Link: https://old.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/1vr5ql7/shouldnt_steam_recycle_files_for_proton_prefixes/

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The original was posted on /r/linux_gaming by /u/pizza_ranger on 2026-08-17 21:39:08+00:00.

Hello, one of the reasons I avoid Steam for games that don't have native Linux versions is because it creates a prefix per install, and each prefix has a bunch of dlls, fonts, etc. I know that some prefixes need different or specific files for max compatibility and performance, but shouldn't there be some directory like proton_11_common_files or something like that that contains all files that a proton_11 prefix will always have independent of other settings/files ?

for example imagine if those files that will be the same no matter the game are 300mbs, if that could be just system links inside the prefixes if a player had 10 games with the same proton version instead of using 3GBs in those files it would be just 300mbs, this is just and idea from someone who doesn't know much about the internal working of wine/proton, but if that were possible I think it would be a really good optimization