The developer of DuckStation, a popular PlayStation 1 emulator, recently shared a strongly worded message on GitHub expressing frustration with the Linux community — especially Arch Linux users. The developer is now considering removing Linux support entirely.
Unofficial Arch Packages at the Center
According to the post, official Linux builds were originally created to offer a stable alternative to broken AUR (Arch User Repository) packages. Despite a rule in DuckStation’s README explicitly forbidding unofficial packages, some Arch users continue to distribute and use them — then report related issues to the developer instead of the AUR maintainers.
Privacy Concerns and Burnout
The developer also notes that requesting removal of these unofficial packages requires handing over personal details to Arch maintainers — something they are unwilling to do. As a result, they feel stuck dealing with problems they never agreed to support.
Low Usage and Technical Challenges
Linux users make up only 2% of DuckStation’s userbase, according to the post. Combined with ongoing challenges like Wayland compatibility and system-specific workarounds, the developer says the extra effort is no longer justifiable — especially as someone maintaining the project in their spare time without compensation.
Possible End of Linux Support
Unless the community responds constructively and stops violating the packaging policy, the next step may be the complete removal of Linux support from DuckStation.
View original message here.