protonscr

Blair Witch

protonopen appid 1092660Game compatibility - UnofficialXAudio2
ValveSoftware/Proton#3174 · opened 2019-10-25 by AwesamLinux · updated 2026-07-17 · 15 comments · github · game page · search this game
AAwesamLinux 2019-10-25 github

Compatibility Report

  • Name of the game with compatibility issues: Blair Witch
  • Steam AppID of the game: 1092660

System Information

  • GPU: RX VEGA 56
  • GPU Driver: 19.3.0~git1910171521.fe930ad92ab~b~mesaaco3 (ppa:ernstp/mesaaco)
  • Kernel version: 5.4.0-050400rc4-lowlatency
  • Distro version: Linux Mint 19.2 Tina (64 bit) (Cinnamon)
  • Proton version: 4.11-7

I confirm:

  • [X] that I haven't found an existing compatibility report for this game.
  • [X] that I have checked whether there are updates for my system available.

Symptoms

Game loads to the main menu, but when starting the game there is just a black screen and nothing happens.

This appears to be another game that needs Media Foundation #1464
Codecs are: MPEG-4, AVC + AAC

By manually installing/copying these Media Foundation files from a Windows installation game works:
colorcnv.dll mf.dll mferror.dll mfplat.dll mfplay.dll mfreadwrite.dll msmpeg2adec.dll msmpeg2vdec.dll sqmapi.dll

Also the performance is not great:
blair
But this is a problem on Windows too, turning off LPV there is a noticeable boost (right is with LPV turned off)

Reproduction

Just launch the game and start new from the main menu.

media_info.txt
steam-1092660-proton-4.11-7.log
steam-1092660-proton-4.11-7-mf.log
system_info.txt

Update:
The game is still practically broken even with media foundation installed. When playing found footage tapes, you are supposed to be able to control the video playback (review/forward/pause etc..). However, that does not work.

AAwesamLinux 2020-04-13 github

System Information

  • GPU: RX 5700 ITX
  • GPU Driver: Mesa 20.0.4 (ppa:ernstp/mesarc)
  • Kernel version: 5.3.18-050318-lowlatency
  • Distro version: 19.3 Tricia (64 bit) (Cinnamon)
  • Proton version: 5.0-5

Retest Compatibility Report

The same problems with videos remain with Proton 5.0-5.
steam-1092660.log
system_info.txt

With unofficial Proton-5.6-GE-1 the videos play without needing to install media foundation files. However when reaching chapter 3 there is a camcorder where you are supposed to be able to rewind/forward/pause the video but it does not work (just plays the video once).
steam-1092660-Proton-5.6-GE-1.log

Ddariox86 2020-12-12 github

System Information

* GPU: RX 5700 ITX

* GPU Driver: Mesa 20.0.4 (ppa:ernstp/mesarc)

* Kernel version: 5.3.18-050318-lowlatency

* Distro version: 19.3 Tricia (64 bit) (Cinnamon)

* Proton version: 5.0-5

Retest Compatibility Report

The same problems with videos remain with Proton 5.0-5.
steam-1092660.log
system_info.txt

With unofficial Proton-5.6-GE-1 the videos play without needing to install media foundation files. However when reaching chapter 3 there is a camcorder where you are supposed to be able to rewind/forward/pause the video but it does not work (just plays the video once).
steam-1092660-Proton-5.6-GE-1.log

With Proton-5.21-GE-1 it does not work without Media Foundation. Perhaps you had Media Foundation installed when you tested it, hence it did work. I found a partial workaround: converting cutscene video files to a free format like VP9 + Vorbis it works without Media Foundation. This way you may also be able to pass chapter 3. The problem is that audio only produces static noise.

Ddariox86 2020-12-13 github

System Information

* GPU: RX 5700 ITX

* GPU Driver: Mesa 20.0.4 (ppa:ernstp/mesarc)

* Kernel version: 5.3.18-050318-lowlatency

* Distro version: 19.3 Tricia (64 bit) (Cinnamon)

* Proton version: 5.0-5

Retest Compatibility Report
The same problems with videos remain with Proton 5.0-5.
steam-1092660.log
system_info.txt
With unofficial Proton-5.6-GE-1 the videos play without needing to install media foundation files. However when reaching chapter 3 there is a camcorder where you are supposed to be able to rewind/forward/pause the video but it does not work (just plays the video once).
steam-1092660-Proton-5.6-GE-1.log

With Proton-5.21-GE-1 it does not work without Media Foundation. Perhaps you had Media Foundation installed when you tested it, hence it did work. I found a partial workaround: converting cutscene video files to a free format like VP9 + Vorbis it works without Media Foundation. This way you may also be able to pass chapter 3. The problem is that audio only produces static noise.

Sorry, my mistake. With Proton-5.21-GE-1 it works without Media Foundation. There must be a missing MP4 decoder in the Flatpak version.

Ddariox86 2021-01-10 github

With Proton-5.21-GE-1 there is crackling sound in cutscenes.

