The best cozy games with a native Linux build are Stardew Valley, A Short Hike, Unpacking and Spiritfarer. If you use Proton, Dorfromantik, Lil Gator Game and Dredge are Windows-only but rated Platinum on ProtonDB. We checked every Steam page and ProtonDB rating on October 29, 2026.
At a glance
| Game | Best for | Length | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stardew Valley | Anyone who wants one long, comforting farm life | About 54 hours for the main goals (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, mobile |
| A Short Hike | Anyone who wants a complete, happy game in one sitting | About 1.5 hours (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One |
| Unpacking | Players who like tidy puzzles and quiet stories | About 3.5 hours (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, mobile |
| Spiritfarer | Players who want a long, warm story with lots to do | About 26 hours (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, mobile |
| TOEM | Players who like slow, funny, observant games | About 3.5 hours | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS5, Xbox |
| Night in the Woods | Players who want a story more than a routine | About 9 hours (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One |
| Fields of Mistria | Farm sim fans who want something newer than Stardew Valley | Open-ended | PC, Linux |
| A Short Sail | Linux players who want a native build and a demo to try in the browser today | Not shared yet | PC (Windows), Mac, Web, Steam Deck |
| Dorfromantik | Players who want something calm to do with their hands | About 5 hours for the main goals, with no real end (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Switch |
| Lil Gator Game | Climb, glide and play pretend on an island. Platinum on ProtonDB | About 3 hours (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox |
| Dredge | Players who like a calm loop with a creepy edge | About 9.5 hours (HowLongToBeat) | PC, Mac, Switch, PS, Xbox, mobile |
| Webfishing | Players who want a silly online hangout with friends | Open-ended | PC |
Native Linux or Proton: what it means
There are two ways a cozy game runs on Linux through Steam:
- Native. The developer made a Linux build. On the Steam store page, you see a SteamOS and Linux icon next to the price, and a SteamOS + Linux tab under System Requirements. The developer lists the Linux specs and, in theory, supports it.
- Proton. The game is Windows-only, and Steam runs it with Valve’s Proton tool. In Steam, turn it on per game under Properties, then Compatibility. Many games run perfectly this way, but nobody promises it.
For Proton games, we give the ProtonDB rating. ProtonDB is a community site where players report how a Windows game runs through Proton, from Borked to Platinum. It is a summary of player reports, so a game with few reports is less sure. The Steam Deck runs SteamOS, which is Linux, so Valve’s Deck rating is useful here too. See cozy games on Steam Deck.
How we checked
On October 29, 2026, we read each game’s Steam page (platforms, Linux specs and Steam Deck rating) and its ProtonDB summary (tier and number of reports). One thing to know: even a native game gets a ProtonDB tier, because ProtonDB rates the Windows version. For native games, the native build is what you play by default.
Lengths are HowLongToBeat main-story times.
Our picks
- Best first pick: Stardew Valley (native)
- Best for one evening: A Short Hike (native)
- Best long story: Spiritfarer (native)
- Best new farm game: Fields of Mistria (native)
- Best through Proton: Dorfromantik
- Best online hangout: Webfishing (Proton)
- Our own game: A Short Sail (in development; Linux build for Steam Deck and 64-bit Linux)
Native Linux builds
Stardew Valley
Who it is for: anyone who wants one long, comforting farm life.
You take over your grandfather’s old farm and build a life in a small town. You farm, fish, mine and make friends. The Linux build asks for Ubuntu 12.04, a 2 GHz processor, 2 GB of RAM, 256 MB of video memory with OpenGL 2, and 500 MB of disk space. The mines do have monsters. More in games like Stardew Valley.
Developer: ConcernedApe | Year: 2016 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, mobile | Length: about 54 hours for the main goals (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Linux: native | Steam page
A Short Hike
Who it is for: anyone who wants a complete, happy game in one sitting.
