Where Winds Meet finally arriving on PC has a lot of players asking the same thing: will it actually run on Linux?
The short version: the game is built and shipped as a Windows title. On PC, it officially supports 64‑bit Windows 10 and 11 only, and it bundles online services, cross‑platform play, and anti‑cheat. That combination means Linux play is, at best, unofficial and fragile right now.
Where Winds Meet platforms and system requirements
On paper, Where Winds Meet is a big cross‑platform project. It’s a free‑to‑play Wuxia open‑world action RPG developed by Everstone Studio and published by NetEase Games. At global launch, it’s available on:
| Platform | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PC (Windows) | Supported | Windows 10/11 64‑bit only, via Steam, Epic Games Store, and the official PC launcher. |
| PlayStation 5 | Supported | Native console version with cross‑play. |
| Android / iOS | Regional | Mobile version currently limited to China; global rollout not yet dated. |
| Xbox Series X | Planned | Console release targeted for 2026. |
| Linux (desktop / SteamOS) | Unsupported | No native client. Any play relies on compatibility layers and may break. |
The PC system requirements listed on the Windows store page are explicit:
| Spec | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10/11 64‑bit | Windows 10/11 64‑bit |
| CPU | Core i7‑7700K / Ryzen 5 1600 | Core i7‑10700 / Ryzen 7 3700X |
| RAM | 16GB | 32GB |
| GPU | GTX 1060 6GB / RX 480 8GB | RTX 2070 Super / RX 6700 XT / Arc A750 |
| DirectX | Version 12 | Version 12 |
| Storage | 100GB (SSD recommended) | 100GB (SSD recommended) |
There is no mention of Linux, SteamOS, or any non‑Windows desktop OS on the official pages or PC requirement list. That’s the first and most important constraint.
How Where Winds Meet runs on Linux today (and why it’s tricky)
Because Where Winds Meet is Windows‑only, Linux players are in the usual position: relying on Proton (on Steam/SteamOS) or Wine/CrossOver to translate Windows calls into something Linux can run.
Right now the public compatibility picture looks like this:
| Compatibility layer | Platform | Reported state | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proton (Steam / SteamOS / desktop Linux) | Linux | Unclear | No stable rating yet; some users report reaching the game on SteamOS, others are blocked by anti‑cheat or dependencies. |
| CrossOver | macOS | Installs, will not run | One report notes the macOS version installs under CrossOver 25, but fails to launch. |
| CrossOver | Linux | Untested | No formal test or rating published yet. |
There are scattered anecdotes of the Chinese client running on Steam Deck’s SteamOS and other Arch‑based systems, at least far enough to reach character creation. But these are isolated experiments rather than a supported configuration.
In other words, it might run, partially, for some people right now. But there’s no guarantee it will run for you, and no guarantee it will keep working after any given update.
The anti‑cheat problem on Linux
The bigger issue isn’t DirectX 12 or 3D performance. It’s anti‑cheat.
Where Winds Meet is an online‑only, free‑to‑play game with co‑op, guilds, large‑scale PvP, and cross‑platform play. To protect that shared world, the PC client ships with NetEase’s own anti‑cheat technology. Community discussions repeatedly point out that this solution operates at or near kernel level on Windows in other NetEase titles, such as Marvel Rivals.
Kernel‑integrated anti‑cheat is a known pain point for Linux. These drivers are written for Windows’ kernel and security model. They expect Windows APIs, Windows file paths, and Windows process behavior. Running them under Proton or Wine can fail in several ways:
- The anti‑cheat driver refuses to load in the compatibility layer.
- The game detects the environment as “unsafe” and exits.
- Updates to the anti‑cheat invalidate workarounds that previously worked.
On the Steam discussion boards, players already call out this anti‑cheat as “the main issue” for Steam Deck and other Linux‑based setups, warning that kernel‑level systems “often have compatibility problems with Linux‑based platforms”. That’s consistent with how similar anti‑cheat schemes behave in other MMOs and shooters.
Some Linux users suggest installing extra Windows components (such as Visual Studio 2019 runtimes and .NET 4.8) to get other NetEase games running inside Proton. That might help with basic launcher crashes or runtime errors, but it does not change the fundamental anti‑cheat limitation: if the security driver itself won’t cooperate with the compatibility layer, you hit a hard stop.
