Unable to play native Steam games using the public Steam client version

[SimPilotAdamT]

Your system information

• Steam client version: 1705108172
• SteamOS version: 3.5.7 build 20231122.1
• Opted into Steam client beta?: No
• Opted into SteamOS beta?: No
• Have you checked for updates in Settings > System?: Yes
• Steam Deck Model: 1TB OLED

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

Describe what you expected should happen and what did happen.

Whenever I try to play any game that makes use of the Steam Linux runtimes (native to Linux, not using Proton) on the latest stable version of the Steam client, they refuse to launch.

Switching to the windows versions (using Proton) works (it's a little hacky, and sometimes degrades performance).

Testing on the beta version of the steam client (currently 1707518866) seems to fix the issue (each game I tested works fine using this).

Testing on the latest SteamOS version in the Main branch (currently 3.6 build 20240209.1000) has no effect.

Deleting the installed Steam Linux Runtime and reinstalling it by verifying integrity has no effect.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

1. Ensure Steam Client is in Public mode (OS version doe snot matter, I tested on the main and stable branches)
2. Ensure the game you are trying to launch is a native Linux game (Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Celeste, Limbo, Tomb Raider), using whichever version of the Steam Linux Runtime is supported (using the latest if the game supports multiple)
3. Try to launch said game
4. Observe as it refuses to launch, and dumps you back in the Steam page for that game

[SlenLen]

I experience this issue as well, though I'm on Desktop. Any native Linux game will be reported as running for a split second before being reported as not running again. Running these games with Proton works without any issues. The native games can also be started through the game files, so it definitely is an issue of the steam runtime.

The steam logs contain this bit of information each time a native linux game is started:

/home/username/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/SteamLinuxRuntime/scout-on-soldier-entry-point-v2[pid]: warning: /home/username/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/steam-runtime is not the expected version
/home/username/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/SteamLinuxRuntime/scout-on-soldier-entry-point-v2[pid]: warning: expected: cc4d2c769929a61e16f84f29dee5caa4  steam-runtime.tar.xz
/home/username/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/SteamLinuxRuntime/scout-on-soldier-entry-point-v2[pid]: warning: found:    e272eefe9a229b01286f30e334d6d7f4  steam-runtime.tar.xz
cat: /home/username/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/SteamLinuxRuntime/var/unpack/steam-runtime/checksum: No such file or directory

and a bit later:

/home/username/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/SteamLinuxRuntime/scout-on-soldier-entry-point-v2[pid]: Recovering by unpacking /home/username/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/steam-runtime.tar.xz* into /home/username/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/SteamLinuxRuntime/var/unpack...
xz: (stdin): File format not recognized
tar: Child died with signal 13
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now

so I assume the issue is some kind of failed update of the steam runtime...? I'm expierencing this on the latest stable steam version. Can't test on the beta version due to another bug unrelated to this issue.

[deathxxx123]

Similar is happen to me. Actually steam is getting proton version, but trying to launch a native linux game. To resolve that i simply change from native to Proton and back to native. But while in proton version, try start some update and then quick back to native.

[SimPilotAdamT]

But while in proton version, try start some update and then quick back to native.

Doesn't work for me, the only thing that works for me is using the steam beta client.

[miki223]

another way to get around this is just not using SLR(Steam Linux Runtime) unless you really need it

[deathxxx123]

But while in proton version, try start some update and then quick back to native.

Doesn't work for me, the only thing that works for me is using the steam beta client.

What files you have in game folder? Is linux files or win files?

[SimPilotAdamT]

What files you have in game folder? Is linux files or win files?

Linux files

another way to get around this is just not using SLR(Steam Linux Runtime) unless you really need it

I mention this already in the original post. If at all possible I want to stay on the native versions because of glitches I've noticed in the proton version running a few games. Shadow of the Tomb Raider doesn't even make it to the menu, for example (an apparent issue with dx12, which I've noticed in dx11 as well so idk).

[SlenLen]

What seems to be working is, disabling the "Force the use of a specific Stem Play compatibility tool" check box. If unset, the native version of the game should be installed/started if a native version exists. When it's checked however, even when set to "Steam Linux Runtime" the game doesn't start.

So unsetting the check box seems to be a fix, at least for me.

[SimPilotAdamT]

What seems to be working is, disabling the "Force the use of a specific Stem Play compatibility tool" check box. If unset, the native version of the game should be installed/started if a native version exists. When it's checked however, even when set to "Steam Linux Runtime" the game doesn't start.

So unsetting the check box seems to be a fix, at least for me.

This works for me as well, but it brings up bugs I have in other games (I mention this in the original post)