Gaming
Game launchers
Games can be run by different applications. Some are able to include libraries from different platforms.
| Application | Platform | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Steam | Steam | Stable support for Windows games. Linux games often incompatible due to interoperating differences. |
| Lutris | Epic Games, EA App, Flatpak, GOG, Humble Bundle, Steam, Ubisoft Connect, Wine | |
| Heroic | Epic Games, GOG, Prime Gaming, Wine | Supports gamepad navigation. Unlike Lutris, uses open-source Legendary for Epic Games. |
| PPSSPP | PSP emulation | |
| PCSX2 | PS2 emulation | |
| RPCS3 | PS3 emulation | Contains unfree blobs (PS3 firmware). |
| RetroArch | Retro games emulation | |
| Wine | Windows emulation | often easier to use Lutris install scripts for wine applications/games |
| Dosbox | DOS emulation | |
| nixpgs | Linux games |
List of NixOS supported games
| Name | Category | nixpkg status | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Dark Mod | Stealth, FPS | pending pull request | Stealth game inspired by the Thief series. |
| Endless Sky | Space simulation, RPG | In nixpkgs | Explore a universe with different factions and ships. |
| Veloren | RPG, Sandbox | In nixpkgs | Multiplayer voxel RPG set in a procedurally generated world. |
| Armagetron Advanced | Arcade, Racing | In nixpkgs | A multiplayer Tron-like lightcycle racing game. |
| 0 A.D. | Strategy, Historical | In nixpkgs | Historical real-time strategy game. |
| SuperTuxKart | Arcade, Racing | In nixpkgs | Kart racing game (like Super Mario Kart) featuring Tux and friends. |
| OpenRA | Strategy, RTS | In nixpkgs | Open-source implementation of Command & Conquer. |
| FreeCiv | Strategy, Turn-based | In Nixpkgs | Civilization-building strategy game. |
| FreeDink | Adventure, RPG | In Nixpkgs | Free, portable and enhanced version of the Dink Smallwood game engine |
| OpenTTD | Simulation, Management | In nixpkgs | Business simulation game based on Transport Tycoon Deluxe. |
| Battle for Wesnoth | Strategy, Turn-based | In nixpkgs | Turn-based strategy game with fantasy themes. |
| FreeDoom | FPS | Not in nixpkgs | Free alternative to the Doom series. |
| Xonotic | FPS, Arena shooter | In nixpkgs | Fast-paced multiplayer shooter. |
| LinCity | Simulation, Management | In nixpkgs | City simulation game |
| LinCity-NG | Simulation, Management | In nixpkgs | City simulation game |
| Mindustry | Strategy, Sandbox | In nixpkgs | Sandbox tower defense game. |
| NetHack | Rogue-like, RPG | In nixpkgs | Rogue-like game |
| Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead | Survival, Rogue-like | In nixpkgs | Post-apocalyptic survival game. |
| Shattered Pixel Dungeon | Rogue-like, RPG | In nixpkgs | Rogue-like dungeon crawler with pixel graphics. |
| Simon Tatham's Portable Puzzle Collection | Puzzle | In nixpkgs | Simon Tatham's portable puzzle collection |
| Luanti | Sandbox | In nixpkgs | An open source voxel game engine. |
Example of games installation
Renowned Explorers: International Society
Tested with version renowned_explorers_international_society_522_26056.sh from gog.com. It can be played with steam-run, but it needs some libraries that are not normally included in Steam's FHS environment. One way to solve this is to add an overlay:
nixpkgs.overlays = [
(self: super: {
steam-run = (super.steam.override {
extraLibraries = pkgs: with pkgs;
[
libxkbcommon
mesa
wayland
(sndio.overrideAttrs (old: {
postFixup = old.postFixup + ''
ln -s $out/lib/libsndio.so $out/lib/libsndio.so.6.1
'';
}))
];
}).run;
})
];
Adding libxkbcommon, mesa, and wayland is straightforward. The game expects the shared library sdnio.so.6.1 to exist, so we need to create a symbolic link after the installation of sndio.