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Valve Releases SteamVR For Linux (gamingonlinux.com)
New submitter JustNiz quotes a report from GamingOnLinux: Valve has launched SteamVR for Linux officially in beta form and they are keen to stress that this is a development release. You will need to run the latest Steam Beta Client for it to work at all, so be sure to opt-in if you want to play around with it. VR on Linux will exclusively use Vulkan, so it's going to be a pretty good push for Vulkan if VR becomes more popular. Those who are interested can head over to GitHub for more information.
When are we going to get a Linux por-OOH MY GOD!
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
It's actually a smart idea. If VR takes off this time around then they are getting it on Linux at square one, where there is much more even footing against Windows since Windows also doesn't have much in the way of VR. This could be the "killer app" that eventually popularises Linux.
(disclaimer: I run Ubuntu 16.04 on all three of the computers that I use-- two at home and one at work)
Speak of the devil: I just logged into Steam and it gave me the hardware survey.
Linux is about 0.8% of the machines running Steam.
It's kind of a chicken-and-the-egg problem.
But the game industry, and Valve in particular, are in a difficult spot as Microsoft moves to force everyone to go through their app store.
I, for one, applaud Valve for bringing awesome games (about 80% of my Steam library runs natively on Linux) and great technology to Linux.
Hitman just released for Linux. Deus Ex came out for Linux not too long ago. The Total War series runs very well. XCOM, XCOM 2, The Witcher 2, Torchlight, Talos Principle, Stellaris, Rocket League and so on and so on...
I have more and better games than I have time to play. Thanks, Valve.
Neither I nor anyone else can twist your arm to switch to Linux-- just don't complain when Microsoft puts ads on your desktop, tracks your every move, forces updates down your throat whether you want them or not, and eventually moves to make you pay a subscription just to use your computer.
I honestly understand what you guys are saying. But at the same time. They have to make money for their part also. I like Steam more than any other company like it, As far as ease of use, And Security. Their one of the few sites we haven't seen database dumps from. The one time they came close to a fuckup in the store, they shut it down until they could fix it. in a few minutes compared to others. I may also be biased as i'm a HL/TF fan. And that's what made Valve: Steam.
Not to mention that Valve knows well enough that Microsoft is working hard to throw as many obstacles between their feet to make Steam as unusable as possible in Windows to promote their own game store.
Valve, of all companies on the planet, has a VERY good reason to push for full blown Linux support in gaming. And that's basically what Linux needs if it wants to take off.
Because, face it: What reason does Joe Average still have to use Windows? Internet? Nope. Every major browser, mail system, video player you might want is available. Document writing? Nope. Libreoffice is good enough for personal use.
What's left for Joe that ties him to Windows is gaming. Yes, there are a lot of other applications that are not available on Linux, or not at the same quality. But they are mostly things that are niche products that are interesting to a very small subset of users. The only big issue that remains is actually gaming.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.