If you’re too impatient to wait for Valve’s Steam Machine, developer and moderator Andy Nguyen has created a solution, at least for the Sony crowd. They have released a loader on GitHub that allows Linux to run on PlayStation 5. Its use is limited to disk drive models of consoles running 3.xx and 4.xx firmware; Nguyen said additional firmware may eventually get support, but that doesn’t seem to be a priority. It’s a fun idea, and Nguyen posted a video of the loader last month.
I ported Linux to a PS5 and turned it into a Steam Machine. Running GTA 5 enhanced with ray tracing. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/aMbT0PQ1dS
-Andy Nguyen (@theflow0) 6 March 2026
There has been a lot of love for Linux this year. The entire French government decided to abandon Windows in favor of alternative operating systems, part of a move to rely less on foreign-made technology. Linux has also chipped away at Windows’ dominance as a PC gaming platform as interest in Valve and its SteamOS grows (though it still has a big hurdle to climb in that area).
However, Nguyen’s mod is not the first time a Sony console has been able to run Linux. In the PlayStation 3 era, the company offered a feature called OtherOS that allowed players to install their own software on the machine; Linux was a supported option. OtherOS was removed in the console’s 3.21 firmware update, a change that sparked a class action lawsuit. Sony agreed to settle the case, and disgruntled Penguins fans can claim $55 for their troubles.
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