Disclaimer: Cryptic Studios doesn't support alternate OS, they officially recommend you run it under Windows.I tested with WINE 6.17 on Preview and you can
read that thread here.
Everything appears to be working just as intended. The chat issue that began with module 18 is no longer present. You will lneed to set the WINE configuration to Windows 10 or you will get the Windows 7 support message. Steam users have Proton, which is WINE just relabeled as their own fork of the WINE opensource. I don't test Play on Linux or Lutris but if you are using WINE 6.17 with those frontend launchers, you should be good to go.
WINE versus QemuI had a person ask me about the difference between running WINE and Qemu. WINE (acronym for Wine Is Not Emulator) is an OpenGL overlay, it translates API and DirectX calls into the Linux Kernel and the GPU. There is no need to own a Windows license or install Windows OS. Qemu is a virtual machine emulator. It requires you to own a legit copy of the OS. Most PCs come with Windows installed, the little sticker on the PC case is your copy of that license. It takes no time at all to boot Windows 10 from Qemu,
and in some tests, with the proper hardware, you won't notice a huge difference. If you don't have a beast of a PC, you will want to work with WINE.
What is the benefit of running Linux OS?Simple answer, you are in control. You decide when and what to upgrade.
With MS Windows 11 they are changing the user support. The current version of Windows 10 runs out in October of 2025, while Windows 11 support will run out on October of 2023. Microsoft has stated they will have another plan before that date, and this means fewer minor updates about every 6 months. Most Ubuntu distributions have done 6 month updates for years. Every 4th year Ubuntu does a LTS (long term support) that lasts for 4 years. The last Ubuntu LTS was 2018 and the next arrives April of 2022. If I want to, I can Nancy Reagan it and "just say no". I can remain in 2018 forever or even switch distributions. Arch Linux is not for the novice user but they update on monthly basis. Remaining with MS Windows, they tell you to jump and you ask, How high? Linux OS is made by people just like you. Each distribution is like shopping for a suit, you want the right color, style, and a good fit. If you feel comfortable with Windows OS, by all means ignore Linux OS, maybe it is not a good fit for you. Enjoy your games on whatever OS you decide to use.