Home Linux Gaming Enabling GameMode on Linux for best gaming performance

Enabling GameMode on Linux for best gaming performance

by Hend Adel
Published: Updated:
gamemode enable linux

GameMode is a combination of various libraries and daemons that allows all the users to improve the gaming performance on the Linux system. Developed by games publisher Feral Interactive, it improves gaming performance by requesting a group of options that will be applied temporarily to the Linux system.

GameMode packages are available for most packaging formats including Ubuntu, Debian, Solus, the AUR, Gentoo, Fedora, OpenSUSE, Mageia and more.

In this tutorial, we are going to guide you through the installation of GameMode on Ubuntu.

Installing GameMode on Ubuntu

Step 1. Install the required dependencies.

sudo apt install meson libsystemd-dev pkg-config ninja-build git libdbus-1-dev dbus-user-session
Install Required Dependencies

Install Required Dependencies

Step 2. To download the source code first, we need to ensure that the git package is installed using the following command.

git --version
The Git Package Version

The Git Package Version

In case the git package is not installed, use the next command to install the git package.

sudo apt install git

Step 3. Use the following command to download the GameMode source code.

git clone https://github.com/FeralInteractive/gamemode.git
Download The GameMode Source Code

Download The Source Code

Step 4. After the download completes successfully, list the content of the home directory, you will find the “gamemode” directory.

ls -l
Directory With Name Gamemode Will Be Found In Your Home

Directory content

Step 5. Move to the newly created GameMode directory.

cd gamemode
Move To The Gamemode Newly Created Directory

navigate

Step 6. Now we need to build the tool using the following command.

./bootstrap.sh
Run The BootStrap Script

Run The BootStrap Script

During the installation, you will be asked to choose the installation location.

Choose Installation Location

Choose Installation Location

Also, you will be asked to enter the sudo password.

You Will Be Asked For Your Sudo Password

Password

After the installation completes successfully, you will get a screen like the below one.

Installation Completed Successfully

Installation Completed Successfully

Step 7. To ensure that the installation is successful, use the below command to check the installed GameMode version.

gamemoded --version
Check The GameMode Installed Version

Check The GameMode Installed Version

Run GameMode on Non-Steam Games

Before allowing the GameMode to run games, we can install a SuperTuxKart game for testing.

Step 1. Add the official package archive repository (PPA) to your system.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:stk/dev
Add The Package Archive Repository Of SuperTuxKart To Ubuntu

Add The Package Archive Repository Of SuperTuxKart To Ubuntu

Step 2. Update your Ubuntu system repository using the following command.

sudo apt update
Update Your System

Update Your System

Step 3. Now install the SuperTuxKart game using the next command.

sudo apt install supertuxkart
Install The SuperTuxKart

Install The SuperTuxKart

When the installation finishes successfully, you will get something like the below screenshot.

The SuperTuxKart Game Installed Successfully

The SuperTuxKart Game Installed Successfully

Step 4. To run the SuperTuxKart using the GameMode, use the following command.

gamemoderun supertuxkart
Run GameMode on SuperTuxKart

Run SuperTuxKart

The SuperTuxKart should launch.

The SuperTuxKart Game Started Successfully

The SuperTuxKart Game Started Successfully

Overall, if you need to run the games using the GameMode, use the following command.

gamemoderun game_name

That’s it for now.

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2 comments

jabbadabbadoo February 26, 2021 - 1:55 AM

Doesn’t work. I’d like to add “of course” (it soo seldom does, I wonder why I bother any more).
It works up to the point of typing “./bootstrap.sh”.
This command gives an error in the verbose text output:

lib/meson.build:28:0: ERROR: Unknown function “both_libraries”.

And a couple of other “NO” status listings before that.

(What’s wrong with a damn one-click installer for these things?)

Reply
mastermacia September 25, 2021 - 2:11 PM

On Pop OS! I have installed it all without any errors. It is working very well.

Reply

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