Vulkan/DXVK games in Flatpak on Nvidia GPU won't launch

[YanEx13]

Hello everyone, I'm reaching out here because I have no idea where else to ask for help. I'm experiencing an issue with running games that use Vulkan (DXVK) in Flatpak—they simply won't launch. This affects applications like Steam, Bottles, and Heroic in Flatpak. Initially, I encountered this problem on Fedora 40 and couldn't find a solution. I decided to try CachyOS, but within just a couple of hours, the same issue appeared there as well.

I have a laptop with hybrid graphics, and the problem doesn’t occur when using an external monitor or when switching to an X11 session instead of Wayland. Games that use OpenGL also run without any issues.

Below, I've included links to my bug reports. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

flatpak/flatpak#5802
NVIDIA/open-gpu-kernel-modules#698

Here are screenshots of the errors that appear after launching the games:

Operating System: CachyOS Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 6.2.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.10.0
Qt Version: 6.8.1
Kernel Version: 6.12.9-3-cachyos (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 12 × 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-11400H @ 2.70GHz
Memory: 15.3 GiB of RAM
Graphics Processor: Mesa Intel® UHD Graphics
Manufacturer: HP
Product Name: Victus by HP Laptop

[guihkx]

Does this only affect Flatpak apps? E.g. do you have this problem if you install Steam/Bottles/Heroic through your distro's package manager?

The problem also seems tricky to reproduce consistently, judging by how you've described it here:

I decided to try CachyOS, but within just a couple of hours, the same issue appeared there as well.

In any case, can you try running vulkaninfo and glxinfo inside Flatpak'd Steam just so we can at least check that the discrete GPU is being used?

Here are command line instructions for that (please post the output of the last command only):

Testing Vulkan (x86_64 / x86)

# RPM source: https://kojihub.stream.centos.org/koji/buildinfo?buildID=46408
curl -LO https://kojihub.stream.centos.org/kojifiles/packages/vulkan-tools/1.3.268.0/1.el9/x86_64/vulkan-tools-1.3.268.0-1.el9.x86_64.rpm
# Extract vulkaninfo from the rpm file
bsdtar -xf vulkan-tools-1.3.268.0-1.el9.x86_64.rpm --strip-components 3 --include usr/bin/vulkaninfo -O > vulkaninfo64
# Give it execute permission
chmod +x vulkaninfo64
# Run vulkaninfo within Flatpak'd Steam, and make sure that the output matches your GPU name/model, and not llvmpipe or something else
flatpak run --command=$PWD/vulkaninfo64 --filesystem=$PWD:ro com.valvesoftware.Steam --summary | grep -wm1 deviceName

# RPM source: https://kojihub.stream.centos.org/koji/buildinfo?buildID=46408
curl -LO https://kojihub.stream.centos.org/kojifiles/packages/vulkan-tools/1.3.268.0/1.el9/i686/vulkan-tools-1.3.268.0-1.el9.i686.rpm
# Extract vulkaninfo from the rpm file
bsdtar -xf vulkan-tools-1.3.268.0-1.el9.i686.rpm --strip-components 3 --include usr/bin/vulkaninfo -O > vulkaninfo32
# Give it execute permission
chmod +x vulkaninfo32
# Run vulkaninfo within Flatpak'd Steam, and make sure that the output matches your GPU name/model, and not llvmpipe or something else
flatpak run --command=$PWD/vulkaninfo32 --filesystem=$PWD:ro com.valvesoftware.Steam --summary | grep -wm1 deviceName

Testing OpenGL (x86_64 / x86)

# RPM source: https://kojihub.stream.centos.org/koji/buildinfo?buildID=19862
curl -LO https://kojihub.stream.centos.org/kojifiles/packages/mesa-demos/8.4.0/5.20181118git1830dcb.el8/x86_64/glx-utils-8.4.0-5.20181118git1830dcb.el8.x86_64.rpm
# Extract glxinfo from the rpm file
bsdtar -xf glx-utils-8.4.0-5.20181118git1830dcb.el8.x86_64.rpm --strip-components 3 --include usr/bin/glxinfo -O > glxinfo64
# Give it execute permission
chmod +x glxinfo64
# Run glxinfo within Flatpak'd Steam, and make sure that the output does not say 'llvmpipe'
flatpak run --command=$PWD/glxinfo64 --filesystem=$PWD:ro com.valvesoftware.Steam -B | grep 'OpenGL renderer string:'

# RPM source: https://kojihub.stream.centos.org/koji/buildinfo?buildID=19862
curl -LO https://kojihub.stream.centos.org/kojifiles/packages/mesa-demos/8.4.0/5.20181118git1830dcb.el8/i686/glx-utils-8.4.0-5.20181118git1830dcb.el8.i686.rpm
# Extract glxinfo from the rpm file
bsdtar -xf glx-utils-8.4.0-5.20181118git1830dcb.el8.i686.rpm  --strip-components 3 --include usr/bin/glxinfo -O > glxinfo32
# Give it execute permission
chmod +x glxinfo32
# Run glxinfo within Flatpak'd Steam, and make sure that the output does not say 'llvmpipe'
flatpak run --command=$PWD/glxinfo32 --filesystem=$PWD:ro com.valvesoftware.Steam -B | grep 'OpenGL renderer string:'

[YanEx13]

Does this only affect Flatpak apps? E.g. do you have this problem if you install Steam/Bottles/Heroic through your distro's package manager?

