According to The How-To Geek, Valve just dropped Proton 10.0-3, the newest stable version of their Windows compatibility layer that makes thousands of games playable on Linux and Steam Deck. This massive update brings better stability, performance improvements, and support for a huge list of previously broken titles including The Crew Motorfest, Far Horizon, and Viking Rise: Valhalla. Steam Deck OLED owners can finally play The Quarry, while specific fixes address Sony controller issues in God of War: Ragnarok and resolve the infamous blue tint in Resident Evil Village cutscenes. The update also fixes the Epic Games Store launcher that had stopped working entirely under Proton and resolves competitive game issues in The Finals that were kicking players out. Players can enable Proton 10 immediately through Steam’s compatibility settings for any game in their library.
Why this matters
Here’s the thing about Proton updates – they’re basically free game expansions for Linux and Steam Deck users. Every time Valve drops one of these, it’s like Christmas morning for people gaming outside the Windows ecosystem. But this one feels particularly significant because it’s cleaning up some pretty high-profile messes. The Quarry not working on OLED Decks? That’s a big deal when you’ve dropped $700 on the premium handheld. Epic Games Store completely broken? That locks people out of entire libraries they’ve paid for.
And let’s talk about the competitive gaming fixes. The Finals was basically unplayable for many Linux users because of the random kicks. Now? Fixed. Rocket League performance? Improved. These aren’t just niche titles – we’re talking about games people actually play every day. Valve isn’t just making obscure 2008 games work anymore (though they fixed Alone in the Dark too, which is nice). They’re making sure the platform can handle what people want to play right now.
Steam Deck perfection
What really impresses me is how Valve keeps sweating the small stuff. They fixed DualSense controllers registering phantom touchpad clicks over Bluetooth. Who even notices that? Apparently Valve does. They even fixed keybindings for Hunt: Showdown 1896 when using the Programmer Dvorak keyboard layout. I mean, how many people does that even affect? Maybe twelve? But they fixed it anyway.
This attention to detail is what separates Proton from other compatibility layers. It’s not just about making games run – it’s about making them run properly. The Resident Evil fixes are perfect examples. Videos playing at normal speed? No more freezing after cutscenes? These are the kinds of polish issues that can ruin an otherwise great gaming experience. Valve gets that Linux gaming needs to be seamless, not just functional.
The bigger picture
So where does this leave Windows in the gaming landscape? Honestly, it’s getting harder to justify staying on Microsoft’s platform if you’re primarily a gamer. Proton updates like this one keep chipping away at the compatibility gap. And with Valve’s commitment to open source, the improvements benefit the entire Linux ecosystem, not just Steam Deck owners.
The timing is interesting too. With Windows 11 becoming increasingly controversial and Microsoft pushing more ads and AI into their OS, having a solid gaming alternative feels more valuable than ever. Proton 10.0-3 represents another step toward gaming independence from Windows. It’s not quite there yet – some anti-cheat systems still cause headaches – but the progress is undeniable.
Basically, if you’re still on the fence about Linux gaming or wondering if the Steam Deck can handle your library, this update should give you confidence. Valve isn’t just maintaining compatibility – they’re actively expanding it while fixing the rough edges. And that’s exactly what the platform needs to keep growing.
