XChat on Linux: Setup and Driver Notes

XChat ships a native Linux build. Not a Windows build run through Proton. A native executable built alongside the Windows version, released at the same time, maintained on the same schedule.

The Linux build is newer and less tested than the Windows one: only a few players run it so far, so expect more bugs. Report problems on Discord with your distro, GPU and driver version.

If you are searching for 3DXChat on Linux: 3DXChat does not run on Linux natively. It is a Windows-only client with no official Linux support and no announced plans for a native build. XChat is the adult social world with a native Linux build.

What Native Means Here

Proton (Valve's compatibility layer) has improved dramatically and many Windows games now run on Linux through it acceptably. But native and Proton are not the same thing for a ray-traced real-time social world.

XChat uses UE5 with hardware ray tracing and Lumen global illumination. Multiple characters rendering simultaneously, dynamic lighting in shared spaces, real-time reflections. In a workload like this, Proton's DirectX-to-Vulkan translation layer (DXVK/VKD3D) adds overhead that a native Vulkan build does not have.

XChat's Linux binary calls Vulkan directly, with no translation layer.

Getting Started

Download XChat-Linux-x86_64.AppImage from xchat2.com/download. Right-click it, open Properties, tick "Allow executing as program" (or equivalent in your file manager), then double-click to run. The launcher downloads and installs XChat automatically on first run (~18 GB). Subsequent launches go straight into XChat.

If your file manager does not show a permissions toggle, mark it executable from a terminal:

chmod +x XChat-Linux-x86_64.AppImage
./XChat-Linux-x86_64.AppImage

System Requirements on Linux

The GPU requirements are the same as Windows:

• GPU: a ray-tracing GPU, RTX 2070 / RX 6700 XT / Arc A750 or better
• VRAM: 8 GB
• RAM: 8 GB
• Storage: SSD, ~18 GB free

Older cards without ray tracing may run it at lower quality, but aren't supported.

The XChat system requirements page has full GPU compatibility details.

GPU Driver Setup

NVIDIA: Use the proprietary NVIDIA driver; the open-source Nouveau driver has no hardware ray tracing. Install it via your distribution's package manager or from nvidia.com: nvidia-driver on Debian/Ubuntu, nvidia on Arch, akmod-nvidia on Fedora.

AMD (RX 6700 XT or better): Use Mesa's RADV driver, which most distributions include by default, and keep Mesa up to date; hardware ray tracing needs a recent release.

Intel Arc (A750 or better): Use Mesa's ANV driver and keep Mesa up to date.

Laptop GPU Routing

If you have a laptop with an NVIDIA discrete GPU alongside an Intel or AMD iGPU, the default may route to the integrated GPU. XChat will fail silently or crash at launch if it initializes on the iGPU.

NVIDIA Prime (most common on Linux laptops):

prime-run ./XChat-Linux-x86_64.AppImage

Or set the environment variables manually:

__NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD=1 __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia ./XChat-Linux-x86_64.AppImage

AMD discrete + AMD or Intel iGPU:

DRI_PRIME=1 ./XChat-Linux-x86_64.AppImage

If you have multiple AMD GPUs and DRI_PRIME=1 selects the wrong one, you can specify by PCI device:

DRI_PRIME=pci-0000_01_00_0 ./XChat-Linux-x86_64.AppImage

Check your PCI addresses with lspci | grep VGA.

Distro Notes

XChat is tested on Ubuntu 22.04 and newer. Other distributions are untested; keep your GPU driver up to date.

Wayland: UE5 Linux builds work via XWayland on Wayland desktop sessions. Most distributions running GNOME or KDE Plasma handle this automatically. You do not need to switch to a pure X11 session. If you encounter display issues on a Wayland session, launch from a terminal that has DISPLAY set or try DISPLAY=:0 ./XChat-Linux-x86_64.AppImage.

Steam Deck: Not a tested or officially supported configuration. The Steam Deck's GPU has no hardware ray tracing. It may run XChat at low quality, but SteamOS compatibility is unverified.

FAQ

Does XChat run on Linux?

Yes. XChat ships a native Linux build. Free to download, no subscription.

Does 3DXChat run on Linux?

No. 3DXChat is a Windows-only client. There is no native Linux build and Wine/Proton compatibility is poor and unsupported. XChat is the adult social world with a native Linux build.

Which adult social worlds run on Linux?

XChat has a native Linux build. Second Life is accessible via the third-party Firestorm viewer. Ren'Py visual novels frequently have Linux builds.

Do I need Proton to run XChat on Linux?

No. XChat has a native Linux build.

Which GPU driver do I need?

NVIDIA: the proprietary NVIDIA driver, not Nouveau. AMD: Mesa RADV. Intel Arc: Mesa ANV. Keep your driver current.

What is the minimum GPU for XChat on Linux?

XChat needs a ray-tracing GPU: RTX 2070 / RX 6700 XT / Arc A750 or better. Older cards without ray tracing may run it at lower quality, but aren't supported.

Does XChat run on Steam Deck?

Possibly, at low quality: the Steam Deck GPU has no ray-tracing hardware. Not supported or tested.

What distributions has XChat been tested on?

Ubuntu 22.04 and newer. Other distributions are untested; if yours has problems, report it on Discord.