The Linux gaming distro that refused to join the Open Gaming Collective is now dominating the Steam charts
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CachyOS, a rolling-release Arch-based Linux distro, declined to join the Open Gaming Collective (OGC) when it launched, citing concerns about bureaucratic overhead, association with Web3-linked Playtron, and the rushed circumstances around Bazzite's involvement. Founder Peter Jung argued that CachyOS already collaborated with OGC members informally and that the OGC's upstream-first policy means improvements flow to all distros anyway. Six months later, CachyOS ranks second in Valve's Steam Hardware Survey at 14.31% of Linux Steam users, behind only SteamOS at 22.24%, and ahead of OGC members Bazzite (7.73%) and Nobara (1.65%). Notably, CachyOS doesn't even market itself as a gaming distro — its primary focus is high performance and Arch's rolling release model.
Table of contents
CachyOS's objection was never a technical oneThey haven't missed anything by not joiningMonths later, nothing has changed with CachyOS's adoptionQuestions this post answers
What is CachyOS's share of Linux users in the Steam Hardware Survey?
CachyOS ranks second among Linux distros in Valve's Steam Hardware Survey at 14.31% of users, behind only SteamOS at 22.24%. Among distros users actively choose to install for gaming, CachyOS leads all others. OGC member Bazzite sits at 7.73% and Nobara at 1.65%. The survey is opt-in, which introduces some bias in the results. Linux gamers comparing distros for Steam performance track adoption numbers like these on daily.dev.
Why did CachyOS refuse to join the Open Gaming Collective?
CachyOS founder Peter Jung cited three main reasons: handheld support isn't CachyOS's primary focus, concern that the collective would become a 'bureaucratic loophole', and reluctance to be associated with Playtron — the Web3-linked company behind GameOS and the SuiPlay0x1 handheld. Jung also noted the team had already been collaborating informally with OGC members for over a year before the collective launched. Developers following the Linux gaming ecosystem find context like this on daily.dev.
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