Experience: I have a bit of experience with Linux. I started around 2008, distro-hopped weekly, decided on Debian until around 2011, when I switched to Windows as I started getting interested in gaming. Tried switching back around 2015, this time using Arch Linux for about a month, but had some bad experiences with gaming and switched back to Windows. I have had a Debian and Arch VM in Virtual Box since then for testing different applications and a more coherent environment to work with servers.
Understanding: Which brings me to now, I am really interested in using Linux for gaming, I know there is Proton from Valve and that they have been really pushing Linux gaming forward with it.
Thoughts: I have been contemplating dual booting by installing Debian to an SSD and simply using the UEFI boot menu to choose instead of having to install to the EFI of Windows.
I guess, I should just do it, as it won’t affect my Windows installation, and I could test different games and if all works well, move over. This would also allow me to try different distributions, though my heart is for Debian, I even like Debian Unstable.
Note: I am sorry for the wall of text, I am just kind of anxious I guess.
Just lower your expectations and dive in. Unless there is a specific game that you REALLY want to play… then search if (your most wanted game) 100% works on linux and then do it.
All in all, its just a matter of not expecting much and be willing to ditch some things here and there. Get used to “do it yourself” and you’ll be fine.
I was suggested to look at ProtonDB, and it looks like all my games will work fine. I will be giving it all a test in the coming days.
The games that don’t work are typically (not exclusively) games with anti-cheat systems or live service games. Most everything else works out of the box on Steam with Proton.