Yes, this issue is specific to Flatpak. It doesn't occur with the native versions of Steam or Heroic Games Launcher.

Here are command line instructions for that (please post the output of the last command only):

Vulkan

ERROR while creating surface for extension VK_KHR_xcb_surface : /builddir/build/BUILD/Vulkan-Tools-vulkan-sdk-1.3.268.0/vulkaninfo/vulkaninfo.h:237:vkGetPhysicalDeviceSurfacePresentModesKHR failed with ERROR_UNKNOWN
ERROR while creating surface for extension VK_KHR_xcb_surface : /builddir/build/BUILD/Vulkan-Tools-vulkan-sdk-1.3.268.0/vulkaninfo/vulkaninfo.h:237:vkGetPhysicalDeviceSurfacePresentModesKHR failed with ERROR_UNKNOWN
ERROR while creating surface for extension VK_KHR_xlib_surface : /builddir/build/BUILD/Vulkan-Tools-vulkan-sdk-1.3.268.0/vulkaninfo/vulkaninfo.h:237:vkGetPhysicalDeviceSurfacePresentModesKHR failed with ERROR_UNKNOWN
ERROR while creating surface for extension VK_KHR_xlib_surface : /builddir/build/BUILD/Vulkan-Tools-vulkan-sdk-1.3.268.0/vulkaninfo/vulkaninfo.h:237:vkGetPhysicalDeviceSurfacePresentModesKHR failed with ERROR_UNKNOWN
ERROR while creating surface for extension VK_KHR_wayland_surface : /builddir/build/BUILD/Vulkan-Tools-vulkan-sdk-1.3.268.0/vulkaninfo/vulkaninfo.h:237:vkGetPhysicalDeviceSurfacePresentModesKHR failed with ERROR_UNKNOWN
ERROR while creating surface for extension VK_KHR_wayland_surface : /builddir/build/BUILD/Vulkan-Tools-vulkan-sdk-1.3.268.0/vulkaninfo/vulkaninfo.h:237:vkGetPhysicalDeviceSurfacePresentModesKHR failed with ERROR_UNKNOWN
        deviceName         = Intel(R) UHD Graphics (TGL GT1)

OpenGL

OpenGL renderer string: Mesa Intel(R) UHD Graphics (TGL GT1)

If I run vulkaninfo in the terminal beforehand, the errors disappear.
ERROR while creating surface for extension VK_KHR_xcb_surface : /builddir/build/BUILD/Vulkan-Tools-vulkan-sdk-1.3.268.0/vulkaninfo/vulkaninfo.h:237:vkGetPhysicalDeviceSurfacePresentModesKHR failed with ERROR_UNKNOWN

[guihkx]

Judging by both outputs, your NVIDIA GPU is not being used at all...?

Unfortunately, I don't have a laptop with hybrid graphics to debug this, and I also have no idea how they're supposed to work in general, but I at least expected that the discrete GPU would be used unconditionally when running any 3D app...

If I run vulkaninfo in the terminal beforehand, the errors disappear.

But does it still say Intel(R) UHD Graphics (TGL GT1) on the Flatpak side after you run vulkaninfo/glxinfo on the host?

What output do you get if you run vulkaninfo --summary | grep -wm1 deviceName and glxinfo -B | grep 'OpenGL renderer string:' directly on the host instead?

Also, please post the output for each of these commands:

$ cat /sys/module/nvidia/version
$ flatpak --gl-drivers
$ flatpak info "org.freedesktop.Platform.GL.nvidia-$(cat /sys/module/nvidia/version | tr '.' '-')"
$ flatpak info "org.freedesktop.Platform.GL32.nvidia-$(cat /sys/module/nvidia/version | tr '.' '-')"

[YanEx13]

Judging by both outputs, your NVIDIA GPU is not being used at all...?

It seems so, but I can’t say for sure. However, if you run vulkaninfo on the host while Steam is open and then try to launch the game again, it will start. The game runs on the Nvidia GPU, as indicated by Mangohud.

