Steam and Lutris won't Open Games?

Gaming
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1

Hello! I'm hoping to figure out a way to fix this or see if maybe I'll need to switch to something else. I've downloaded Steam from the site, since I've seen that some people had better luck getting games to work that way instead of using the software store. Unfortunately, I've still had problems with getting games to open.
I've tried every proton compatibility layer but games like The Sims 3 or Dragon Age will just say they're playing for a few moments before showing that it's no longer open.

I've tried Lutris to see if that would be able to help with launching, but it doesn't open anything. I'm unsure if maybe the games I've been trying are just ones that aren't compatible or if there's something else that I'm missing. That being said, even games that are Linux native will play for a bit before crashing, so I'm not 100% sure it boils down to compatibility.

I'm not sure if it's important to say this, but not all games are an issue. Itch.io games, The Sims [original], and emulators seem to all go smoothly, but Sober has issues with crashing and restarting the computer as well.

Specs below :

System Details Report

Report details

  • Date generated: 2026-05-16 18:19:42

Hardware Information:

  • Hardware Model: Dell Inc. Latitude E6430
  • Memory: 16.0 GiB
  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-3380M Ă— 4
  • Graphics: Intel® HD Graphics 4000 (IVB GT2)
  • Disk Capacity: 1.0 TB

Software Information:

  • Firmware Version: A24
  • OS Name: Zorin OS 18.1 Core
  • OS Build: (null)
  • OS Type: 64-bit
  • Windowing System: Wayland
  • Kernel Version: Linux 6.17.0-29-generic
2

Hello,
You can try it with switching to X11/Xorg. To do that, go to the Login Screen. click there on your profile so that the password field appears. When it is appeared, You should see a Gear Icon in the bottom right corner. Click on it and choose the option ''Zorin Desktop on Xorg'' and then log in and test it.

2 Likes
3

thank you for the idea! so far, it seems like it hasn't done much in terms of helping with my games though. on the plus side, Sober will just close out instead of restarting my whole computer now.

4

Test a failing game from a terminal to capture logs:

  • Close Steam, open terminal, run: steam
  • Launch the game and copy terminal output (and Steam’s log files: ~/.steam/steam/logs).
1 Like
5

Terminal's Output:

steam.sh[10187]: Running Steam on zorin 18 64-bit
steam.sh[10187]: STEAM_RUNTIME is enabled automatically
setup.sh[10226]: Steam runtime environment up-to-date!
steam.sh[10187]: Steam client's requirements are satisfied
CProcessEnvironmentManager is ready, 6 preallocated environment variables.
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] Startup - updater built May 8 2026 22:40:27
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] Startup - Steam Client launched with: '/home/user/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/steam' '-srt-logger-opened' '-nominidumps' '-nobreakpad'
05/16 19:47:03 minidumps folder is set to /tmp/dumps
05/16 19:47:03 Init: Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1778281814)/tid(10309)
CProcessEnvironmentManager is ready, 6 preallocated environment variables.
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] Process started with command-line: '/home/user/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/steam' '-child-update-ui' '-child-update-ui-socket' '8' '-srt-logger-opened' '-nominidumps' '-nobreakpad'
05/16 19:47:03 minidumps folder is set to /tmp/dumps
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] Using update UI: console
05/16 19:47:03 Init: Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(0)/tid(10311)
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] Create window
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] Loading cached metrics from disk (/home/user/.steam/debian-installation/package/steam_client_metrics.bin)
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] Using the following download hosts for Public, Realm steamglobal
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] 1. https://client-update.fastly.steamstatic.com, /, Realm 'steamglobal', weight was 900, source = 'update_hosts_cached.vdf'
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] 2. https://client-update.akamai.steamstatic.com, /, Realm 'steamglobal', weight was 400, source = 'update_hosts_cached.vdf'
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] 3. https://client-update.steamstatic.com, /, Realm 'steamglobal', weight was 1, source = 'baked in'
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] Verifying installation...
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] Verifying file sizes only
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] Set percent complete: 0
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] Set percent complete: -1
[2026-05-16 19:47:03] Set status message: Verifying installation...
[----] Verifying installation...
[2026-05-16 19:47:04] Verification complete
UpdateUI: skip show logo
[2026-05-16 19:47:04] Destroy window