You are Claire, a young bird, and you hike, climb and glide up an island mountain to get a phone signal. It is gentle and funny. The Linux build asks for 64-bit Ubuntu 16.04 or later, 2 GB of RAM and Intel Graphics 4400. The only downside is that it ends so soon. See games like A Short Hike.
Developer: adamgryu | Year: 2019 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One | Length: about 1.5 hours (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Linux: native | Steam page
Unpacking
Who it is for: players who like tidy puzzles and quiet stories.
You open boxes in a series of homes and find a place for each item, and learn about one person’s life from what they keep. There is no timer and no fail state. The Linux build asks for Ubuntu 16.04 or later and a DirectX 10 class graphics card. It is short, and it was made with a mouse in mind.
Developer: Witch Beam | Year: 2021 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, mobile | Length: about 3.5 hours (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Linux: native | Steam page
Spiritfarer
Who it is for: players who want a long, warm story with lots to do.
You build a boat into a home for spirits, care for them and sail them to their final goodbye. It is tender and beautiful, and it deals with grief. The Linux build asks for Ubuntu 14.04, a 3 GHz dual-core processor, 4 GB of RAM, a graphics card with 1 GB of video memory, and 7 GB of disk space. The middle stretch has a lot of fetching and crafting.
Developer: Thunder Lotus | Year: 2020 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, mobile | Length: about 26 hours (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Linux: native | Steam page
TOEM
Who it is for: players who like slow, funny, observant games.
You travel through hand-drawn, black-and-white towns and help people by taking the right photo. It is witty and relaxed. The Linux build is native, but its Steam page names a narrow setup: Ubuntu 16.04 or 18.04 with GNOME on X11, and OpenGL 3.2 or Vulkan graphics. Other distros will likely work, but they are not what the developer tested.
Developer: Something We Made | Year: 2021 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS5, Xbox | Length: about 3.5 hours | Steam Deck: Verified | Linux: native | Steam page
Night in the Woods
Who it is for: players who want a story more than a routine.
You are Mae, a cat who drops out of college and comes home to a fading small town. You hang out with friends, play in a band and wander at night. It looks cozy, but it deals with depression and a dark mystery, so it sits better in our cozy but dark games. The Linux build asks for Ubuntu 12.04 or SteamOS 2.0, 4 GB of RAM and Intel HD 4000 graphics.
Developer: Infinite Fall | Year: 2017 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, PS4, Xbox One | Length: about 9 hours (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Linux: native | Steam page
Fields of Mistria
Who it is for: farm sim fans who want something newer than Stardew Valley.
You start a farm in the town of Mistria and help the town grow: you farm, fish, cook, mine, use magic and make friends. It left Early Access with version 1.0 on August 5, 2026, after two years. The Linux build is native, with the same graphics needs as Windows (a GeForce GTX 460 or Radeon R7 240 with 1 GB). The mines have monsters to fight, and the game has romance, so it is not for everyone. More in games like Stardew Valley.
Developer: NPC Studio | Year: 2026 (Early Access from 2024) | Platforms: PC, Linux | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: Verified | Linux: native | Steam page
A Short Sail
Who it is for: Linux players who want a native build and a demo to try in the browser today.
A Short Sail is a cozy sailing game where you are a little tabby cat with a sailboat. The full game has a Linux build, made for Steam Deck and for 64-bit Linux (x64). The minimum is 4 GB of RAM, graphics with WebGL 2, and 400 MB of disk space. On Steam Deck, you play with the built-in controls.
It is not out yet, so it has no Deck rating and no ProtonDB reports. It comes out in Q1 2027. You can try the free demo at play.ashortsail.com today in Firefox or Chrome on Linux, as long as WebGL 2 is turned on.
Developer: Yos Riady | Platforms: PC (Windows), Mac, Web, Steam Deck | Length: not shared yet | Free demo at play.ashortsail.com | Play the demo
Windows-only, but great through Proton
Dorfromantik
Who it is for: players who want something calm to do with their hands.
You place hex tiles to grow forests, villages, fields and rivers. It is easy to learn and has a creative mode with no score. Steam lists it for Windows and Mac only, but ProtonDB players rate it Platinum from 151 reports, one of the most-reported games here. If you chase high scores, late boards get busy.