But does it still say Intel(R) UHD Graphics (TGL GT1) on the Flatpak side after you run vulkaninfo/glxinfo on the host?

Yes, that's right.

vulkaninfo --summary | grep -wm1 deviceName

deviceName = NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

glxinfo -B | grep 'OpenGL renderer string:'

OpenGL renderer string: Mesa Intel(R) UHD Graphics (TGL GT1)

cat /sys/module/nvidia/version

565.77

flatpak --gl-drivers

nvidia-565-77
default
host

flatpak info "org.freedesktop.Platform.GL.nvidia-$(cat /sys/module/nvidia/version | tr '.' '-')"

ID: org.freedesktop.Platform.GL.nvidia-565-77
Ref: runtime/org.freedesktop.Platform.GL.nvidia-565-77/x86_64/1.4
Arch: x86_64
Branch: 1.4
Origin: flathub
Collection: org.flathub.Stable
Installation: system
Installed: 2.4 MB

  Commit: 290b1940b49929cfe9995e1a26145d6f04e6252fc9b59585ccb77e8528f0cb28
  Parent: 89b5c61dd817fd014345ad95ec873606f346a3aff2bdd62d57f65346f5565344
 Subject: Add 535.230.02 (ece22284)
    Date: 2025-01-17 20:26:40 +0000

flatpak info "org.freedesktop.Platform.GL32.nvidia-$(cat /sys/module/nvidia/version | tr '.' '-')"

ID: org.freedesktop.Platform.GL32.nvidia-565-77
Ref: runtime/org.freedesktop.Platform.GL32.nvidia-565-77/x86_64/1.4
Arch: x86_64
Branch: 1.4
Origin: flathub
Collection: org.flathub.Stable
Installation: system
Installed: 2.4 MB

  Commit: 1f8b8871ecf8e0d6095940374e8971b2d7aff3b7d99b8813af5e763bb2ee33d1
  Parent: e9bed019759da66d78bfa46f8453772dcc483dfd8f469a745cfa3fd7fa93fb9d
 Subject: Add 535.230.02 (ece22284)
    Date: 2025-01-17 20:21:23 +0000

[guihkx]

Thank you for providing those.

I still have no idea why that happens, but let's hope that someone who knows what's going on chimes in.

[sequencerr]

Last update broke launching games for me too, ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#11697 (comment)

[YanEx13]

Last update broke launching games for me too, ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux#11697 (comment)

If you have an Nvidia graphics card, try running the following command in the terminal:

sudo systemctl status nvidia-persistenced

If the service is disabled, enable it with:

sudo systemctl enable nvidia-persistenced --now

It seems like this helped me, but I’d like to run a few more tests on other desktop environments.
For some reason, it was disabled on KDE after I installed the drivers.

[oldkentuckymark]

I am also encountering this.

Games either fail to launch with vulkan device creation errors on the nvidia gpu, or actually run (i can hear the audio and it responds to inputs) but with a black screen (depends on the game but is consistent to each title).

This happens with flatpaks, and also inside a distrobox.
logging into X11 fixes it, but also running vkcube on the host fixes it, sometimes until a reboot, but if I leave the laptop idle with the lid closed for a long time i will need to run vkcube again (assuming the card has not disappeared from the pci bus, that can happen as well).

vkcube says it's using xcb so maybe this is some sort of xwayland combined with container issue?

Lenovo Legion laptop
Fedora 41 KDE
Ryzen 7 7840HS
RTX 4060

[oldkentuckymark]

After more testing running vkcube with either xcb or wayland backend on the host fixes this issue.

[oldkentuckymark]

installing and enabling nvidia-persistenced fixes it for me on Fedora 42 KDE (perhaps this is intended, and therefore a packaging issue with the host distro not installing it by default?)

[YanEx13]

installing and enabling nvidia-persistenced fixes it for me on Fedora 42 KDE (perhaps this is intended, and therefore a packaging issue with the host distro not installing it by default?)

Unfortunately this is not the problem, as this daemon is always (as far as I know) disabled by default. You can read the answer from the developer himself.

Most likely the problem is with Flatpak itself, but I still haven't gotten any response from them.

flatpak/flatpak#5802

[akeauoupolee]

This post might be helpful: https://discussion.fedoraproject.org/t/no-graphics-acceleration-in-flatpak/150275/9
I set environment variables for Steam, except for the Steam client rendering stuttering and the steamwebhelper failing to render, the games launch normally
I created many shortcuts for my commonly used Nvidia Card games, similar to: DRI_PRIME=abcd:efgh MESA_VK_DEVICE_SELECT=abcd:efgh /usr/bin/flatpak run --branch=stable --arch=x86_64 --command=/app/bin/steam --file-forwarding com.valvesoftware.Steam steam steam:rungameid/1234567