Running Deadlock through Proton#
Deadlock is listed for Windows only, but Steam’s compatibility layer, Proton, lets Windows games run on Linux. The Steam Deck runs SteamOS (Linux) and uses the same approach, which is a good sign for desktop Linux too.
- In Steam, open Settings → Compatibility and enable Steam Play for all titles.
- Install Deadlock as normal once your account has access.
- If it doesn’t start, right-click Deadlock → Properties → Compatibility, tick “Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool” and try the latest stable Proton, then Proton Experimental.
Vulkan on Linux#
Proton translates DirectX to Vulkan, so a current Mesa (AMD/Intel) or NVIDIA driver with good Vulkan support matters more than any in-game option. Keep your drivers and kernel reasonably up to date.
Performance tips#
- Expect a few matches of stutter after updates while shaders compile; Steam’s shader pre-caching helps.
- Use the same settings advice as Windows — see best settings for FPS.
- Tools like MangoHud show frame times so you can see whether a change actually helped.
Known issues#
Anti-cheat and online games can behave differently under Proton, and updates can break or fix things overnight. ProtonDB collects player reports per game — check recent reports for your distribution and GPU before troubleshooting on your own.
Not officially supported
Valve lists Deadlock for Windows. Running it on desktop Linux works through Proton, but it isn’t an officially supported platform, so expect occasional breakage.