Aaron Souppouris for Engadget If you're too impatient to wait for Valve's Steam Machine, developer and modder Andy Nguyen has created a solution, at least for the Sony crowd. He's released a loader on GitHub that allows Linux to run on a PlayStation 5. Its use is limited to disc drive models of the console running 3.xx and 4.xx firmwares; Nguyen said additional firmwares may eventually get support too, but it doesn't appear to be a priority. It's a fun idea, and Nguyen posted a video of the loader in action last month.
I ported Linux to the PS5 and turned it into a Steam Machine. Running GTA 5 Enhanced with Ray Tracing. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/aMbT0PQ1dS
— Andy Nguyen (@theflow0) March 6, 2026
This year has been seeing a lot of love for Linux. The entire French government decided to drop Windows in favor of the alternative operating system, part of a move to rely less on foreign-made tech. Linux has also chipping away at Windows' dominance as a PC gaming platform as Valve and its SteamOS gain interest (although it does have one big hurdle left to climb in that arena).
However, Nguyen's mod isn't the first time a Sony console has been able to run Linux. Back 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 penguin fans could claim $55 for their woes.
