PETAFAB: Bot Invasion FPS targets Steam Deck at 90Hz via Proton, native Linux port planned

PETAFAB: Bot Invasion, a swarm-based first-person shooter built on a custom engine by solo developer Sebastian Aaltonen, will launch on Steam for Windows and Mac on November 6, 2026, with Linux and Steam Deck support arriving through Valve's Proton compatibility layer. Beta testing has confirmed the game runs at a stable 90Hz on Steam Deck OLED hardware, with Proton testing across multiple Linux distributions also reporting smooth performance.

The game is constructed on Aaltonen's proprietary NoGraphicsAPI, a new low-level GPU API, and features extensive physics-driven destruction using distance-field ray tracing, mesh shaders, and fluid simulation. While the initial release depends on Proton, Aaltonen has committed to establishing a Linux development environment after launch to add official native support to NoGraphicsAPI and pursue a native Linux port, though this remains secondary to immediate release priorities.

Custom engine tech and Linux compatibility path

• NoGraphicsAPI: The game runs on Aaltonen's self-built low-level GPU API rather than Vulkan, DirectX, or OpenGL, making Proton the current compatibility bridge for Linux and Steam Deck.
• Rendering pipeline: The engine employs distance-field ray tracing and mesh shaders for its destruction system, alongside advanced fluid and matter simulation for large-scale environmental damage.
• Steam Deck validation: Beta testers have verified 90Hz operation on Steam Deck OLED through Proton, with reported smooth performance across unspecified Linux distributions.
• Post-launch native plan: Aaltonen intends to acquire Linux hardware, extend NoGraphicsAPI with official native Linux support, and develop a native port after the November 6 Windows/Mac launch.
• Proton dependency: Linux gamers will rely entirely on Proton at launch, with no same-day native binary; the developer notes this is a single-programmer project with higher-priority release tasks remaining.

Why it matters

For Steam Deck owners and Linux gamers, this represents another data point in Proton's expanding catalog of verified smooth-running titles, particularly for a technically demanding custom engine with heavy physics simulation. The commitment to eventual native Linux support and API-level open-sourcing of NoGraphicsAPI, if followed through, could provide insight into alternative low-level graphics approaches beyond Vulkan and contribute tools for other indie developers targeting Linux.