Steam logging initialized: directory: /home/user/.steam/debian-installation/logs

[2026-05-16 19:47:04] ProcessNextMessage: socket disconnected
[2026-05-16 19:47:04] No more messages are expected - exiting
XOpenIM() failed, LANG = en_US.UTF-8
XOpenIM() failed, LANG = en_US.UTF-8XRRGetOutputInfo Workaround: initialized with override: 0 real: 0xec794860
XRRGetCrtcInfo Workaround: initialized with override: 0 real: 0xec792fc0
/usr/share/themes/Adwaita-dark/gtk-2.0/main.rc:733: error: unexpected identifier 'direction', expected character '}'
/usr/share/themes/Adwaita-dark/gtk-2.0/hacks.rc:28: error: invalid string constant "normal_entry", expected valid string constant
05/16 19:47:04 minidumps folder is set to /tmp/dumps
05/16 19:47:04 Init: Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steamsysinfo)/version(1778281814)/tid(10319)
Running query: 1 - GpuTopology
MESA-INTEL: warning: Ivy Bridge Vulkan support is incomplete
Response: gpu_topology {
gpus {
id: 1
name: "Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000 (IVB GT2)"
vram_size_bytes: 1610612736
driver_id: k_EGpuDriverId_MesaIntel
driver_version_major: 25
driver_version_minor: 2
driver_version_patch: 8
luid: 0
}
gpus {
id: 2
name: "llvmpipe (LLVM 20.1.2, 256 bits)"
vram_size_bytes: 3221225472
driver_id: k_EGpuDriverId_MesaLLVMPipe
driver_version_major: 25
driver_version_minor: 2
driver_version_patch: 8
luid: 0
}
default_gpu_id: 1
}

