Technology

Unleashing DOOM: Arm Board Hack Makes Gaming History

2025-07-05

Author: Wei

A New Era of Gaming on ARM Boards

Think running DOOM is impressive? How about taking it a step further by playing the intense Doom (2016) on an ARM single-board computer (SBC)? That's exactly what tech enthusiasts at [Interfacing Linux] have accomplished, and they're sharing their groundbreaking tutorial with an embedded video!

Meet the Radxa Orion O6

Enter the Radxa Orion O6, touted as the world's first open-source ARMv9 motherboard. Powered by a formidable 12-core ARMv9.2 System-on-Chip (SoC) from Cix, this board is not only built for power but also features a PCIe x16 slot, allowing users to integrate a graphics card—crucial for running high-performance games.

The Art of Hacking: Making the Impossible Possible

Here's where it gets tricky: there's no ARMv9 version of Doom (2016), meaning some serious hacking is required to make this work. The enthusiasts employed an x86 emulation layer named FEX to facilitate the running of Steam—a platform that, thanks to the Proton compatibility layer, can bridge the gap between Linux and Windows-based game systems.

A Cursed Yet Successful Hack

Imagine this: Windows games are being emulated through a convoluted channel—an x86 emulator sitting on a Linux system that's running on ARM hardware. Yes, it sounds complicated (and maybe even a bit cursed), but astonishingly, it works! However, gamers need to stick with PCI 3.0 graphics cards since newer models may not function properly on this setup.

Gaming's Heavyweight Champion: GPU vs. CPU

Even with this clever emulation, the games tested revealed a notable GPU bottleneck, demonstrating just how demanding games can be—regardless of age. While the CPU takes the lead on emulation tasks, it's clear that GPU power is essential for an optimal gaming experience.

Trailblazing New Gaming Experiences

Kudos to [Interfacing Linux] for pushing the boundaries and proving that gaming on unconventional hardware can lead to incredible outcomes. This feat not only showcases the potential of ARM technology but also revitalizes interest in classic gaming on modern platforms.