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Ask Slashdot: Is Linux Set To Be PC Gaming's Number Two Platform?

Posted by Soulskill on from the year-of-linux-in-the-living-room dept.

monkeyhybrid writes "Following a tweet from the developer of Maia (a cross platform game soon to hit Steam) that Linux was bringing him more game sales than OS X. Gaming On Linux decided to investigate further by reaching out to multiple developers for platform sales statistics. Although the findings and developer comments show Linux sales to still be sitting in third place, behind those of OS X and Windows, they are showing promise. Developer feedback certainly appears to be positive about the platform's future. With Steam OS on its way, surely leading to more big title releases making their way to the Linux platform, could Linux gaming be set to take the number two spot from Apple?"

5 of 281 comments (clear)

  1. It has to start somewhere by asmkm22 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The problem is that Linux still needs a baseline distro for developers to target. Ubuntu had a lot of promise until the last few years where it's been shifted to target every device *except* desktops. Not to mention the weird shit they've been pushing like ads in the OS.

    I'd really like to see something to the effect of a Linux Gaming Standard, where as long as certain structural conditions are met within any given distro, developers could simply target those standards and build their rpm/deb packages and not have to worry about supporting Ubuntu specifically. I'm talking things like specific libraries and drivers that need to be present for "Linux Gaming Standard" certification, so that people aren't having to worry about hunting down the right repo by blindly copy/pasting some forum suggestion for someone else into their terminal hoping to make magic happen.

  2. Wine is not an emulator by tepples · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Sure Linux has Wine support but I would prefer to have native support instead.

    Wine is not an emulator but a reimplementation of the Win32 API. So long as the developer of a video game or other application tests its product on Wine, it's just another toolkit, just as GTK+ and Qt and SDL are toolkits. In such a case, I don't see how an app running in Wine is any less "native" than, say, a Qt app running on a GTK+-based distribution. If you complain instead that not enough developers and publishers of games designed for Windows care about Wine compatibility, I can agree with that complaint though. Is that what you're trying to say?

  3. Not surprising if you state Macs aren't supported by Volguus+Zildrohar · · Score: 5, Informative

    On the Maia website, for system requirements:

    OS: LINUX 64, WINDOWS. MAC SUPPORT COMING SOON.

    --
    When confronted with one problem, some think "I'll use recursion". Now they are confronted with one problem.
  4. Re:Does SteamOS count as a desktop? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Q: Didn't you tell me to develop for Ubuntu? Do I need to install Debian to build for SteamOS?
    A: All Steam applications execute using the Steam Runtime which is a fixed binary-compatibility layer for Linux applications. This enables any application to run on any Linux distribution that supports the Steam Runtime without recompiling.

  5. Re:I'll be ecstatic! by interkin3tic · · Score: 5, Funny
    Why? Did you look at those numbers?

    Puppy Games
    89% Windows
    6% Mac OSX
    5% Linux

    I have more good news for you. In a three way dunk competition between you, Kobe Bryant, and me, you have a good shot at coming in second!!!