The formation of the Open Gaming Collective (OGC), announced by several prominent entities, garnered attention. However, the CachyOS team chose not to participate, and the reasons for this decision have now been clarified.
The OGC currently comprises members such as Bazzite & Universal Blue, ASUS Linux, ShadowBlip, PikaOS, Fyra Labs, ChimeraOS, Nobara, and Playtron.
Peter Jung (ptr1337), the founder of CachyOS, provided insight into the decision not to join the OGC in a Reddit comment explaining the stance. Jung stated that CachyOS considered joining but opted out due to a perceived lack of significant benefit, particularly since handheld device support is not their primary focus. Concerns were also raised about the collective potentially becoming a “bureaucratic loophole.”
Furthermore, Jung described the initiative as appearing “rushed,” suggesting it might be an emergency measure for Bazzite to secure new kernel maintainers and technical support after a previous maintainer’s departure. CachyOS also expressed an unwillingness to be associated with Playtron, mentioning additional undisclosed reasons for their decision.
Regarding Playtron, the company gained attention in early 2024 with plans for a new Linux-based gaming OS, attracting several open-source developers. The SuiPlay0X1 appears to be the only hardware utilizing PlaytronOS, notable for its integration of web3 and crypto blockchain elements. By May 2025, Playtron announced its own cryptocurrency, with no further announcements made since that time.
In a subsequent Reddit comment, Jung further elaborated, acknowledging a theoretical benefit in specific patches for handheld devices. Jung highlighted the excellent work done by Antheas in developing and identifying suitable patches, but noted that this individual is no longer with Bazzite, and others do not appear to possess the same level of experience.
Jung also pointed out CachyOS’s existing collaborations with ChimeraOS and asus-linux for over a year, including significant testing and integration work for inputplumber originating from the CachyOS Handheld Edition. This suggests that a “collective with strings attached” is not deemed necessary for such collaborations.
Maintaining independence and focusing on its own development path is a legitimate approach. It is hoped that both CachyOS and the Open Gaming Collective (OGC) will continue to contribute positively to the Linux user community, pursuing their respective goals independently.
