Linux for work, virtualized Windows for games?

Solution 1:

This is not what you want to hear, but getting a cheap second machine and a KVM switch will save you a lot of headache. There's still some things you cannot do with the current state of virtualization under Linux, as you have seen.

Solution 2:

The only way I know that allows you to run hardware accelerated 3D graphics on virtualised Windows is by using VMware Workstation, with Windows as the host OS. Even with that, I would be doubtful that you would have much success with games.

I would think that what you want to do is pretty much impossible with current technology, and you will have to consider having two separate machines, as already suggested.

Or, you could make Windows the host, with Linux as the virtualised guest. I could imagine that working out pretty well for you.

Solution 3:

As of today 2015, you can use VGA and PCI passthrough functions of VMs, so the guest OS can directly access your dedicated video card (you have to have 2 - one for Linux, one for Windows). This only works if you CPU and motherboard Virtualized I/O.