Does War Thunder run on Linux?
Verdict: Yes
Yes. War Thunder has its own Linux version on Steam, so it installs and plays like any other Linux game. Its anti-cheat (BattlEye) works on Linux.
Gaijin ships a Linux version on Steam and lists Linux requirements alongside the Windows ones, so the game installs and updates the way it does on Windows. BattlEye is switched on for Linux players, which is the part that decides whether you can play, because a game that loads and then refuses to connect is no use.
One thing to expect: Steam warns that the anti-cheat runs at kernel level and has to be removed by hand after you uninstall the game. That is a tidy-up job rather than a fault, but it is worth knowing it does not go away on its own.
War Thunder is an action and simulation game from Gaijin Entertainment, published by Gaijin Network Ltd, first released on 15 August 2013.
You can play it alone or co-operatively online. Steam lists it as fully playable with a controller. Critics scored it 81 out of 100 on Metacritic. It is free to play.
The evidence
- Its own Linux version
- Yes, on Steam
- Player rating on ProtonDB
- Gold, from 532 reports
- Steam Deck (which runs Linux)
- Verified by Valve
- Anti-cheat
- BattlEye: Works on Linux, officially
How to play it
- Install Steam from your Linux app store and sign in. Your library is already there.
- Install War Thunder and press Play.
New to this? Can I play my games on Linux? explains Proton, anti-cheat and which Linux to pick for games.
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Ratings are reported by players at ProtonDB and anti-cheat status by Are We Anti-Cheat Yet. Both change, so follow the links below for today's picture.
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