Steam game Launch issues - Linux: CachyOS (WINE but not Proton/native?)

[DeltaBrad]

I am having trouble getting my steam games to launch. I have installed the gaming packages, done all updates, made sure I am using btfrs partitions, forced steam to use proton compatibility, and games still wont launch from steam. I can launch if I go into folder and find the game’s exe and run with WINE launcher, but still no luck with protontricks or any other compatibility. This is a fresh install of all games/steam/os. Have uninstalled and reinstalled each item several times now. Terminal log for example game below with machine specs.

Why wont steam launch anything? Feel free to ELI5. (also I broke links in the log to be postable)

OS: CachyOS x86_64
Kernel: Linux 6.18.7-2-cachyos
Packages: 1551 (pacman)
Shell: fish 4.3.3
Display (Unknown-1): 1920x1080 in 23", 60 Hz
DE: KDE Plasma 6.5.5
WM: KWin (Wayland)
Terminal: konsole 25.12.1
CPU: Intel(R) Core™ i5-6600K (4) @ 4.30 GHz
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 [Discrete]
Memory: 4.72 GiB / 15.55 GiB (30%)
Swap: 7.47 MiB / 15.55 GiB (0%)
Disk (/): 31.05 GiB / 476.64 GiB (7%) - btrfs

steam
steam.sh[26752]: Running Steam on cachyos rolling 64-bit
steam.sh[26752]: STEAM_RUNTIME is enabled automatically
setup.sh[26804]: Steam runtime environment up-to-date!
steam.sh[26752]: Log already open
steam.sh[26752]: Steam client’s requirements are satisfied
CProcessEnvironmentManager is ready, 6 preallocated environment variables.
[2026-01-26 19:28:52] Startup - updater built Jan 21 2026 17:12:15
[2026-01-26 19:28:52] Startup - Steam Client launched with: ‘/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/steam’ ‘-srt-l
ogger-opened’
01/26 19:28:52 minidumps folder is set to /tmp/dumps
01/26 19:28:52 Init: Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1769025840)/tid(26874)
CProcessEnvironmentManager is ready, 6 preallocated environment variables.
[2026-01-26 19:28:52] Process started with command-line: ‘/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/steam’ ‘-child-up
date-ui’ ‘-child-update-ui-socket’ ‘8’ ‘-srt-logger-opened’
[2026-01-26 19:28:52] Using update UI: xwin
[2026-01-26 19:28:52] Create window
01/26 19:28:52 minidumps folder is set to /tmp/dumps
[2026-01-26 19:28:52] Loading cached metrics from disk (/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/package/steam_client_metrics.bi
n)
[2026-01-26 19:28:52] Using the following download hosts for Public, Realm steamglobal
[2026-01-26 19:28:52] 1. http s:/client-update.fastly.steamstatic.com, /, Realm ‘steamglobal’, weight was 900, sourc
e = ‘update_hosts_cached.vdf’
[2026-01-26 19:28:52] 2. http s:/client-update.akamai.steamstatic.com, /, Realm ‘steamglobal’, weight was 400, sourc
e = ‘update_hosts_cached.vdf’
[2026-01-26 19:28:52] 3. http s:/client-update.steamstatic.com, /, Realm ‘steamglobal’, weight was 1, source = ‘bake
d in’
[2026-01-26 19:28:52] Verifying installation…
[2026-01-26 19:28:52] Verifying file sizes only
[2026-01-26 19:28:52] Set percent complete: 0
[2026-01-26 19:28:53] Set percent complete: -1
[2026-01-26 19:28:53] Set status message: Verifying installation…
[2026-01-26 19:28:53] Verification complete
UpdateUI: skip show logo
[2026-01-26 19:28:53] Destroy window
[2026-01-26 19:28:53] Shutdown

Steam logging initialized: directory: /home/dad/.local/share/Steam/logs

XRRGetOutputInfo Workaround: initialized with override: 0 real: 0xf63aeec0
XRRGetCrtcInfo Workaround: initialized with override: 0 real: 0xf63ad590
01/26 19:28:53 minidumps folder is set to /tmp/dumps
01/26 19:28:53 Init: Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steamsysinfo)/version(1769025840)/tid(26899)
Running query: 1 - GpuTopology
CVulkanTopology: failed to get physical device count
Failed to query vulkan gpu topology

