Fedora 44 Now Gaming Ready
The latest version of Fedora has been released with gaming support.
I never thought I'd consider Fedora a solid gaming platform, but with the release of the latest iteration (version 44), the developers have enabled the NTSYNC kernel module. NTSYNC enables high-performance emulation of Windows NT synchronization primitives, which are used to manage thread interaction, protect shared resources, and prevent race conditions by signaling when threads can proceed. This new addition vastly improves gaming performance with Wine and Proton by moving synchronization to userspace tools like fsync and esync.
With the help of NTSYNC, you might see anywhere from 40-200 percent frames per second (FPS) gains! That's impressive.
As well, you'll get kernel 6.19, Gnome 50 (or KDE Plasma 6.6, if you go the Fedora KDE route), support for the Nix package manager, DNF5 support for PackageKit, and (finally) the Fedora Miracle spin gets the Dank Material Shell, which means the Miracle Window Manager should be working properly again (huzzah!).
Of course, there's an updated toolchain kit, including GCC 16.1, GNU binutils 2.46, and on and on and on.
Another important new feature is that all packages in Fedora 44 are reproducible, which means that compiling the same source code, using the same dependencies and instructions, produces bit-for-bit identical binary artifacts, regardless of the machine or time of build.
If you're interested in Fedora 44, grab an ISO from the official Fedora download site, and make sure to read the official release changeset for all the scoop.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Digital Autonomy
• The Answer Was Already on the Shelf
• Changing the Chip Industry: How Public Investment Has Grown Open Silicon
• United Nations Open Source Portal Goes Live
• EU Open Source Strategy Plays Key Role in Tech Sovereignty Package
• France Says “Au Revoir” to Microsoft
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Pine64 Halts Production of Linux Devices
With continued DRAM and eMMC shortages, Pine64 has decided to discontinue production of Linux devices.
-
The Bullet-Proof KDE Software Initiative Is Coming
KDE, Techpaladin, and Kubuntu Focus have announced a new initiative that will provide at least three years of support for KDE Plasma 6.6 LTS and related software.
-
Linux Mint Shares a Possible Kernel Cleanup Solution
For those on Linux Mint who like to keep multiple kernels around but don't want them to take up too much space, you might be getting a new automated tool.
-
CachyOS Gets an Update
CachyOS August 2026 release is now available with the latest version of KDE, some new features, and plenty of improvements.
-
The Linux Kernel Dev Staging Area Now Rejects AI-Generated Patches
Unless a kernel patch is a valid security fix, it will be rejected if it was created using AI.
-
Linux Surpasses Double-Digit Market Share
According to two sources, the Linux operating system has hit a major milestone in market share that naysayers thought would never happen.
-
AI Helped Develop a Linux Exploit
A use-after-free race exploit was discovered and exploited on CentOS Stream 9.
-
Yet Another Linux Kernel Vulnerability Discovered
Affecting millions of systems, a kernel flaw discovered by Qualys could allow users to gain root privileges.
-
Ubuntu 26.10 to Include Ubuntu Certified Hardware Check
If you've ever wondered if your laptop or PC is officially certified to run Ubuntu, that curiosity will soon be met.
-
Substantial Update to IPFire Now Available
The lastest version of IPFire features a fundamental change to how the system handles DNS.