January 30, 2026
Penguins vs Portals
GOG: Linux "the next major frontier" for gaming as it works on a native client
GOG calls Linux the next gaming frontier — fans hype, devs side-eye the Galaxy client
TLDR: GOG is building a native Linux version of its Galaxy app, calling Linux the next gaming frontier. The community split: some cheer the move, others slam the old code and closed-source vibe, urging GOG to back open tools like Heroic while noting Valve’s Linux support remains the gold standard.
GOG just declared Linux the “next major frontier” for its Galaxy app and is hiring a senior engineer to make a native client. Translation for non-nerds: GOG wants its game library app to run smoothly on Linux, the penguin-powered system that’s been gaining steam thanks to Proton—a tool from Valve that lets Windows games run on Linux. But the community reaction? Pure popcorn. One commenter roasted Galaxy’s “large and complex C++ codebase” as a “shitshow,” wondering if it’ll stay closed source, while another cheered that it’s not Electron (the much-memed “web app in a desktop” tech). The hottest take: fans begged GOG to support Heroic Launcher—a popular open-source app—rather than building yet another client, arguing sponsorship would help everyone faster. Meanwhile, Valve got crowned king again: users pointed out Steam funds drivers and Proton, so even buying Windows-only games there boosts Linux. Others noted the store’s new owner seems less anti-Linux, calling it a vibe shift. TL;DR vibe check: hope for a real Linux app, fear of bloated legacy code, and a plea to go open-source or at least hop on community tools. Catch the job tease via VideoCardz and peek Galaxy here: GOG Galaxy.
Key Points
- •GOG is hiring a Senior Engineer to develop a native Linux version of its GOG Galaxy client.
- •GOG Galaxy currently runs on Windows and macOS; Linux is described as the “next major frontier.”
- •The GOG Galaxy product has a large, complex C++ codebase and serves as a game library and community hub.
- •Linux gaming’s viability has improved with technologies like Proton, increasing industry attention.
- •The article states GOG’s original co-founder bought the store back from CD Projekt Red and plans to compete by vetting published games under Steam’s dominance.