Gaming

Software & Apps 2026-08-21

Shanios pre-installs GameMode and broad controller/RGB hardware support on every edition. The full gaming app stack (Steam, Lutris, Heroic, RetroArch, and related tools) is a KDE Plasma-only Flatpak preseed — GNOME users install the same apps themselves via Flatpak in a few commands.

What's Pre-Installed on Every Edition

GameMode (gamemoded) — enabled globally at install time. Automatically applies a performance CPU governor, I/O priority boost, and GPU performance mode while a game is running, then reverts when it exits. No configuration needed — games that support GameMode integration (most Proton/Steam titles do automatically) just work.
Controller support — game-devices-udev provides udev rules for 8BitDo, PlayStation (DS3/DS4/DualSense), Xbox, Nintendo Switch Pro/Joy-Cons, and most other controllers, so they're usable without manual permission fixes the moment they're plugged in.
RGB peripheral permissions — udev rules (shipped via shani-settings) grant unprivileged device access for RGB keyboards, mice, headsets, and fans from major manufacturers. This only grants permissions — the RGB control app itself (OpenRGB) is not pre-installed; install it via Flatpak if you want it.
Racing wheel support — libratbag (gaming mouse configuration backend) and kernel-level force-feedback support for Logitech, Thrustmaster, and Fanatec wheels are present; the GUI front-ends (Piper for mice, Oversteer for wheels) are part of the Plasma-only Flatpak set below.

# Check GameMode is active while a game is running
gamemoded -s

# List detected game controllers
ls /dev/input/js*
cat /proc/bus/input/devices | grep -A4 -i "joystick\|gamepad\|controller"

KDE Plasma: Full Gaming Stack (Pre-Installed)

The Plasma edition preseeds a complete gaming stack as Flatpaks:

| App | Purpose | |-----|---------| | Steam | The primary game store/launcher; Proton (bundled) runs Windows games via Wine + DXVK/VKD3D | | Heroic Games Launcher | Epic Games Store and GOG library management with Proton support | | Lutris | Universal game launcher for Windows/Linux/emulated games from any source | | RetroArch | Multi-system emulator frontend | | Bottles | General-purpose Wine prefix manager for non-Steam Windows apps and games | | GOverlay | GUI for MangoHud/vkBasalt performance overlay configuration | | Oversteer | Racing wheel configuration GUI | | Piper | Gaming mouse configuration GUI (libratbag front-end) | | AntiMicroX | Map keyboard/mouse input to a virtual gamepad, or vice versa |

# Launch Steam (or from the app launcher)
flatpak run com.valvesoftware.Steam

GNOME: Installing the Same Stack

None of the apps above are pre-installed on GNOME. Install what you need via Flatpak:

flatpak install flathub com.valvesoftware.Steam
flatpak install flathub com.heroicgameslauncher.hgl
flatpak install flathub net.lutris.Lutris
flatpak install flathub org.libretro.RetroArch
flatpak install flathub com.usebottles.bottles

GameMode, controller support, and racing wheel kernel support are already active regardless of edition — only the launcher/store apps differ.

Proton & Windows Game Compatibility

Steam's Proton (Wine + DXVK/VKD3D-Vulkan, bundled with Steam) is the primary way to run Windows-only games. Enable it for all titles:

Steam → Settings → Compatibility → Enable Steam Play for all other titles

Check ProtonDB for per-game compatibility reports before buying a Windows-only title. For non-Steam Windows games and apps, use Bottles or Lutris instead — see Bottles (Windows Compatibility) for a dedicated walkthrough of Wine prefix management outside Steam.

Performance Tools

MangoHud (FPS/frame-time/CPU/GPU overlay) is not pre-installed as a bare system package — on Plasma, GOverlay (pre-installed) is a GUI that installs and configures it for you; on GNOME, install MangoHud via Flatpak or Nix if you want it.

# Check current GPU driver and Vulkan support (both pre-installed via shani-tools-extra)
vulkaninfo --summary
glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"

Troubleshooting

| Issue | Solution | |-------|----------| | Controller not detected | Check ls /dev/input/js; unplug/replug; some Bluetooth controllers need pairing first — see Bluetooth | | Game runs but GameMode isn't engaging | Confirm gamemoded -s shows an active client while the game runs; some games need gamemoderun %command% as a Steam launch option to opt in explicitly | | Poor performance vs. Windows | Check vulkaninfo --summary confirms the right GPU/driver is in use, especially on hybrid (laptop) graphics — see Hardware for switcheroo-control | | Proton game won't launch | Try a different Proton version (Steam → game Properties → Compatibility); check ProtonDB for known workarounds | | RGB lighting not controllable | The udev permissions* are pre-installed but OpenRGB itself is not — install it via Flatpak |