Developer: Toukana Interactive | Year: 2022 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Switch | Length: about 5 hours for the main goals, with no real end (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Linux: Proton, ProtonDB Platinum | Steam page
Lil Gator Game
Who it is for: players who want “A Short Hike, but more.”
You are a young gator who wants to play make-believe with a busy older sister. You climb, swim and glide around an island and help other kids with their games. You bop cardboard “baddies,” but there is no health bar. It is Windows-only on Steam, and ProtonDB rates it Platinum from 27 reports. See games like Lil Gator Game.
Developer: MegaWobble | Year: 2022 | Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox | Length: about 3 hours (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Linux: Proton, ProtonDB Platinum | Steam page
Dredge
Who it is for: players who like a calm loop with a creepy edge.
You captain a small fishing boat around remote islands and fit your catch into a grid-style hold. Daytime fishing is soothing, but nights bring horror and sea monsters, so it is not fully cozy. It has no Linux build, but ProtonDB rates it Platinum from 158 reports. See cozy games like Dredge.
Developer: Black Salt Games | Year: 2023 | Platforms: PC, Mac, Switch, PS, Xbox, mobile | Length: about 9.5 hours (HowLongToBeat) | Steam Deck: Verified | Linux: Proton, ProtonDB Platinum | Steam page
Webfishing
Who it is for: players who want a silly online hangout with friends.
You are a cat or a dog in a little online lobby. You fish, chat, draw with chalk and goof around. It is Windows-only on Steam, and ProtonDB rates it Platinum from 117 reports. Valve rates it only Playable on Steam Deck, because some text is small and the button glyphs do not match the Deck. Public lobbies can be rowdy. See games like Webfishing.
Developer: lamedeveloper | Year: 2024 | Platforms: PC | Length: open-ended | Steam Deck: Playable | Linux: Proton, ProtonDB Platinum | Steam page
Watch out
- Native is not always better. Sail Forth and Moonstone Island both have native Linux builds. ProtonDB rates them Gold and Silver, so if the native build gives you trouble, try forcing Proton in the game’s Properties.
- Tiny Glade has a native Linux build, but its Steam page says it works on X11 only for now (with bugs on Wayland), and that older Intel HD graphics are not supported.
- Few reports means less certainty. Wylde Flowers is rated Platinum on ProtonDB, but from only 5 reports.
- Online games and anti-cheat. Some online games use anti-cheat that blocks Proton. Check ProtonDB before you buy any online game.
Related guides
- Cozy games on Steam Deck
- Cozy games on a handheld PC
- Cozy games for a low-end PC
- Cozy games on Mac
- Cozy games with controller support
Questions
What is the difference between a native Linux game and Proton?
A native game has a Linux build made by the developer, and Steam shows a SteamOS and Linux icon on its store page. Proton is Valve's tool that runs the Windows version on Linux. Many Windows games run very well through Proton, but the developer does not promise it.
What does a ProtonDB Platinum rating mean?
ProtonDB is a community site where players report how a Windows game runs through Proton. Platinum means players say it runs perfectly out of the box. The rating is a summary of reports, not a promise from Valve or the developer.
Does Stardew Valley run on Linux?
Yes. Stardew Valley has a native Linux build on Steam. Its Steam page lists Ubuntu 12.04 or later, 2 GB of RAM and OpenGL 2 graphics.
Do Steam Deck Verified games run on Linux?
The Steam Deck runs SteamOS, which is Linux, so a Verified game runs on the Deck's Linux. On a Linux desktop it usually runs too, but your graphics drivers and desktop can make a difference, so check ProtonDB or the store page.
Will A Short Sail run on Linux?
Yes. The full game has a Linux build for Steam Deck and for 64-bit Linux (x64), with 4 GB of RAM, WebGL 2 graphics and 400 MB of disk space. The free demo also runs in a desktop browser on Linux.
