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Valve Starts Promoting Steam For Linux To Windows Users

Posted by samzenpus on from the you-might-also-like dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Steam is now being used by thousands of gamers running a Linux OS, and Valve has got to the point where they are happy to start urging Windows users to make the switch. Proof of that comes from a 'Join the Beta' promotion on the homepage of Steam suggesting you try Steam for Linux. There's even a download link to get Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, which removes yet another barrier to entry. With Gabe Newell's clear hatred of Windows 8, this shouldn't be a surprising move. We aren't going to see another version of Windows appear for a few years, so in Valve's eyes pushing Linux to gamers makes a lot of sense."

2 of 474 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Lunux desktop by cod3r_ · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Hopefully a new era of game dev is upon us. This is not only great for linux, but great for people like myself who only use windows for games. Hopefully the video card makers will beef up their effort writing drivers and software for compatibility.

  2. Re:Call me a skeptic here.... by Microlith · · Score: 5, Insightful

    But I really can't see this being a successful venture.

    Why not? Game developers can't be hurt by being given a way to stay independent of any one company. Currently they can play the console vendors off each other, even if the platforms are vendor controlled. On the PC, they've never had anyone but Microsoft.

    Why would people bother with this when they can just play practically all of (if not actually all of) the same games on the windows PC that they already have?

    Because I want a choice other than "Microsoft or no games at all." I'm not alone, apparently.