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Can I Run Classic PC Games on Older Hardware with Linux?

December 15, 2025 5 answers
Asked by RetroGamer2023
I'm looking to build a retro PC using hardware from the Windows 98/XP era, and I want to run a Linux distribution on it. My question is: if I use a Linux distro that's tailored for older hardware, will I be able to play classic PC games like Diablo 1 and 2, Half-Life 1 and 2, and Halo CE/Halo 2? I've heard about running games through Wine—is this similar to how they would work on Windows XP? Any insights would be great!
Diablo Halo Hardware Linux older hardware PC games Wine

Answers

LinuxExplorer101
Definitely an experiment! I'd suggest checking out Lutris; it can help with managing different Wine versions for your games. I had a bit of a struggle getting Diablo to work a few years ago—I got a black screen at the menu, but I could still play. If your computer is older, avoid heavy Steam usage; it might not handle it well.
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OldSchoolNerd88
This sounds like an interesting project! I tried running Halo from Steam on Linux Mint with a Xeon processor, and I finished Halo 2, but it did push my processor to its limits. Just be cautious; my GPU rarely went above 48% usage. But remember, I was using the digital versions and not the physical discs.
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ClassicPCFan27
I recently installed AntiX on a couple of old laptops, and I'm currently trying out Q4OS. The GUI reminds me a lot of Win98 or XP! Wine is usually easy to install in AntiX and tends to work fine, but Windows 95/98 games can be hit-or-miss. You might even want to set up a virtual machine for better compatibility.
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TechnoGuru64
Make sure to consider a 64-bit build since most user-friendly distros are starting to drop 32-bit support altogether. Tiny Core is an option, but be prepared for a learning curve.
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GameHackerman92
I started my Linux journey back in 2003, and back then, Wine's support for games was pretty hit-or-miss. You might get a few of your games working, but be prepared for a bit of a challenge. You could check the WineHQ website archives to see what support was like for those specific titles back in the day.
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