Fact check: What is Proton in the Linux systems?

1. Summary of the results

Proton is a compatibility layer developed by Valve in collaboration with CodeWeavers that enables Windows games to run on Linux operating systems ^{[1] [2]}. It was first released on August 21, 2018, and is integrated into the Steam client as "Steam Play" ^[1]. The technology works by converting DirectX game calls to Vulkan using specialized libraries like DXVK and VKD3D-Proton ^{[1] [3]}.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important aspects weren't addressed in the original question:

• Compatibility Growth: While Proton initially supported only 27 games at launch ^{[1] [3]}, it has dramatically expanded to support approximately 9,000 Steam games, with 76% achieving "Platinum" or "Gold" ratings ^[4].
• Alternative Versions: Users should be aware that besides the official version, there are third-party forks like Proton-GE that can offer broader game support ^[5].
• Technical Limitations: Not all games work perfectly, particularly those with anti-cheat systems ^{[5] [3]}.
• Current Development: The technology continues to evolve, with the latest version being Proton 8.0-2, which builds on Wine 8.x ^[4].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question itself doesn't contain misinformation, but it's important to understand the stakeholders involved:

• Valve's Interest: As the primary developer, Valve benefits from Proton's success as it helps expand their Steam platform to Linux users ^{[1] [2]}.
• Gaming Industry Impact: The technology is actively reducing the performance gap between Windows and Linux gaming platforms ^[4], which could affect Microsoft's dominance in the gaming OS market.
• Performance Expectations: While Proton aims to reduce performance losses ^[2], users should understand that it's still a translation layer and may not achieve identical performance to native Windows gaming.