Arkazzae · Oct 19, 2026 · Oct 19, 2026 · Oct 19, 2026 · Oct 19, 2026 · Oct 19, 2026
diff --git a/.SRCINFO b/.SRCINFO
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 pkgbase = vortex-linux
 	pkgdesc = Community build of Vortex with generic Linux compatibility patches
-	pkgver = 2.8.2
-	pkgrel = 4
+	pkgver = 2.9.0
+	pkgrel = 1
 	url = https://github.com/Arkazzae/VortexLinux
 	install = vortex.install
 	arch = x86_64
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ pkgbase = vortex-linux
 	makedepends = patchelf
 	makedepends = python
 	makedepends = python-setuptools
-	makedepends = rust
 	makedepends = yarn
 	depends = alsa-lib
 	depends = at-spi2-core
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ pkgbase = vortex-linux
 	depends = xdg-utils
 	optdepends = kde-cli-tools: native trash support on KDE Plasma
 	optdepends = pipewire: screen sharing under Wayland
-	provides = vortex=2.8.2
+	provides = vortex=2.9.0
 	conflicts = vortex
 	conflicts = vortex-bin
 	conflicts = vortex-git
@@ -57,9 +56,8 @@ pkgbase = vortex-linux
 	noextract = windowsdesktop-runtime-10.0.10-win-x64.zip
 	options = !debug
 	options = !strip
-	source = vortex::git+https://github.com/Nexus-Mods/Vortex.git#commit=e136d9c83492580b6a9b5d9e723964fa3dd56bfd
+	source = vortex::git+https://github.com/Nexus-Mods/Vortex.git#commit=e04093000d0f6ccf78994670599f7a42b361a038
 	source = pnpm-11.10.0.tgz::https://registry.npmjs.org/pnpm/-/pnpm-11.10.0.tgz
-	source = libloot-136f3983c3eec7d377f83a7e7e0b0129aa5c8fe1.tar.gz::https://codeload.github.com/loot/libloot/tar.gz/136f3983c3eec7d377f83a7e7e0b0129aa5c8fe1
 	source = 0001-linux-runtime-compatibility.patch
 	source = 0002-linux-path-and-executable-discovery.patch
 	source = 0003-linux-filesystem-and-deployment.patch
@@ -93,6 +91,8 @@ pkgbase = vortex-linux
 	source = 0032-linux-deployment-target-paths.patch
 	source = 0033-linux-symlinked-extension-paths.patch
 	source = 0034-linux-case-only-platform-paths.patch
+	source = 0035-linux-backslash-archive-paths.patch
+	source = 0036-linux-appimage-nxm-links.patch
 	source = vortex.sh
 	source = vortex.desktop
 	source = README.md
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ pkgbase = vortex-linux
 	source = windowsdesktop-runtime-10.0.10-win-x64.zip::https://builds.dotnet.microsoft.com/dotnet/WindowsDesktop/10.0.10/windowsdesktop-runtime-10.0.10-win-x64.zip
 	sha512sums = SKIP
 	sha512sums = 0b7f8b98060031904c017e3a41eb187a16d40eeb829b95c4f8cb03681761fc4ab53dd219115b9b447f4dce1a05a214764461e7d3703392a9f32f9511ce8c86c8
-	sha512sums = 4de893736611130d7b360e89ead5d27fb15b6ced9113a7d55604370c4db9db55cb8dca170d212b15be7f51bd40aca876dbea042e5f2a86e114b57cb905aaad99
+	sha512sums = SKIP
+	sha512sums = SKIP
 	sha512sums = SKIP
 	sha512sums = SKIP
 	sha512sums = SKIP

diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,17 @@ publishes a new Vortex version, taking any pending notes with it.
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+- Vortex 2.9.0.
+- LOOT uses the native binding that now comes with Vortex itself instead of
+  one built from libloot's sources, so building the package no longer needs
+  Rust. It is the same libloot version, 0.29.6.
+- Mods whose archives use Windows backslashes between folders, such as
+  Appearance Runtime Plugin for Cyberpunk 2077, install into those folders
+  instead of as one file named after the whole path. (#16)
+- The AppImage handles "Mod Manager Download" links from the Nexus Mods
+  website. With "Handle Nexus Links" on, it adds its own hidden desktop entry
+  for nxm:// links, since an AppImage installs none. (#18)
+
 ## 2.8.2-4 - 2026-10-16
 
