Title: Best Linux gaming launcher to turn my PC into a console?

[u/23lamb]

I use Linux on my work PC and want to turn it into a console-like gaming setup when I get home, without changing my OS.

I'm looking for a launcher that can combine retro emulators (GBA, Wii, etc.) and Windows .exe games through Wine/Proton in one controller-friendly interface.

I've looked at Lutris, Heroic, ES-DE, and Pegasus. What would you recommend, and what setup do you use?

[u/dathowell]

Steam basically

[u/23lamb → u/dathowell]

And for non-steam?

[u/odditytaketwo → u/23lamb]

Steam

[u/Kearmo → u/23lamb]

Open steam, click games, click add a non steam game to my library. Steam uses proton to launch games, doing most of the heavy lifting for launching most non Linux games. It's a large part of what made Linux gaming what it is today.

[u/Miinoda → u/Kearmo]

Not only games. Even some Programms can be used this way.

[u/Kaur4 → u/Kearmo]

And if some other launcher is easier to get games like heroic or faugus. They have add shortcut to steam buttons too!

[u/Mr__Castle_]

I just use Steam Big Picture Mode and Steam ROM Manager. 

[u/23lamb → u/Mr__Castle_]

Thank you for reply, but what about exe. games that are non-steam.

[u/AttyMAL → u/23lamb]

Steam has a button that allows you to add non-Steam games to the Steam launcher. 

[u/billbaggins → u/23lamb]

I add them to steam along with using a steam art manager to set up all the different banner and portrait logos. Some can even be animated

[u/GrandmaColin → u/billbaggins]

I didn't know there was a way to do the art. I just been living with gray boxes.

[u/GrandmaColin → u/23lamb]

Can mount them to steam. Say for like blizzard mount the battlenet one on there and it allows me to launch it nad play all those games.

[u/champ3n]

I just use lutris for everything that is not on steam. I currently have a variety of pc, game boy, playstation and Nintendo games i go through.  Not sure how controller friendly lutris is, but it is easy to setup and use 

[u/AsLongAsImMoving → u/champ3n]

Lutris 100% for me.

[u/23lamb → u/champ3n]

I heard that Lutris stopped developing so im considering somo other options...

[u/champ3n → u/23lamb]

Then you heard wrong, you can see on their github it is still being updated

[u/DeidaraKoroski]

Steam does all these things, i have my retro emulator launching as a non-steam game on deck. As well as .exe

[u/crookdmouth]

I'm lazy so I use Steam.

[u/xluker313x → u/crookdmouth]

That’s not even lazy, steam is just both the easiest and the best option. It’s just that good.

There’s a reason we are all gaben dick riders.

[u/2YSH]

Steam.

[u/wizCat_]

Heroic, you can add retroarch to play emulator

[u/eskay993]

If you're mostly looking at emulation, ES-DE is the best. it's not my favourite UI and setup, but it is the best one on Linux for now.

For PC games, Steam in Big Picture Mode is the best right now but there is manual setup for non-steam games. You can look into tools like Steam ROM Manager or Boilr to automate some of this, but there's a learning curve.

You could add ES-DE to Steam if you want as well.

Playnite is planned to get a Linux release but no ETA. Unlikely this year. LaunchBox as well, but that would be while too.

[u/itbytesbob]

I recommend not using your work PC for non work things.... But also steam

[u/Lisanicolas365]

Steam with some Decky plugins or Emudeck got you covered

[u/Njerrjk]

Bazzite

[u/Njerrjk → u/Njerrjk]

Wait, why are you downvoting me? Isn't bazzite perfect for this?

[u/Spiritual_Rate_9010]

Arch with plasma-bigscreen