Get Maximum Performance with GameMode on Linux

This article will cover a guide on using GameMode, a free and open-source command line utility you can use to improve the performance of games in Linux. The utility works with native Linux games as well as with Windows games running in Linux using Wine or Steam’s Proton compatibility layers.

GameMode and its features?

GameMode is a tool that allows you to modify the system settings and performance of games on a case-by-case basis without applying it system-wide. This allows you to have better control over your gaming experience. GameMode uses its own set of configuration files residing in a different location. The settings that apply when a game is started with GameMode enabled will be reverted back to the baseline settings (i.e., those that are put forth by the game’s native launcher) when a user quits the game to the desktop.

How to use GameMode?

There are a few different ways to use GameMode. The easiest way is to install the GameMode daemon and client. The daemon will automatically detect the running game and apply the necessary optimizations. The client can be used to manually enable and disable GameMode.

Alternatively, some games may include support for GameMode built-in. For example, Feral’s game ports for Linux support GameMode out of the box.

How to install GameMode on Linux

Search your chosen Linux distribution’s package manager for “GameMode” and install it. For example in Debian base distributions, you can use this command:

sudo apt install gamemode

Was installation successful?

Verifying utility command is part of the GameMode package. This command runs the simulation of the effects of tweaks applied by the game mode. Run the command to verify if GameMode is installed properly in your system and if everything works as it should:

gamemode-simulate-game

The following command should exit without producing any output or error messages after running for 10 seconds if the GameMode is working correctly on your Linux PC.

How to use it with games running through Wine and Native games

The process is really simple, just put this command before the wine command and the executable will run with GameMode:

gamemoderun wine "executable"

or if you don’t want to use wine:

gamemoderun "executable"

In order to use GameMode to run Steam game, simply go to the properties of the chosen game and under the launch options menu settings put:

gamemoderun %command%

Gamemode and Linux for gaming?

Linux can be used for gaming using GameMode but not all games are compatible with GameMode. But generally speaking, yes Linux can be used for gaming and its popularity for gaming is growing.