 - Extensions you install work when the Vortex settings folder is reached

diff --git a/PKGBUILD b/PKGBUILD
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # Maintainer: Arkazzae <https://github.com/Arkazzae>
 
 pkgname=vortex-linux
-pkgver=2.8.2
-pkgrel=4
+pkgver=2.9.0
+pkgrel=1
 pkgdesc="Community build of Vortex with generic Linux compatibility patches"
 arch=('x86_64')
 url="https://github.com/Arkazzae/VortexLinux"
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ makedepends=(
   'patchelf'
   'python'
   'python-setuptools'
-  'rust'
   'yarn'
 )
 
@@ -97,10 +96,8 @@ conflicts=('vortex' 'vortex-bin' 'vortex-git')
 options=('!debug' '!strip')
 install=vortex.install
 
-_upstream_commit='e136d9c83492580b6a9b5d9e723964fa3dd56bfd'
+_upstream_commit='e04093000d0f6ccf78994670599f7a42b361a038'
 _pnpm='11.10.0'
-_libloot_commit='136f3983c3eec7d377f83a7e7e0b0129aa5c8fe1'
-_libloot_sha512='4de893736611130d7b360e89ead5d27fb15b6ced9113a7d55604370c4db9db55cb8dca170d212b15be7f51bd40aca876dbea042e5f2a86e114b57cb905aaad99'
 _dotnet6='6.0.36'
 _dotnet8='8.0.29'
 _dotnet10='10.0.10'
@@ -138,12 +135,13 @@ _patches=(
   '0032-linux-deployment-target-paths.patch'
   '0033-linux-symlinked-extension-paths.patch'
   '0034-linux-case-only-platform-paths.patch'
+  '0035-linux-backslash-archive-paths.patch'
+  '0036-linux-appimage-nxm-links.patch'
 )
 
 source=(
   "vortex::git+https://github.com/Nexus-Mods/Vortex.git#commit=${_upstream_commit}"
   "pnpm-${_pnpm}.tgz::https://registry.npmjs.org/pnpm/-/pnpm-${_pnpm}.tgz"
-  "libloot-${_libloot_commit}.tar.gz::https://codeload.github.com/loot/libloot/tar.gz/${_libloot_commit}"
   "${_patches[@]}"
   'vortex.sh'
   'vortex.desktop'
@@ -170,7 +168,6 @@ sha512sums=(
   'SKIP'
   # pnpm is executed during the build, so keep its upstream archive verifiable.
   '0b7f8b98060031904c017e3a41eb187a16d40eeb829b95c4f8cb03681761fc4ab53dd219115b9b447f4dce1a05a214764461e7d3703392a9f32f9511ce8c86c8'
-  "$_libloot_sha512"
   # All following local files are versioned together with this PKGBUILD, so
   # hashing them only duplicates Git integrity.
   'SKIP'
@@ -210,6 +207,8 @@ sha512sums=(
   'SKIP'
   'SKIP'
   'SKIP'
+  'SKIP'
+  'SKIP'
   # Keep integrity checks for binaries downloaded outside this repository.
   '935db5c6cee19f2c016e67168bfae7b491044735de76c673abb3b125dd325fd5e779d7efe12ba80178d46689ae70a25e558a3fa846417d44c5f4ca256e7f4bf2'
   'e3f31d298a2b674b54c7fc89fb3f06d9645fc5879a54f2ebf2ea20e9ee7ae55f1bfe3284c1f90a591d6be2d6bcd251790ddc27771d65303e7a6a56d331df4632'
@@ -269,21 +268,10 @@ build() {
   export npm_config_target='44.2.0'
   export npm_config_disturl='https://electronjs.org/headers'
 
