How to Play DiRT Rally on Linux: Steam Setup and Proton Fixes

If you already own the original DiRT Rally on Steam, you can play it on Linux through its native Linux version. Install Steam, download the game from your Library, and try the native build first; Proton is a fallback if that version will not start. There is one important limitation: the current Steam listing says DiRT Rally is no longer available in the store, so this guide is for people who already have it in their Steam account.

Check that your Steam account owns the game

Open the DiRT Rally page on Steam. Steam currently displays a notice that the game is no longer available for purchase. If you bought it before it was delisted, it should remain in the Library tied to that account. Sign in to the same account you used for the purchase. The sequel, DiRT Rally 2.0, is a separate game and does not grant access to the original.

1. Install Steam on Linux

Download Steam from Valve’s official Steam installation page, or install the client from your Linux distribution’s supported software source. Follow the installer instructions for your distribution, then open Steam and let the client update. Valve’s current Linux support guidance focuses on recent Ubuntu LTS releases and recommends keeping Linux up to date; an older distribution may lack libraries that the current Steam client needs.

Feral Interactive made the Linux port of DiRT Rally. Its support documents list Ubuntu 16.10 and SteamOS 2.0 as tested targets and name a 42 GB drive requirement. Those are old published specifications, not a current compatibility guarantee. Keep extra free space for Steam updates, and use a currently supported Linux distribution with up-to-date graphics drivers. You can review Feral’s Linux ReadMe and Linux support FAQ for the game-specific notes.

2. Find DiRT Rally in your Library

In Steam, open Library and search for “DiRT Rally.” If the game appears, select it. If it does not, first check that you are signed in to the account that owns it and that your Library search is not filtering it out. Because the title is delisted, the Store page is not a way to add it to a new account.

3. Install the native Linux version

On the game’s Library page, choose Install, select a drive with enough free space, and wait for Steam to finish downloading. Leave the Compatibility setting alone for now. Steam should select the Linux version on a Linux system, and the game’s official Linux port does not require Wine or Proton for a normal first attempt.

Starting with the native version keeps the setup simple and follows Feral’s Linux instructions: the game is installed as part of the Steam download, then launched from the Steam Library. Avoid turning on a global compatibility setting just to make this one title run; Steam lets you apply Proton to an individual game if you need it.

4. Launch the game and finish first-run setup

When the download completes, select Play from the Library. Feral’s ReadMe says a DiRT Rally pre-game Options window appears before the game starts; select Play there as well. On first launch, follow the prompts to create a profile and set preferences. The game then takes you to its main menu, where you can begin Career or choose another available mode.

5. If the native build will not start, try Proton

Use Proton only after the native version fails to launch or has a serious compatibility problem. In your Library, right-click DiRT Rally and choose Properties, open Compatibility, check Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool, and select an installed Proton option. Close Properties and press Play. Steam may download the Windows version of the game when you enable this setting, so allow for additional download time and disk space.

Proton can help on some systems, but it is not a guaranteed fix. If it makes the game behave worse, return to Properties → Compatibility and clear the checkbox to go back to the native Linux build. Steam’s compatibility guidance explains how forcing a Steam Play tool can cause Steam to download a different platform version.

Controls and basic troubleshooting

Feral recommends a steering wheel or a gamepad with analog triggers because pressure-sensitive inputs make throttle and braking easier to control. A keyboard also works, but its digital keys cannot vary acceleration or braking smoothly. If you use a keyboard, Feral suggests raising ABS, Traction Control, and Stability Control in Options → Preferences from the in-game pause menu.

If the game returns to the Play button or stops during launch, restart Steam, install available Linux and graphics-driver updates, then use the Library’s Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files option. Try the native build again before changing compatibility settings. Steam’s Linux support notes say that older distributions with glibc earlier than 2.31 are no longer supported by the Steam client as of August 15, 2025. If your distribution is current and the issue continues, consult Feral’s game-specific FAQ linked above.