The Fedora Project has announced that the Fedora Games Lab spin will transition from the Xfce desktop environment to KDE Plasma with the release of Fedora Linux 44, slated for April 2026. This change will only affect new installations of the Fedora Games Lab, while existing users will continue using Xfce.
Fedora Games Lab is a version of Fedora Linux designed to showcase a variety of games across multiple genres, including first-person shooters and strategy games. Previously, the spin utilized the lightweight Xfce environment; however, the team decided to switch to the more modern KDE Plasma to enhance the gaming experience and to take full advantage of the latest Wayland technologies.
The shift aims to modernize the gaming environment provided by Fedora, making it not only a better platform for gamers but also a more enticing option for developers looking to create games on Linux. A proposal highlighted the recent developments in the Linux gaming ecosystem that are aimed at making Fedora Games Lab a compelling platform for gaming.
With the upcoming Fedora 44 release, users can expect an updated KDE Plasma desktop as the default interface, but again, this won’t change anything for those who have already installed the environment. A beta version of Fedora Linux 44 is expected to be released for public testing in March.
For those interested in trying out the current Fedora Games Lab, it is available for download here.