-  (
-    cd "$srcdir/libloot-$_libloot_commit"
-    LIBLOOT_REVISION="${_libloot_commit:0:8}" \
-      RUSTFLAGS='-C target-cpu=x86-64' \
-      cargo build --release --locked -p libloot-nodejs
-  )
-  export LIBLOOT_NODE_PATH="$srcdir/libloot-$_libloot_commit/target/release/libloot.node"
-  install -m755 "$srcdir/libloot-$_libloot_commit/target/release/liblibloot_nodejs.so" \
-    "$LIBLOOT_NODE_PATH"
-  strip --strip-unneeded "$LIBLOOT_NODE_PATH"
-
   pnpm run build
 
   local gamebryo_plugin
-  for gamebryo_plugin in gamebryo-archive-support gamebryo-savegame-management gamebryo-plugin-management; do
+  for gamebryo_plugin in gamebryo-archive-support gamebryo-savegame-management; do
     if [[ ! -s "$srcdir/vortex/extensions/$gamebryo_plugin/dist/index.cjs" ]]; then
       printf 'Gamebryo extension was not built for Linux: %s\n' "$gamebryo_plugin" >&2
       return 1
@@ -349,6 +337,17 @@ build() {
     --linux dir \
     --x64 \
     -c.compression=store
+
+  # copy-assets skips LOOT silently when node-loot failed to build.
+  local loot_release="$srcdir/vortex/dist/linux-unpacked/resources/app.asar.unpacked/assets/loot/build/Release"
+  if [[ ! -f "$loot_release/node-loot.node" || ! -f "$loot_release/libloot.so.0" ]]; then
+    printf 'LOOT is missing from the packaged app\n' >&2
+    return 1
+  fi
+  if ldd "$loot_release/node-loot.node" | grep -Fq 'not found'; then
+    printf 'LOOT has unresolved libraries\n' >&2
+    return 1
+  fi
 }
 
 package() {
@@ -389,8 +388,8 @@ package() {
     "$pkgdir/usr/share/applications/com.nexusmods.vortex.desktop"
   install -Dm644 assets/images/vortex.png \
     "$pkgdir/usr/share/icons/hicolor/256x256/apps/vortex.png"
-  install -Dm644 "$srcdir/libloot-$_libloot_commit/LICENSE" \
-    "$pkgdir/usr/share/licenses/$pkgname/LIBLOOT-LICENSE.txt"
+  install -Dm644 src/renderer/node_modules/loot/LICENSE.md \
+    "$pkgdir/usr/share/licenses/$pkgname/LOOT-LICENSE.md"
   install -Dm644 LICENSE.md "$pkgdir/usr/share/licenses/$pkgname/VORTEX-LICENSE.md"
   install -Dm644 "$srcdir/LICENSE" \
     "$pkgdir/usr/share/licenses/$pkgname/PATCHES-GPL-3.0.txt"

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ These are general Linux fixes, not per-game hacks. Game-specific Vortex extensio
 
 Vortex itself is slowly becoming more Linux-friendly. Since 2.7.1, the extension API's `util.epicGamesLauncher` is a shim over `GameStoreHelper` instead of `undefined` everywhere except Windows, so our Epic API fallback patch is gone 🎊.
 
- Every fix that lands upstream is one less patch to carry here, and the goal is for this repo to shrink.
+2.9.0 goes further: Vortex now builds LOOT on Linux itself, with a libloot made for Linux, so we no longer compile libloot from source and our LOOT patch shrank to fixing file name casing and the Proton folder 🎉. Reading game versions from `.exe` files is plain TypeScript now too, so it works the same on every platform.
+
+Every fix that lands upstream is one less patch to carry here, and the goal is for this repo to shrink.
 