Ddariox86 2021-03-15 github

The problem with crackling sound in cutscenes is fixed in the latest experimental version. However the game will crash right before the first cutscene in chapter three. Despite these issues, the game is fully playable.
To avoid crashing the game at the beginning of chapter three you will need Media Foundation libraries installed. To avoid audio and video desynchronization in cutscenes, you must disable Esync with the flag "PROTON_NO_ESYNC=1 %command%".
If you rewind or fast forward the tapes you run the risk of getting stuck in the camcorder forcing you to reload from the last saved game. To avoid this condition, do not fast forward or rewind the camcorder. To restart the playback from start for a specific tape, enter and return from the game menu twice and/or switch to another tape. Eventually playback for the current tape will start from the beginning.
These workarounds were tested with Proton 5.13-6. Different (even future) versions may not work. In case of further issues, try using this version instead.

Kkisak-valve maintainer 2021-03-15 github

Hello @dariox86, the workaround you linked is legally problematic and has been removed.

Ddariox86 2021-03-15 github

Hello @dariox86, the workaround you linked is legally problematic and has been removed.

Sorry. Fixed.

AAwesamLinux 2022-02-16 github

System Information

  • GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5700
  • Driver/LLVM version: Mesa 21.3.6 - kisak-mesa PPA
  • Kernel version: 5.13.0-27-generic
  • Proton version: Proton 7.0-1

Retest Report:

Game is now out of the box playable without issues until the first found camcorder footage, and the videos play out of the box with default Proton 7.0-1. But when playing the found footage at the first campsite. trying to rewind or forward the video the game gets stuck.

Attaching log of getting stuck at the camcorder playback:
steam-1092660.log
system_info.txt

Aafettouhi 2026-01-11 github
CCyber-Tokyo 2026-07-01 github

Stuck on chapter 8. The camcorder opens, but can’t switch videos or close it. It gets stuck there. Restarting the game does nothing. Makes the game unplayable.

BBlisto91 2026-07-02 github

@Cyber-Tokyo Hi there. Please post a Proton log and if possible attach a savegame for easy reproduction.

Edit: A Proton log can be created by running the game with PROTON_LOG=1 %command% in the games launch options. A file named steam-$APPID.log should appear in your users home directory.

CCyber-Tokyo 2026-07-03 github

@Blisto91 Hi. Here I’m attaching the log and the save files.

The first file is before starting the Steam Donkey. The setup uses the valve, pressure gauge, and then the lever after you move the tape at the right moment.

Before starting the machine you need to go to Camp B and get the fuse, put it in the fuse box, start the power, and go back to the steam donkey and on the camcorder stop the tape when the steam donkey is already turned on.

For the second save file, I managed to get past this after today’s Proton Experimental update, somehow I was able to use the camcorder after first pressing the night vision and then switching tapes. I don’t know if this was a fluke, or something was fixed. However there’s still that issue when you fast forward or rewind the tape. You have to switch tape and go back to the tape you need to be able to fast forward or rewind depending on where you need to pause the tape.

Here is the location of where the save files go:

.local > share > Steam > steamapps > compatdata > 2212717218 > pfx > drive_c > users > steamuser > AppData > Local

Edit: I have an update. The game has an inventory menu that you move with the dpad. Left <- | right ->
However, those buttons don’t seem to work anymore.

steam-9503548086639656960.log
Blairwitch.zip

Ttjbbjt 2026-07-16 github

Camcorder only plays the first two tapes and the rest aren't loading for some reason, instead they play static in the lower right hand corner of the viewfinder for three seconds and the rest of the viewfinder is color bars; indicating missing video. This makes it impossible to advance at chapter 7.

Other cutscenes in the Blairwitch/Content/Movies folder don't play audio unless you add PROTON_USE_DVXK=1 to launch options, the first camcorder video crashed to desktop until I added this setting too.

steam-1092660.log

Kkisak-valve maintainer 2026-07-16 github

Hello @tjbbjt, please verify your findings. PROTON_USE_DXVK hasn't existed in Proton since it was removed in 2018.

Ttjbbjt 2026-07-17 github

Hello @tjbbjt, please verify your findings. PROTON_USE_DXVK hasn't existed in Proton since it was removed in 2018.

I went back to that save and was unable to recreate the crash so maybe PROTON_USE_DXVK=1 is irrelevant. However, I was not able to advance beyond the first camcorder crash without adding that parameter but also switched to GE-Proton11-1.

I was able to recreate the original crash in Chapter 7 with GE-Proton11-1 compatibility enabled, which is the new log I've attached here. In game it appeared like the video would play but then crashed to desktop.

I've also attached a screenshot of what the camcorder looks like when it is unable to play the videos from Blairwitch > Content > Movies folder using Proton Experimental.

This game is super buggy and I'm not convinced proton patches can fix it.

Image

steam-1092660.log

Proton versions

Launch options

Launch lines

DLLs