There are plenty of games available as free/libre and open source software (FLOSS) for GNU/Linux, thanks to a lot of effort by the community. To get a more complete overview read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_open-source_video_games or https://www.gamingonlinux.com/wiki/Open_Source_Games.
Wayland
0ad
Oad is one of the great examples of open source games. If you add the prefix SDL_VIDEODRIVER=wayland to the start parameter then it will work natively in Wayland. So far it doesn’t auto detect Wayland (bug).
pacman -S 0ad
Flare
Flare (license BSD, http://flarerpg.org, https://dorkster.itch.io/flare) has released the version 1.0 on 2018-03-30 after it was in development for many years with a campaign mode. It does run via Wayland if you add the prefix SDL_VIDEODRIVER=wayland. So far it doesn’t auto detect Wayland (bug). Flare is available as well on itch.io.
- .config/flare/settings.txt
- mouse_move=1 (experimental, doesn’t work well if the enemy walks away then the character continues to fight instead of following the enemy)
Neverball & Neverputt
pacman -Sy neverball
If you add the prefix SDL_VIDEODRIVER=wayland to the start parameter then it will work natively in Wayland. So far it doesn’t auto detect Wayland (bug).
SuperTux
Supertux. If you add the prefix SDL_VIDEODRIVER=wayland to the start parameter then it will work natively in Wayland. So far it doesn’t auto detect Wayland (bug).
pacman -Sy supertux
XWayland (X11)
Several open source games do not work yet on Wayland, even if enforcing it e.g. via SDL (SDL_VIDEODRIVER=wayland GAMENAME).
Astromenace
Astromenance (GPLv3)
Communist Dogifest
Communist Dogifest (license GPLv3, https://gitlab.com/joshuagiles/TheCommunistDogifesto) is a 3D game with blocky graphics. You can buy it on itch.io and Steam.
Ebony Spire: Heresy
Ebony Spire: Heresy (license MIT) provides the source code and it is based on OpenGL 4.4. You can buy the game on Steam.
Endless Sky
Endless Sky (license GPLv3, https://endless-sky.github.io, https://github.com/endless-sky/endless-sky) is a 2D space game provides as free and open source software. You can install it via Steam.
FlightGear
FlightGear is a flight simulator and it can be installed from AUR or via flatpak.
First install:
yay flightgear-data
And only then:
yay flightgear
Frogatto
Frogatto (license Zlib/CC-BY, https://frogatto.com, https://github.com/frogatto/frogatto) doesn’t work on Wayland so far (bug).
pacman -S frogatto
Yorg
Yorg (license GPLv3, http://www.ya2.it, https://github.com/cflavio/yorg) is a free and open source racing game. It is as well on Itch.io.
OpenTTD
OpenTTD is like the transport tycoon game. OpenTTD doesn’t work on Wayland (bug).
pacman -Sy openttd openttd-opengfx openttd-opensfx
Pioneer
Pioneer (GPLv3)
Red Exclipse 2
Red Exclipse 2 (license , https://www.redeclipse.net
Ryzom
Ryzom (AGPLv3, https://ryzom.com)
You can install the game from AUR. To install all game files run:
ryzom_client_patcher
After downloading all files, you start the game with:
ryzom_client_patcher
You need to create a login to play the game.
Seven Kingdoms Ancient Adversaries
Seven Kingdoms Ancient Adversaries (license GPLv2, https://github.com/the3dfxdude/7kaa) is a classic strategy game that has been released as open source. It supports 64bit and SDL 2.0.8. Build instructions can be found here https://www.7kfans.com/wiki/index.php/Building_From_Source.
Star Ruler II
Star Ruler II (license MIT, https://github.com/BlindMindStudios/StarRuler2-Source) has been released on 2018-07-24 as open source. It includes even the assets except the music. You can compile or buy it on GOG or Steam.
https://www.gog.com/game/star_ruler_2
Superstarfigher
Superstarfighter (license MIT) is available on itch.io. It has been developed with the Godot Engine.
SuperTuxKart
SuperTuxKart (license GPLv3, https://github.com/supertuxkart/stk-code) doesn’t work yet natively on Wayland, at least on Plasma-Wayland it shows (bug). The game is as well available on itch.io.
pacman -S supertuxkart
The Dark Mod
The Dark Mod (GPLv3) is a game in the style of The Thief.
Verloren
Verloren (license GPLv3, https://gitlab.com/veloren/veloren, https://veloren.net) is a Minecraft like game writte in RUST. It is playable but still in early stages.
Widelands
Widelands (https://widelands.org) is inspired by the old Settlers game.
Warzone 2100
Warzone 2100 (license GPLv2, https://github.com/Warzone2100/warzone2100, http://wz2100.net) is a real time strategy game that has been released as free and open source in 2004.
First Person Shooters (FPS)
- AlienArena
- Assault Cube (Modified + CC-NC)
- Unvanquised (license GPLv3, https://www.unvanquished.net, https://github.com/Unvanquished/Unvanquished)
- Urban Terror
- OpenSpades (license GPLv3, http://openspades.yvt.jp)
- Warsow
- Xonotic – Install via you Linux distribution or via itch.io.
Other Games
- Lincity
- yay lincity-ng
- To play the game, I had to create a empty folder “.lincity-ng”. Otherwise the game didn’t start as it just tried to create a file with this name.
- Battle for Wesnoth (license GPLv2, https://www.wesnoth.org, https://github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth) is available for Download or on Steam. The game port to the open source game engine Godot is in progress.
- Extremetuxracer
- Frozen-bubble
- Yofrankie
- speed-dreams
- stuntrally
- vdrift
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