bazzite

Bazzite is a custom Linux operating system built specifically for gaming. It is based on Fedora Atomic, a version of Fedora Linux that uses a read-only system design where the core OS is delivered as a single image and updates are applied atomically, meaning the whole system updates at once and you can roll back if something goes wrong. Bazzite takes that foundation and layers on a large collection of gaming-related software and drivers that would otherwise require manual setup.

The project targets several different types of hardware. For desktop PCs it ships with a standard desktop environment and includes tools like MangoHud for performance monitoring, vkBasalt for post-processing effects, and OBS VkCapture for recording gameplay. For Steam Deck-style handhelds it replicates the Steam Deck's Game Mode interface, including Valve's own KDE themes, so handheld users get an experience similar to an official Steam Deck even on third-party devices. It also targets home theater PCs, where the same Game Mode interface makes sense for couch use.

Out of the box, Bazzite includes drivers for Xbox controllers, DisplayLink docks, AMD's compute libraries, and hardware video decoding acceleration. It uses a custom Linux kernel with patches for HDR support and broader hardware compatibility. A tool called Bazzite Portal provides a graphical way to install additional applications and apply system tweaks after the initial setup.

Because the system image is immutable, installing extra software works differently than on a traditional Linux distribution. Regular desktop applications go through Flatpak, a sandboxed packaging format. For cases where you need a traditional Linux environment, a tool called Distrobox is preinstalled, which lets you run a separate mutable container alongside the main system.

Bazzite is available as a downloadable ISO that you install like any other operating system. It is an open-source community project under the Universal Blue umbrella, and the README is available in ten languages.