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Valve Begins Listing Linux Requirements For Certain Games On Steam

Deathspawner writes "Perhaps hinting at the fact that the official Steam for Linux launch isn't too far off, Valve has begun updating some game pages to include Linux system requirements. Some games don't list only Ubuntu as the main supported distro, with some listing Linux Mint and Fedora as well. A common theme is that Valve recommends you always use a 'fully updated' OS, regardless of which distro you use. And based on the system requirements laid out so far, it's safe to say that Serious Sam 3: BFE will undoubtedly be the most system-intensive game released at launch."

10 of 332 comments (clear)

  1. Why game on anything other than Windows? by getto+man+d · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Because having the freedom to choose is good.

    Disclaimer: I avidly use Steam on OSX, but I'm constantly frustrated with it's buggy state. If the linux client proves to be better over time (with a good offering of games) I'll be upgrading my linux box and going that route.

  2. Re:Why would you want to game on Linux by Sylak · · Score: 5, Informative

    Because some people like video games, and some people like Linux as a primary OS. There's a lot more overlap than you seem to think there is here, especially with people who would rather spend the money on a custom-built gaming rig than on a Mac Pro.

  3. Re:Why would you want to game on Linux by HaZardman27 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Because most Linux users don't want to be subjected to Apple's control of what you can and cannot do on your computer. Not to mention the Apple tax you pay for the hardware. Why do you even ask? What can anyone possibly stand to lose by making more software available on more platforms?

    --
    Apparently wizard is not a legitimate career path, so I chose programmer instead.
  4. Re:Why would you want to game on Linux by ilovepi · · Score: 5, Informative

    So if you want to do both unixy world and games why not Mac?.

    1) Some people like Linux more than either of the proprietary OSes. This might be because they can configure Linux more, or because it's free, or because it's ideologically free, or because their friend told them to run it, or any of a thousand other reasons.

    2) Why not? Many indie developers have already made Linux-compatible games that are also on steam. For instance, most of the Humble Indie bundles have had a requirement of running on Linux, and most of those games also provided steam keys.

    3) Other people aren't a Apple shills/trolls?

  5. Got Beta invite ... for Debian by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I just got my beta invite yesterday -after specifying I was on Debian Sid (I never expected an invite since I'm not using Ubuntu). Will fiddle with it and get it running today, I'll definitely buy a few games just because.

    Seems like they are close to releasing.

    1. Re:Got Beta invite ... for Debian by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's almost like Valve realizes game betas are good for testing out different hardware/software specs, instead of a means of free publicity and to confirm the game works on the same specs tested in-house.

  6. Year of the Linux Desktop by masternerdguy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The way I see it, this entire situation is hilarious. Us Linux people have been wanting something like this to happen for, well, forever, and it is finally happening. The lack of serious gaming on Linux has been one of the things holding it back on the desktop market. Now that we're finally getting that, and a serious contender to the Windows gaming hegemony is present, all anyone can do is cry and scream "not good enough dammit not good enough" because not every Steam title ever made will be available on release. I bet if the year of the linux desktop ever happens /. will be the first one to criticize it.

    --
    To offset political mods, replace Flamebait with Insightful.
  7. Re:Why would you want to game on Linux by h4rr4r · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Lack of FFM, lack of customizability, lack of middle click highlight and paste. The fact that for some reason applications do not live in /bin and for some reason do not end up in my PATH after installation.

    The lack of decent package management is another huge pain. It means like windows many application have their own method of updating which is cumbersome compared to apt or yum.

    Basically my biggest usability complaints stem from a lack of X11 conventions that I expect with a UNIXy experience. The whole OSX desktop seems to be designed to only have one window open at a time.

  8. Re:Why would you want to game on Linux by Zeikcied · · Score: 5, Informative

    Because I run Linux, I like Linux, and I want to play games on Linux. Does there have to be a more complex answer than that?

  9. Re:That is why I supported fully static builds by h4rr4r · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You know what fixes both of those issues?
    FREE software. Then the code can be fixed even after the original developer is long gone.