In the beginning of 2026, the workforce at the back of Bazzite — one of the crucial extra in style Linux distros for gaming, in particular on handhelds — introduced the Open Gaming Collective (OGC), an initiative bringing in combination builders from more than a few tasks to give a boost to gaming around the board. Excluding Bazzite, the undertaking was once joined via the groups at Nobara, ChimeraOS, ASUS Linux, and extra.
However one large distro with a focal point on gaming was once now not a part of that: CachyOS. The Arch-based distribution was once significantly lacking from the listing of companions, and now not too lengthy after the initiative was once printed, the workforce showed its intentions to stick out of this undertaking. That can sound like an issue, however CachyOS appears to be high quality with the present setup.
Why CachyOS stayed out of the OGC
The advantages were not well worth the trade-offs
In case you are questioning why CachyOS is opting for to stick out of the Open Gaming Collective, the founding father of CachyOS, Peter Jung, did supply an evidence, however necessarily, the workforce apprehensive about the advantages and trade-offs it must make to get them. Whilst CachyOS is obtainable in a gaming hand-held version, its major focal point is the desktop unencumber, the place the entire optimization paintings for gaming handhelds is secondary. On the similar time, abiding via the usual put forth via the OGC may just upload a little of paperwork to the method of liberating updates, which might decelerate construction.
Those are the one two Linux distros I would use for gaming
Bazzite and CachyOS will have to be number one concerns for avid gamers taking a look to get out from beneath Microsoft
Jung additionally defined that whilst some theoretical advantages may just come from running carefully with Bazzite, the lead developer at Bazzite who made issues paintings so nicely on gaming handhelds was once kicked off the undertaking, which leads us to a little of drama. This developer, who is going via the identify Antheas, was once kicked from Bazzite in a while prior to the Open Gaming Collective was once introduced, which is why the CachyOS workforce perceives the OGC undertaking as an try to save face via the Bazzite workforce. With out its lead developer, Bazzite did not have any individual to care for and broaden its kernel and different technical facets of the distro, so the OGC initiative comes off as an try to outsource a few of that construction paintings so it does not stall.
Then again, CachyOS has been running with contributors from different tasks since lengthy prior to the OGC undertaking was once introduced. ChimeraOS, ASUS Linux, and inputplumber are one of the most OGC contributors that experience already been concerned with CachyOS, so the workforce felt that developing a proper courting was once needless, and which may be for the easier.
CachyOS continues to be avid gamers’ favourite
Who wishes the assist anyway?
Sitting out of a undertaking that sounds as grandiose because the Open Gaming Collective can have gave the impression of a nasty concept, however it did not take lengthy for CachyOS to turn out another way. In early March, a document indicated that CachyOS had change into the most well liked Linux distro on ProtonDB, a platforms that tracks Linux utilization on Steam.
For almost 5 years, that prime spot were held via natural Arch Linux, however CachyOS has grown vastly within the remaining couple of years, and it accounted for 21.1% of Linux customers on Steam as of this document. It is price noting that Bazzite sat in fourth position at 9.5%. That are supposed to make it glaring that avid gamers have a transparent choice in the case of gaming distros.
It isn’t sudden, both. Just lately, a benchmark in comparison quite a lot of video games working on Home windows and CachyOS, and in maximum circumstances, CachyOS got here out on most sensible. It additionally is helping that Bazzite is a distro extra inquisitive about hand-held gaming gadgets, while CachyOS makes a speciality of desktop PCs, a miles higher addressable marketplace.
Why CachyOS is so excellent
It is all about optimization
I have spoken previously about how CachyOS displays that it is imaginable for an Arch Linux spinoff to be higher than the unique, and it holds true. I really like Arch, however CachyOS takes that base and turns it right into a extra user-friendly and extra performant revel in.
You continue to have the rolling unencumber type and light-weight core, however CachyOS will provide you with a GUI installer that anybody can use, so that you wouldn’t have to depend at the command line. Plus, gear just like the CachyOS Package deal Supervisor, CachyOS Replace, and different preinstalled device makes issues slightly extra well-rounded out of the field.
In all probability maximum notable, even though, is the optimization paintings completed via the CachyOS workforce. This distro supplies extremely optimized and centered variations of its applications to take complete benefit of the structure of each and every processor. That incorporates the x86-64-v3, x86-64-v4, and Zen 4+ architectures, and it isn’t simply device applications which might be optimized. CachyOS additionally comprises its personal repositories for pacman (the package deal supervisor) with optimized variations of a wide variety of device, so that you get the quickest revel in imaginable around the board.
CachyOS is the most productive Arch-based Linux distro available in the market
Simple Arch is superb, however CachyOS makes the entire proper enhancements
The customized kernel may be optimized for efficiency and will continuously come with patches that have not been added to the mainline kernel but, and strengthen for the EEVDF scheduler, optimized for responsiveness on CachyOS, in addition to a BORE scheduler for customers who need most responsiveness. All of it comes in combination to provide a quick revel in that feels nice at the desktop, in addition to for gaming. The gaming hand-held version of CachyOS additionally options the optimizations you would be expecting, like Steam’s Sport Mode, along side the LAVD scheduler to optimize gaming efficiency and battery existence.
Linux is getting higher, and that’s the reason what issues
Whether or not you consider CachyOS will have to have joined the Open Gaming Collective or now not, those tasks proceed using Linux ahead in gaming efficiency. The share of Linux customers reported via Steam’s {hardware} survey reached an all-time top in 2026, and any effort to streamline and push efficiency and reliability additional can handiest be a excellent factor.
Like many different avid gamers, I am extra keen on CachyOS and its extra free-form method in comparison to immutable distros like Bazzite, even though the latter is most likely extra appropriate for somebody switching from Home windows for the primary time.