Why “Linux isn’t supported” here isn’t just boilerplate
Lots of PC games list only Windows, but still run surprisingly well under Proton. For Where Winds Meet, the risk profile is higher for three reasons.
| Factor | Impact on Linux players |
|---|---|
| Always‑online design | You must pass anti‑cheat validation before entering the world; offline workarounds aren’t an option. |
| Kernel‑level or low‑level anti‑cheat | Security modules tied tightly to Windows internals are the class of software most likely to fail in Wine/Proton. |
| Frequent live updates | Balance patches, events, and security updates can change binaries and behavior weekly, breaking any fragile fixes. |
The result is that “unsupported” really does mean “you’re on your own” here. Even if you manage to log in once on Linux, every patch is a dice roll. And if the anti‑cheat vendor explicitly blocks compatibility layers in a future update, there is nothing you can tweak in Proton to override that.
Trying Where Winds Meet on Linux anyway
If you’re still tempted to experiment with Where Winds Meet on Linux, you need to walk in with realistic expectations. There is no officially documented recipe that guarantees a playable state.
On the Steam side, basic experimentation looks like any other Windows‑only MMO:
- Install the game on a recent Linux distribution with up‑to‑date GPU drivers and 32GB of RAM if possible; this is a heavy title.
- Use a current Proton build through Steam or a Proton‑GE variant, and override the game’s default Proton version if it fails on first launch.
- Enable or disable features like Esync and Fsync to see if stability changes, while watching for anti‑cheat errors.
- If you reach the login or character creation screens, avoid aggressive overlays or injectors that might trigger the anti‑cheat.
Some players mention that installing the Visual Studio 2019 runtime and .NET Framework 4.8 into the game’s prefix (using helper tools such as steamtricks or winetricks) helped with other NetEase titles. That might clear dependency errors, but it is not a solution to deep anti‑cheat compatibility issues.
Under CrossOver on Linux, the game isn’t even rated yet. The only published note is for macOS, where the game installs but won’t run under CrossOver 25. Linux users can try a manual installation following CrossOver’s generic unlisted‑app walkthrough, but again, there’s no sign this will meaningfully change the anti‑cheat situation.
When a Windows partition (or console) makes more sense
Because Where Winds Meet is built as a service game with cross‑platform progression, your account and characters travel between platforms as long as you link through the official account system. NetEase has already published a cross‑progression guide for tying together Steam, Epic, the standalone PC launcher, and PlayStation.
If you primarily run Linux but this one game is non‑negotiable, you effectively have three robust options:
| Option | How it works | Trade‑offs |
|---|---|---|
| Dual‑boot with Windows | Install Windows 10/11 on a separate partition or drive, use it only for the game. | Requires rebooting and maintaining another OS, but gives you full, supported compatibility. |
| Dedicated Windows gaming PC | Run Linux on your main machine, keep a second box just for Windows titles with heavy anti‑cheat. | Higher cost and power usage, but clean separation for work and play. |
| PlayStation 5 | Play the native console version and link it with your NetEase account for shared progression. | Less flexible graphics settings and modding, but no anti‑cheat compatibility headaches. |
This isn’t a satisfying answer if you’re committed to Linux‑only gaming. But with Where Winds Meet’s current architecture, a native or officially supported Linux client would be the only real fix. Without that, you’re fighting the game’s design rather than just its renderer.
What needs to change for better Linux support
For Where Winds Meet to be realistically playable on Linux in a sustained way, one or more of the following would have to happen:
- The developers ship a native Linux client with a Linux‑compatible anti‑cheat module.
- The anti‑cheat provider adds and maintains explicit support for Proton and Wine.
- The game offers an offline or “no anti‑cheat” mode for single‑player only, which is not how it’s currently structured.
None of these have been announced. The official site and PC storefronts focus on Windows and consoles, plus mobile in China. All key messaging around pre‑registration, cross‑progression, and global launch dates is centered on those platforms.
So for now, Where Winds Meet on Linux is a science project, not a platform. If you like tinkering with Proton and don’t mind losing an evening to logs and crashes, you can try your luck. If you just want to explore its sprawling Wuxia world reliably, you’re better off treating Windows or PS5 as the real target and Linux as a secondary experiment you revisit later if the technical landscape changes.