Exit code: 0
Saving response to: /tmp/steamCojdmI - 115 bytes
steamwebhelper.sh[10327]: Starting steamwebhelper under bootstrap steamrt steam runtime via: /home/user/.steam/debian-installation/steamrt64/pv-runtime/steam-runtime-steamrt/_v2-entry-point
steamwebhelper.sh[10327]: Starting steamwebhelper with steamrt steam runtime at /home/user/.steam/debian-installation/steamrt64/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 10409
bus_name=com.steampowered.PressureVessel.LaunchAlongsideSteam
exec ./steamwebhelper -nocrashdialog -lang=en_US -cachedir=/home/user/.steam/debian-installation/config/htmlcache -steampid=10309 -buildid=1778281814 -steamid=0 -logdir=/home/user/.steam/debian-installation/logs -uimode=7 -startcount=0 -steamuniverse=Public -realm=Global -clientui=/home/user/.steam/debian-installation/clientui -steampath=/home/user/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/steam -launcher=0 --valve-enable-site-isolation --enable-smooth-scrolling --password-store=basic --log-file=/home/user/.steam/debian-installation/logs/cef_log.txt --disable-quick-menu --disable-component-update --gaia-url=http://disabled.invalid --enable-features=PlatformHEVCDecoderSupport --disable-features=WinRetrieveSuggestionsOnlyOnDemand,SpareRendererForSitePerProcess,DcheckIsFatal,BlockPromptsIfIgnoredOften,ValveFFmpegAllowLowDelayHEVC
MESA-INTEL: warning: Ivy Bridge Vulkan support is incomplete
MESA-INTEL: warning: Ivy Bridge Vulkan support is incomplete
Desktop state changed: desktop: { pos: 0, 0 size: 1366, 768 } primary: { pos: 0, 0 size: 1366, 768 }
Caching cursor image for , size 24x24, serial 1923, cache size = 0
reaping pid: 10310 -- sh
fsync: up and running.
MESA-INTEL: warning: Ivy Bridge Vulkan support is incomplete
MESA-INTEL: warning: Ivy Bridge Vulkan support is incomplete
MESA-INTEL: warning: Ivy Bridge Vulkan support is incomplete
Unhandled exception in Xalia:
System.ApplicationException: No displays available
at Xalia.Sdl.SdlSynchronizationContext.Init (SDL3.SDL+SDL_InitFlags flags) [0x00046] in <295968b5ae854da3893289dcfbfe889f>:0
at Xalia.MainClass.Main (System.String argv) [0x0002b] in <295968b5ae854da3893289dcfbfe889f>:0
[ERROR] FATAL UNHANDLED EXCEPTION: System.ApplicationException: No displays available
at Xalia.Sdl.SdlSynchronizationContext.Init (SDL3.SDL+SDL_InitFlags flags) [0x00046] in <295968b5ae854da3893289dcfbfe889f>:0
chdir "/home/user/.steam/debian-installation/steamapps/common/The Sims 3"
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/user/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/user/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
Game Recording - would start recording game 47890, but recording for this game is disabled
Adding process 10917 for gameID 47890
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/user/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_64/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS64): ignored.
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/user/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
Adding process 10918 for gameID 47890
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/user/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
Adding process 10919 for gameID 47890
Adding process 10920 for gameID 47890
WARNING: discarding _NET_WM_PID 4 as invalid for X11 window - use specialized XCB_X11_TO_PID function!
WARNING: discarding _NET_WM_PID 4 as invalid for X11 window - use specialized XCB_X11_TO_PID function!
WARNING: discarding _NET_WM_PID 4 as invalid for X11 window - use specialized XCB_X11_TO_PID function!
WARNING: discarding _NET_WM_PID 4 as invalid for X11 window - use specialized XCB_X11_TO_PID function!
Adding process 11000 for gameID 47890
Adding process 11001 for gameID 47890
fsync: up and running.
Adding process 11002 for gameID 47890
Adding process 11003 for gameID 47890
Adding process 11006 for gameID 47890
Adding process 11008 for gameID 47890
Adding process 11011 for gameID 47890
Adding process 11022 for gameID 47890
Adding process 11028 for gameID 47890
Adding process 11034 for gameID 47890
MESA-INTEL: warning: Ivy Bridge Vulkan support is incomplete
MESA-INTEL: warning: Ivy Bridge Vulkan support is incomplete
Adding process 11059 for gameID 47890
Adding process 11069 for gameID 47890
Adding process 11071 for gameID 47890
Adding process 11078 for gameID 47890
MESA-INTEL: warning: Ivy Bridge Vulkan support is incomplete
Unhandled exception in Xalia:
System.ApplicationException: No displays available
at Xalia.Sdl.SdlSynchronizationContext.Init (SDL3.SDL+SDL_InitFlags flags) [0x00046] in <295968b5ae854da3893289dcfbfe889f>:0
at Xalia.MainClass.Main (System.String argv) [0x0002b] in <295968b5ae854da3893289dcfbfe889f>:0
[ERROR] FATAL UNHANDLED EXCEPTION: System.ApplicationException: No displays available
at Xalia.Sdl.SdlSynchronizationContext.Init (SDL3.SDL+SDL_InitFlags flags) [0x00046] in <295968b5ae854da3893289dcfbfe889f>:0
Adding process 11085 for gameID 47890
Adding process 11218 for gameID 47890
MESA-INTEL: warning: Ivy Bridge Vulkan support is incomplete
pid 11004 != 11003, skipping destruction (fork without exec?)
Game Recording - game stopped [gameid=47890]
Removing process 11218 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11085 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11078 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11071 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11069 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11059 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11034 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11028 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11022 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11011 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11008 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11006 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11003 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11002 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11001 for gameID 47890
Removing process 11000 for gameID 47890
Removing process 10920 for gameID 47890
Removing process 10919 for gameID 47890
Removing process 10918 for gameID 47890
Removing process 10917 for gameID 47890

6

As for the steam log, would you just want/need the game process log or something else? I'm pretty new to most of this so I'm not fully sure of things.

7

What we can see from the above is that it will really struggle to launch if it launches at all on Wayland.

Steam is working fine - and the game is launching (including child processes) fine... But the hang up occurs on Display - If trying Xorg (X11) does not resolve it, you might test earlier proton versions, as the later ones expect better support for Vulkan and your GPU is... quite old.

2 Likes
8

I see, so it might just be a hardware issue rather than an issue with any of the software. I'll retry the older proton versions and see if that helps anything, then. If not then I might have to look into other options or just give up on trying to play most games on this system.

Like I said, I'm not all too used to all of these things so that's very helpful to know and have pointed out, thank you. :slight_smile:

9

You can also take a look at this