Windows is active spyware, it's well documented that services like their Telemetry function as active keyloggers. The main difference is that the vulnerabilities are likely only problematic if someone is actively looking for you.

As for Linux, it has many different types of OS called Distributions/Distros. You'd likely want to start off on a distro that's beginner friendly, like PopOS. Others work too, this is just my personal preferred flavor of 'just works' distribution. A lot of people will overcomplicate the process of selecting what type of Linux-based OS to choose with loads of technical terms, but you dont need most of that if that's not what you seek to make of it.

My serious answer for running games, as much as I'd like to answer it here, it would likely need a fair sized explanation if you're completely unfamiliar with Linux, just so you can know what to expect. It's more than I feel I can reasonably explain, so I'll recommend you lookup YouTube videos of how to run specific game emulators on Linux, since the video format will likely help a lot.

Linux does not have the Panopticon element that windows has. Linux would be better in that regard. No CoPilot, no fed backdoor, no hardcore telemetry, none of it.

As for playing pirated games, most games you can get working through lutris. Although it does require some amount of research to get some games working, and lutris has some pre-install scripts for a library of games in the program.

If you ARE looking for a distro recommendation, I would suggest CachyOS, as it is basically Arch but easy to install. I would also recommend KDE Plasma for the Desktop Environment, since it is everything I want in windows and much more.

I'd argue that they are equal, and that it comes down to what you prefer. Use Lutris for installing and launching under Linux, for example.

not every crack works well with linux. sometimes installer has problems with decompressing the heavily compressed files. it is definetly possible to run every game (some older games works even better) that is wine/proton approved, but with few tweaks. if you are going to play cracks on linux go with uncompressed without custom installers

Edit: I forgot to even mention, this explaination is for running windows apps on linux with steam (which is a native linux app available in essentially all repositories).

You can run most games (regardless of how you acquired them) directly in steam via proton.

If the app you want to run is a windows executable (.exe or .msi or whatever), you can add it as a "Non-Steam game" (even if it isn't a game).

If you have trouble getting it started, try changing the compatibility layer in library -> game -> properties -> compatibility -> enable steam play compatibility tool -> choose some version of proton (like proton experimental)

Fair warning: Valve is currently chill about adding games to steam without proof of purchase, but they could change their minds someday.

Also, pro tip, if you really wanna get in the weeds with proton, I recommend proton-tricks. There are very few windows apps you can't get running with proton and proton-tricks.

Faugus Launcher isn't as popular as lutris and heroic but I find it works best for pirated games. It integrates well with the system so you can just right click an exe file and select Open With Faugus.

It depends on where you got the game and how familiar you are with Wine, Proton, DXVK, etc. And yeah, the command line is kind of helpful for most things Linux, including running pirated games.

I got a pirated version of Cyberpunk 2077 running on Linux. I had purchased the game on Steam, but hated that when I was offline I couldn't play and even though Steam has an offline version, I figured fuck it, I'm tech savvy, how hard can it be? It was...not easy, but not the hardest thing I've done on Linux. I pretty much followed this reddit guide.

I'd look for a different launcher than Lutris these days since the Dev started introducing AI code into his source, but there's options in that regard and really, the big thing is understanding Wine, Wine prefixes, and Proton.

I haven't done this for most games as I just like to purchase my games these days, but it was a fun challenge. I have no idea how difficult this is on Windows as its been almost a decade for me Windows free, but hey, if you've got the gumption, its not too hard.

This guy again??