 ## Games tested (confirmed working)
 
@@ -66,7 +68,7 @@ No FUSE 2 on your system? Run it as:
 ./Vortex-*.AppImage --appimage-extract-and-run
 ```
 
-AppImages don't add themselves to your app menu or register as the `nxm://` handler. Gear Lever or AppImageLauncher handle that, or write a desktop entry yourself.
+AppImages don't add themselves to your app menu; Gear Lever or AppImageLauncher handle that. For Nexus Mods download links, turn on "Handle Nexus Links" in Vortex: the AppImage then registers itself as the `nxm://` handler and keeps pointing at wherever the AppImage file is. This uses `xdg-settings` from xdg-utils, which desktop distributions ship with their browsers.
 
 The AppImage embeds [AppImageUpdate](https://github.com/AppImageCommunity/AppImageUpdate) information pointing at this repository's latest release, so Gear Lever, AppImageLauncher and `appimageupdatetool` can check for and apply updates in place. Vortex also shows a notification when a newer Linux release is published; the older builds from `recipes/` stay pinned and never update.
 
@@ -102,7 +104,7 @@ cd dist/arch-build
 makepkg -si
 ```
 
-The build pins both Vortex and libloot to exact upstream commits and downloads the source, Node dependencies, Electron and the Microsoft runtime files. First build is a big one.
+The build pins Vortex to an exact upstream commit and downloads the source, Node dependencies, Electron and the Microsoft runtime files. First build is a big one.
 
 Patches live in `patches/`, in the order listed by `_patches` in `PKGBUILD`.
 `prepare-arch-build.sh` copies the packaging files and patches into
@@ -146,7 +148,7 @@ What this does not cover: launching a real game, Steam login, Flatpak permission
 ```sh
 scripts/test-appimage.sh dist/Vortex-*.AppImage             # the AppImage check
 scripts/check-upstream-compatibility.sh --ref latest --keep  # patches against the newest Vortex
-scripts/run-upstream-tests.sh /path/to/patched-vortex        # the test suite (needs Rust for libloot)
+scripts/run-upstream-tests.sh /path/to/patched-vortex        # the test suite
 ```
 
 `--ref pinned` checks the patches against the pinned version instead, and `--keep` keeps the prepared source for the test suite.

diff --git a/patches/0001-linux-runtime-compatibility.patch b/patches/0001-linux-runtime-compatibility.patch
@@ -50,53 +50,20 @@ index 000000000..891c1c20a
 +    expect(getProductVersionLocalized("/games/Missing.exe")).toBe("");
 +  });
 +});
-diff --git a/packages/exe-version/src/index.ts b/packages/exe-version/src/index.ts
-index a290954d1..54a814ac3 100644
---- a/packages/exe-version/src/index.ts
-+++ b/packages/exe-version/src/index.ts
-@@ -8,28 +8,24 @@
- import { readVersionInfo } from "./peVersion";
-
- export function getFileVersion(exeFile: string): string {
--  if (process.platform !== "win32") return "";
-   const info = readVersionInfo(exeFile);
-   if (info === undefined) return "";
-   return info.fileVersion.join(".");
- }
-
- export function getProductVersion(exeFile: string): string {
--  if (process.platform !== "win32") return "";
-   const info = readVersionInfo(exeFile);
-   if (info === undefined) return "";
-   return info.productVersion.join(".");
- }
-
- export function getFileVersionLocalized(exeFile: string): string {
--  if (process.platform !== "win32") return getFileVersion(exeFile);
-   const info = readVersionInfo(exeFile);
-   if (info === undefined) return "";
-   return info.fileVersionString;
- }
-
- export function getProductVersionLocalized(exeFile: string): string {
--  if (process.platform !== "win32") return getProductVersion(exeFile);
-   const info = readVersionInfo(exeFile);
-   if (info === undefined) return "";
-   return info.productVersionString;
 diff --git a/src/main/electron-builder.config.json b/src/main/electron-builder.config.json
-index 080a0afb5..f1d0a19cf 100644
+index 41318379e..eff9d3fb9 100644
 --- a/src/main/electron-builder.config.json
 +++ b/src/main/electron-builder.config.json
-@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@
-     "assets/dotnetprobe*",
+@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@
+     "assets/loot/**",
      "assets/*.exe",
      "assets/css/**",
 -    "**/*.node",
      "duckdb-extensions"
    ],
    "buildDependenciesFromSource": false,
 diff --git a/src/main/package.json b/src/main/package.json
-index f0f5b8bee..9e26507c3 100644
+index f2d2269c5..cc855bc2a 100644
 --- a/src/main/package.json
 +++ b/src/main/package.json
 @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@