Steam Deck⌗

• I did a review. Needless to say, it was controversial, as expected (though I do take back some of my opinions which aren’t fact)
• new beta client update fixes a few Flatpaks from not successfully quitting and improves keyboard behavior when typing on both the trackpad and touchscreen
• 43 of the top 50 highest-reviewed games on Steam are Steam Deck Playable
• over 4k verified/playable titles

Native Linux Games⌗

• want to force a native Linux game engine on certain titles? Try Luxtorpeda
• TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge sells over a million copies in just its’ first week
• 18 new Linux titles shipped this week

Hardware⌗

• new generation laptop from Tuxedo Computers is now available: the Pulse Gen 2. Should be getting a review unit soon
• Tuxedo Computer’s Aquaris cooling unit now has Linux support
• new Launch Lite keyboard by System76 is essentially a stripped down version of the Launch without the extra USB ports. Review unit coming soon!

Software Updates⌗

• DXVK 1.10.2 adds plenty of bug fixes and adds workarounds for a few specific titles
• Proton Experimental got two small updates this week: first for addressing the crash in Assassin’s Creed: Origins and fixing Warframe’s launcher, the second brings automatic OSK support for Final Fantasy XIV when playing on Deck
• Mint 21 “Vanessa” comes with plenty of overall improvements to the OS
• WinesapOS 3.1.1 allows booting the distro to a MicroSD card on Deck
• Bottles 2022.7.14-brescia now uses the default runner of Soda, a combination of Proton with some TKG and GE patches, plus Ubisoft Connect integration
• CoreCtrl 1.2.4 adds Czech and Dutch translations, while also fixing several bugs

Other⌗

• Boiling Steam had an interview with Glorious Eggroll concerning his Fedora spinoff: the Nobara Project (great distro to try out, by the way)
• Unity acquires ironSource, and needless to say, this has caused concern among the developer community. Game devs can always make the switch over to the excellent Godot Engine, which is FOSS
• Valve is supposedly collaborating with GPD on bringing SteamOS support to the GPD Win Max 2, even though months earlier GPD were aggressively attacking the Deck by comparing Deck videos with their own devices
• Aya Neo will be creating a Linux distro called Aya Neo OS
• AMD hiring an engineer to improve the Linux graphics driver installation experience

Cover image credit: Unity Blog