Game Manager Lutris v0.5.20 Released with Proton Upgrades, Store Updates and Much More

Why It Matters

By simplifying Proton‑GE updates and expanding store integrations, Lutris strengthens Linux’s position as a viable gaming platform, attracting more developers and users. The enhancements reduce friction for Windows titles, accelerating adoption of open‑source game management solutions.

Key Takeaways

• umu becomes default launcher for Proton‑GE
• Wayland driver option added to Wine runner
• ZOOM Platform store integration added
• EA App API updated; Itch.io now uses API keys
• Steam Family source supports shared libraries

Pulse Analysis

Lutris has become a cornerstone of Linux gaming, offering a single pane of glass for titles from Steam, GOG, Epic and emerging storefronts. Version 0.5.20’s shift to the umu launcher for Proton‑GE automates updates and aligns with Valve’s evolving compatibility layer, delivering smoother performance for Windows‑only games. This technical refinement not only reduces manual maintenance but also signals growing maturity in the Linux gaming stack, encouraging developers to consider Linux as a first‑class target.

The release also deepens platform reach by adding the ZOOM Platform store and updating the EA App integration, while Itch.io now authenticates via API keys, enhancing security and reliability. Wayland support, a long‑awaited feature, allows Lutris to run natively on modern Linux compositors, improving stability and visual fidelity. New UI touches—such as URL‑driven cover‑art buttons and a streamlined "Add Games" workflow—make library curation faster, catering to both casual players and power users.

From a market perspective, these enhancements reinforce the open‑source alternative to proprietary launchers, positioning Lutris as a competitive hub for cross‑platform gaming. By lowering barriers to entry for Windows titles and expanding store coverage, Lutris helps drive Linux adoption in the gaming community, which could translate into broader hardware sales and increased developer interest. As the ecosystem continues to converge around tools like Proton, Vulkan, and Wayland, Lutris’ proactive updates keep it at the forefront of the Linux gaming renaissance.

Game manager Lutris v0.5.20 released with Proton upgrades, store updates and much more

By Liam Dawe · 17 Feb 2026 at 11:48 am UTC

Lutris is an all‑in‑one open‑source game manager for launching games from various stores on Linux, with version 0.5.20 out now.

This release overhauls how it runs GE‑Proton, making use of the modern umu launcher to keep it all running nicely. In theory it should offer a better experience than before when running Windows games. It also improves support for Wayland, adds support for the ZOOM Platform store, brings improvements for the EA App, cleans up some settings and adds many other enhancements.

Full list of changes

• Proton‑GE launched via umu is now the default. umu takes care of keeping Proton‑GE up to date.

• Fix Proton integration bugs so Proton‑fixes are applied.

• Do not offer VKD3D, D3D Extras or DXVK‑NVAPI on Proton versions; Proton will handle these.

• The “Enable Esync”, “Enable Fsync” and “DXVK” settings are now passed on to Proton.

• DXVK’s integrated D8VK will be enabled in Proton.

• Wine runner adds an option to select Wine’s “Wayland driver”.

• Add little buttons to select cover‑art, banner and icons via URL in game configuration.

• Cover‑art or banners from sources will be used when Lutris media is not available.

• Emulator BIOS file location (used by libretro) may be set in Preferences.

• Fix for updated Flathub API.

• Change Itch.io to use API keys instead of usernames and passwords.

• Update EA App source to its new API.

• Simplify Itch.io collections – if you have no collection named “Lutris”, we will show all games.

• MAME machine setting uses a searchable entry for its enormous list.

• Obtain the release year from GOG and Itch.io.

• Add “Azahar” runner.

• Add “ZOOM Platform” source.

• Add “Steam Family” source to support Steam Families.

• Updated versions of runners for TIC‑80, EasyRPG, mGBA, Rosalie’s Mupen GUI, Ruffle, 86Box.

• Ryujinx runner can now specify an “application ID” for your multi‑game XCIs.

• Support for importing Commodore 64 ROMs.

• Support ICDs for Intel Xe GPUs.

• Add option for ‘ptyxis’ terminal.

• Redundant “Add Games” menu item removed; use the plus button in the corner.

• Option to hide a source’s games from also appearing in the Games view.

• “Manual Script” for the context menu will now see the game’s environment variables.

• Add “Create Steam Big Picture shortcut” to the context menu.

• Add a file association to run .lutris installer files via double‑click.

• Fix compatibility with Python 3.14.

Source: GitHub release v0.5.20

See more on the Lutris website.