this post was submitted on 12 Jul 2026
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Is it possible to use a virtual machine to more safely run pirated games on linux? (lemmy.ml)
submitted 3 days ago by nootux@lemmy.ml to c/linux@lemmy.ml
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I am looking for help on how to run closed source / pirated games on linux within a virtual machine. I would like to start by saying if I could walk into a shop and buy with cash, a game on a CD like in the old days I would. I have recently become very privacy conscious and until I figure out a way to anonymously and privately purchase things like this I am going to stick with pirating. Also, it is helping me to archive content as everything seems to be moving online and I want to stick with offline applications / media etc in my control.

Now, I am familiar with virtualbox but of course, it is no good for gaming. I have read about other applications that offer much better performance with support for GPU passthrough or similar (but how does this affect the security side of things when running pirated games). Forgive me, this is all quite new to me.

What I want is a virtual machine capable of gaming so that I can more safely run pirated games on linux. Also, I am very new to linux and some help in how I should actually go about running games on linux in the first place. I do not want to just install steam because it has closed source elements and being more privacy conscious now, I’m not sure I want to. Though I am aware I can use the proton layer to enable gaming support which I believe is fully open source. For my purposes lutris sounds like it may be the route to go. Thoughts on this welcome.

As a side note, I am thinking of signing up to GOG as they, to me, seem like a better alternative to steam where I can actually own a DRM free copy of a game that I buy. On a pirating note I thought locating signed, hash checked GOG installers to be a good option for security for dipping my toe into pirating games on linux. I am much, much more comfortable with detecting and removing malware in a windows ecosystem. Linux, completely foreign. So I am trying to be careful.

Once I get fully set up I plan to buy the games I enjoy on GOG, I think that will be the path I can be most comfortable with. At the end of the day I will own a DRM free copy of the game itself. That is the best I can do where I cannot get it on physical media I think. I already do this for CD’s and DVD’s etc.

Any help would be appreciated, thank you.

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[–] cosmosaucer@hexbear.net 3 points 3 days ago (2 children)

im not a linux expert but isnt the whole thing with linux that there isnt really malware for it because no one bothers to make any?

but with regards to games like other posters said check cs.rin.ru for the games and either use the goldberg method or just get the games pre-installed/cracked and run them through Lutris/Heroic

alternatively you can also download linux versions, theres a couple of people who crack linux games, one of them is john_cena and another whose name i forget is on torrrminator. ive downloaded a couple games from torrminator and had no issues with them

but of course ymmv and this may not be entirely up your alley with regards to the privacy etc concerns

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[–] Shimitar@downonthestreet.eu -3 points 3 days ago (8 children)

Quit thinking as a windows user now you are on Linux.

You running a pirated game with proton? Or looking to run windows inside Linux?

In any case run the game offline, disconnect the PC from internet and you should be safe.

What? It's an on line game? It's a game that need internet access to run? Then what are you complaining about? There is nothing you can do to be "safe".

Anyway running a windows game on linux with wine or proton should be safe enough from most of the possible threats (environment is too different). Running in a VM would be a serious hit on performances even if you use qemu+KVM (forget about virtual box) with all drivers set to passtrough and you give up your video card on Linux and pass it to windows

At that point, you are again at risk because e you are again running windows ...

Define your threat at least. That would make a response easier

My guess you are overthinking stuff.

[–] nootux@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I would like to forget about windows, everything linux. So the VM would be linux using proton, my thought is that a vm isolates stuff inside it from the host os, thus allowing you to run malware inside the sandbox. Yes there is still a risk malware can get out, but far less of a threat than just running it in the host os. So, like I can do with applications and fully utilise the CPU, I'd like to do the same for the GPU.

I have heard that malware designed for windows can still run under linux due to the way wine / proton works. So I thought using a VM could offer a solution, or at least a step in the right direction.

What is an online game? Everything at the moment, when pirating, I am in control. Need no internet connection, no account, just execute and run like when I used to buy a game on a CD. That is why I am looking at GOG.

Can you recommend any tutorial videos for qemu and kvm setup and usage for linux?

My threat? I want to take precautions from installing malware on the linux system when running pirated games. Like on windows, running pirated applications in a vm. But I'd like to do it with games.

[–] helix@feddit.org 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

the VM would be linux using proton

Proton is not a VM, it's a translation layer for Windows API calls based on WINE.

Virtualisation (VMs), sandboxing and API translation layers are fundamentally different in both scope and application.

Proton does not give you any additional security, since Security By Obscurity is a broken concept.

I have heard that malware designed for windows can still run under linux due to the way wine / proton works.

This is correct.

[–] nootux@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Ah I did mean that the VM would be using proton inside. i.e. proton would be running in the guest os. I think it was my bad wording.

Thanks for confirming what I'd heard about wine / proton not being the same as virtualisation when it comes to preventing malware from running just because it is now on linux. I am also fully aware that just because something is inside a vm, does not mean malware cannot escape. I am just trying to make it less likely.

[–] helix@feddit.org 1 points 2 days ago (4 children)

You shouldn’t need a full VM running Proton. I’d rather use sonething more lightweight, i.e. sandboxing.

Most likely Windows games which are malicious don’t have a way to break out of Linux containment, so if you run all games as a different user with no access to your other files or inside a sandbox, there should be a negligible risk.

The chance of a Windows malware using Linux sandbox exploits is very very very small.

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