An upcoming multiplayer FPS called Wardogs has announced that it won’t support Linux-based PCs, despite previous comments from the developer suggesting otherwise. Normally, prioritizing Windows over Linux is nothing shocking, as most developers focus on the former for a couple of reasons, including its larger user base. However, the situation with Wardogs has become somewhat dramatic, as some fans believe they’ve been lied to.
On August 21, Wardogs started a playtest that turned out to be a massive success. According to SteamDB data, the test surpassed 100,000 concurrent players on Steam. Days later, developer Bulkhead announced an open beta for Wardogs, which broke August’s record by reaching over 245,000 concurrent players on September 5. Despite these impressive numbers, the developer is also facing backlash from the Linux community.
Wardogs Backtracks on Its Linux Support Claims, Says It Was ‘Miscommunication’
On September 4, a Bulkhead developer posted on Wardogs‘ Steam Community, saying, “We do not officially support Linux, and we cannot commit to having support for launch.” Fans were quick to reply, reminding the developer that previous comments from the team had confirmed Linux support and that some early playtests actually worked on the OS. That said, the developer’s note acknowledges those comments and calls them a communication mistake. “We admit there was a mistake in communication by our CM, which was unfortunately screenshotted in our Discord and then posted on the Linux Reddit, when the official stance has always been we are working on Proton compatibility.”
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Wardogs has become one of the most anticipated first-person shooter games, and it has been wishlisted over a million times on Steam. So, the lack of Linux support at launch has unsurprisingly disappointed many fans. Although the player base on Linux might not be as large as on Windows, leaving those users out still means Wardogs is missing out on thousands of potential players. Bulkhead has apologized for the miscommunication and offered refunds to those who purchased the game believing it is Linux/Proton-compatible. However, the community is not exactly satisfied with the explanation.
Some Linux fans believe that the game was indeed made with Proton support in mind, and its ProtonDB status was even rated gold at one point, indicating compatibility. They claim Bulkhead later decided to use a new anti-cheat system similar to those in games like Call of Duty, making it difficult for the game to continue running on Linux. That said, these are all allegations, and developer Bulkhead says it never intended to claim that the game works on Linux. According to the developer, previous instances of Wardogs running fine on the OS were “by happenstance.”
Proton Support for Wardogs Is Not Entirely Shelved
Over on Twitter, Bulkhead CEO responded to fans asking about Linux support, saying, “We will bring the game to Proton properly ASAP, which should be soon after launch.” In another tweet, he also said, “We want Linux users to play, and we’ll be prioritizing that, in part for Steam Deck. But not at the expense of security.” It remains to be seen whether these promises will be fulfilled once the game is released.
Wardogs plans to join the long list of Steam games in early access on September 10, 2026. The game is currently limited to PC via Steam, but developer Bulkhead has expressed a desire to release it on major consoles in the future.
- Released
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August 10, 2026
- Developer(s)
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Bulkhead
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Number of Players
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Single-player