Failed to query vulkan gpu topology
Response:
Exit code: -2
steamwebhelper.sh[26934]: Starting steamwebhelper under bootstrap steamrt steam runtime via: /home/dad/.local/share/
Steam/steamrt64/pv-runtime/steam-runtime-steamrt/_v2-entry-point
steamwebhelper.sh[26934]: Starting steamwebhelper with steamrt steam runtime at /home/dad/.local/share/Steam/steamrt
64/pv-runtime/steam-runtime-steamrt/_v2-entry-point
Steam Runtime Launch Service: starting steam-runtime-launcher-service
Steam Runtime Launch Service: steam-runtime-launcher-service is running pid 27035
bus_name=com.steampowered.PressureVessel.LaunchAlongsideSteam
libEGL warning: failed to get driver name for fd -1

libEGL warning: MESA-LOADER: failed to retrieve device information

libEGL warning: failed to get driver name for fd -1

exec ./steamwebhelper -nocrashdialog -lang=en_US -cachedir=/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/config/htmlcache -steampid=2
6874 -buildid=1769025840 -steamid=0 -logdir=/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/logs -uimode=7 -startcount=0 -steamuniverse
=Public -realm=Global -clientui=/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/clientui -steampath=/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu
12_32/steam -launcher=0 -use_xcomposite_workaround --valve-enable-site-isolation --enable-smooth-scrolling --disable
-gpu-compositing --disable-gpu --password-store=basic --log-file=/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/logs/cef_log.txt --dis
able-quick-menu --disable-component-update --gaia-url=http ://disabled.invalid --disable-features=WinRetrieveSuggesti
onsOnlyOnDemand,SpareRendererForSitePerProcess,DcheckIsFatal,BlockPromptsIfIgnoredOften,ValveFFmpegAllowLowDelayHEVC
MESA: error: ZINK: vkEnumeratePhysicalDevices failed (VK_ERROR_INITIALIZATION_FAILED)
MESA: error: ZINK: failed to choose pdev
libEGL warning: egl: failed to create dri2 screen
vkEnumeratePhysicalDevices failed, unable to init and enumerate GPUs with Vulkan.
BInit - Unable to initialize Vulkan!
vkEnumeratePhysicalDevices failed, unable to init and enumerate GPUs with Vulkan.
BInit - Unable to initialize Vulkan!
/usr/share/themes/Breeze-Dark/gtk-2.0/widgets/entry:70: error: unexpected identifier ‘direction’, expected character
‘}’
/usr/share/themes/Breeze-Dark/gtk-2.0/widgets/styles:36: error: invalid string constant “combobox_entry”, expected v
alid string constant
Desktop state changed: desktop: { pos: 0, 0 size: 1920,1080 } primary: { pos: 0, 0 size: 1920,1080 }
Proton: Restoring LD_LIBRARY_PATH to:
Proton: Restoring PATH to: /usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/bin/site_perl:/usr/bin/vendor_perl:/usr/bin/
core_perl
Caching cursor image for , size 32x32, serial 3, cache size = 0
ProtonFixes[27328] WARN: Skipping fix execution. We are probably running a unit test.
reaping pid: 26875 – steam
Proton: Restoring LD_LIBRARY_PATH to:
Proton: Restoring PATH to: /usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/bin/site_perl:/usr/bin/vendor_perl:/usr/bin/
core_perl
ProtonFixes[27514] WARN: Skipping fix execution. We are probably running a unit test.
Proton: Upgrading prefix from CachyOS-10.1000-200 to GE-Proton9-26 (/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdat
a/0/)
Proton: Prefix has an invalid version?! You may want to back up user files and delete this prefix.
fsync: up and running.
wine: configuration in L"/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/0/pfx" has been updated.
fsync: up and running.
Proton: Upgrading prefix from GE-Proton9-26 to GE-Proton10-29 (/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatdata/0/)
Proton: Prefix has an invalid version?! You may want to back up user files and delete this prefix.
ProtonFixes[28174] WARN: Skipping fix execution. We are probably running a unit test.
wineserver: NTSync up and running!
ProtonFixes[28431] WARN: Skipping fix execution. We are probably running a unit test.
wineserver: NTSync up and running!
Proton: Upgrading prefix from GE-Proton10-29 to CachyOS-10.1000-200 (/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/compatda
ta/0/)
Proton: Prefix has an invalid version?! You may want to back up user files and delete this prefix.
