab out and then back into the game. Even TheElder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition gets love, fixing problems minimizing after Alt-Tabbing.

On the OLED Steam Decks, HDR functionality inFar Cry 5is now correctly fixed, which is essential for getting that premium visual experience on the handheld. The team also fixed an issue whereFar Cry 5was incorrectly showing an old GPU driver warning if you were running an AMD card. Meanwhile,Assassin's Creed ShadowsandWild Assaultwill stop incorrectly warning users about being installed on a hard disk drive, which should smooth out the launch process significantly.

The team also fixed DualSense controller haptics support, meaning these features should now work in most games that support them natively. This is fantastic for adding immersion without needing specialized third-party software.

If you want to jump on these fixes right away, you just need to make sure you have Proton Experimental installed in your Steam Library. The update should automatically download if you already have it, or it will download automatically if you try to play a game that Valve has set to use Proton Experimental by default.

You can manually install it by searching for "Proton Experimental" in your Steam Library and trying it out on your favorite games, orGitHub.

Source:Proton GitHub