ProtonFixes[28641] WARN: Skipping fix execution. We are probably running a unit test.
ProtonFixes[28924] WARN: Skipping fix execution. We are probably running a unit test.
[2026-01-26 19:30:54] Background update loop checking for update. . .
[2026-01-26 19:30:54] Checking for available updates…
[2026-01-26 19:30:54] Downloading manifest: http s:/client-update.fastly.steamstatic.com/steam_client_ubuntu12
[2026-01-26 19:30:54] Manifest download: send request
[2026-01-26 19:30:54] Manifest download: waiting for download to finish
[2026-01-26 19:30:55] Manifest download: finished
[2026-01-26 19:30:55] Download skipped: /steam_client_ubuntu12 version 1769025840, installed version 1769025840, exi
sting pending version 0
[2026-01-26 19:30:55] Nothing to do
chdir “/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/Dark Deity 2”
ERROR: ld.so: object ‘/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so’ from LD_PRELOAD cannot be pre
loaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
Game Recording - would start recording game 2446600, but recording for this game is disabled
Adding process 29449 for gameID 2446600
ERROR: ld.so: object ‘/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so’ from LD_PRELOAD cannot be pre
loaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
ERROR: ld.so: object ‘/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_64/gameoverlayrenderer.so’ from LD_PRELOAD cannot be pre
loaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS64): ignored.
ERROR: ld.so: object ‘/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so’ from LD_PRELOAD cannot be pre
loaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
ERROR: ld.so: object ‘/home/dad/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so’ from LD_PRELOAD cannot be pre
loaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
Adding process 29450 for gameID 2446600
Adding process 29451 for gameID 2446600
Adding process 29555 for gameID 2446600
ProtonFixes[29555] INFO: Running protonfixes
ProtonFixes[29555] INFO: Running checks
ProtonFixes[29555] INFO: All checks successful
ProtonFixes[29555] INFO: Using global defaults for “Dark Deity 2” (2446600)
ProtonFixes[29555] INFO: No global protonfix found for “Dark Deity 2” (2446600)
Adding process 29556 for gameID 2446600
Adding process 29557 for gameID 2446600
fsync: up and running.
Adding process 29558 for gameID 2446600
Adding process 29562 for gameID 2446600
Adding process 29564 for gameID 2446600
Adding process 29568 for gameID 2446600
Adding process 29574 for gameID 2446600
Adding process 29583 for gameID 2446600
Adding process 29595 for gameID 2446600
Adding process 29642 for gameID 2446600
Setting breakpad minidump AppID = 2446600
Steam_SetMinidumpSteamID: Caching Steam ID: 76561198346633429 [API loaded no]
Adding process 29660 for gameID 2446600
pid 29559 != 29558, skipping destruction (fork without exec?)
Game Recording - game stopped [gameid=2446600]
Removing process 29660 for gameID 2446600
Removing process 29642 for gameID 2446600
Removing process 29595 for gameID 2446600
Removing process 29583 for gameID 2446600
Removing process 29574 for gameID 2446600
Removing process 29568 for gameID 2446600
Removing process 29564 for gameID 2446600
Removing process 29562 for gameID 2446600
Removing process 29558 for gameID 2446600
Removing process 29557 for gameID 2446600
Removing process 29556 for gameID 2446600
Removing process 29555 for gameID 2446600
Removing process 29451 for gameID 2446600
Removing process 29450 for gameID 2446600
Removing process 29449 for gameID 2446600

Removing process 29555 for gameID 2446600

[76561198381750886]

I've th same issue, but I didn't dind any solution of the problem. No one game starts with Proton (I've already tried proton8, 9, 10, hotfix, experemental, ge, proton-cachyos). Sottr starts natively but has low quality graphics. Did we choose the right distro? I think We hadn't problems with that type on Fedora or bubuntu

[bron]

Same thing happened to me, but turns out I had somehow uninstalled the proton-cachyos package. Reinstalling it fixed it for me.

[76561198381750886]

What's drive do you use? I moved my game into btrfs drive and game runs properly. If your game on ntfs drive, try that method, it might work, have a good day