Can Steam finally force developers to make Linux versions?

Bernkastel

Bernkastel

Ask me about my fanboy energy!
The Steam Deck has sold 3-4 million in 3 years. Valve may even be working on updating the Steam Box.

The next step for Valve is to pay AMD to make a custom SOC. Eventually Valve may get numbers rivalling Playstation and Nintendo in their "consoles". Many devs will start making native Linux versions of their games.

As Xbox exits hardware, Steam enters the space as an alternative. Eventually Linux will get the same native 3rd party support as Xbox. This will incentivize many PC users to go full Linux. Eventually Windows may become the less attractive choice and some devs will start skipping Windows entirely.
 
Steam's massive library exists precisely because they don't make mandates like this to developers.
 
less than 3% of Steam users run Linux, despite the push the Steam Deck gave Linux.
and their hardware survey also shows really well why Linux support is not viable for most devs...

even on Steam, where Arch Linux should be by far the biggest distro used (given that SteamOS is based on Arch), only 0.39% use Arch... the total Linux users are 2.7% of all users. so Arch isn't even close to the majority. and that splintered landscape that is Linux makes it almost impossible to support Linux, unless all devs just agree to only support Arch in order to consolidate game support on Linux by focusing on only a single Distro... which would probably give the Linux community as a whole an aneurysm.
 
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With all the effort Steam put into making Windows games run on Linux I would be surprised if they care which OS developers build on.
 
I heard Gabe has threatened to kidnap your dog if you don't develop a native linux version of your game. Why do they call it kidnap if it is a dog? Wouldn't that be dognap? My dog naps all the time.

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Valve is not in a position to force developers, they have zero leverage and it's not in the company DNA.
When Linux users make up a sizeable portion of the user base it'll happen naturally.
 
jshackles said:
Steam's massive library exists precisely because they don't make mandates like this to developers.
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I didn't mean to force developers as in mandate a Linux version. I meant to say Steam will encourage them. If steam makes a home console and eventually the deck and their home console has as big install based as Xbox, then many third parties will make native Linux versions

Linux becomes a viable alternative for PC gamers. Eventually some devs will skip Windows entirely.
 
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With Proton you really don't need to. Only obstacle is multiplayer games that install malware like anti cheat software into windows kernel (Steam OS is incompatible with such software).
 
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Valve and Steam are in this position today because Gabe doesn't force any policy on to the developers and most of the time even pushing them to publish their games on other stores and platforms.
 
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kevboard said:
less than 3% of Steam users run Linux, despite the push the Steam Deck gave Linux.
and their hardware survey also shows really well why Linux support is not viable for most devs...

even on Steam, where Arch Linux should be by far the biggest distro used (given that SteamOS is based on Arch), only 0.39% use Arch... the total Linux users are 2.7% of all users. so Arch isn't even close to the majority. and that splintered landscape that is Linux makes it almost impossible to support Linux, unless all devs just agree to only support Arch in order to consolidate game support on Linux by focusing on only a single Distro... which would probably give the Linux community as a whole an aneurysm.
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I've tried ubuntu once coming from windows and its one of the most horrible experience I've had with a computer. everything is cmd, cmd, cmd

literally wasted hours just to find the right command to install a program where the windows counterpart is as simple as clicking "next". cmd is faster my ass 👎
 
digimaster7 said:
I've tried ubuntu once coming from windows and its one of the most horrible experience I've had with a computer. everything is cmd, cmd, cmd

literally wasted hours just to find the right command to install a program where the windows counterpart is as simple as clicking "next". cmd is faster my ass 👎
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Grandpa is that you ?
 
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digimaster7 said:
I've tried ubuntu once coming from windows and its one of the most horrible experience I've had with a computer. everything is cmd, cmd, cmd

literally wasted hours just to find the right command to install a program where the windows counterpart is as simple as clicking "next". cmd is faster my ass 👎
Click to expand...
Similar story here, I understand that Linux is used for stability, exclusively using it in products at work (industrial computers) and I've dabbled with Linux privately enough to know I don't want it on my gaming PCs. Doing anything out of the ordinary on Steam Deck also rise my level of frustration like if I'm playing Silksong.


However, I think the existence of SteamOS is great to push Microsoft to improve Windows.

No joke, the best thing that could happen to Windows right now is likely a successful launch of a new series of Steam Machines.

All the talk around the Xbox Ally unveil and talk about future Xbox and making Windows better for gaming and removing background processes and making the compact mode for Xbox App etc, it all comes from the threat from SteamOS. Steam Deck has also improved Windows.

Competition is great! For the consumer.
 
I think Proton is a really good solution as it solves lots of logistical issues with bringing games to Linux. To my knowledge, it also requires little to no input from the developers to implement. Valve themselves funded a lot of Proton's development.
 
Wishfull thinking, no matter what people say, Linux is not viable for mainstream.
If you really think this will ever happen i also have a bridge to sell you.
There is a reason why consoles are sold so much and it has nothing to do with the brands behind them.
 
It's intuitive that native versions would be "the best", but it's not practical for several huge reasons. The translation from the ms junk everyone uses has been working out great. If a game runs great with proton, what exactly is the benefit? Lots of our modern software runs on platforms on top of platforms on top of platforms. It's fine.
 
Same ol G said:
There is a reason why consoles are sold so much and it has nothing to do with the brands behind them.
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Now you're thinking about the UI. Going by Steam Deck that's not really a problem, it's 99% like using a console, smooth and seamless. Unless you really want to you never have to go out to Linux desktop. The last 1% is about optimization, unlike consoles there is no hardware specific optimization and some games can run like crap and you wish you never bought them. That's a real problem.
 
digimaster7 said:
I've tried ubuntu once coming from windows and its one of the most horrible experience I've had with a computer. everything is cmd, cmd, cmd

literally wasted hours just to find the right command to install a program where the windows counterpart is as simple as clicking "next". cmd is faster my ass 👎
Click to expand...
images
 
I wish, but Proton did the exact opposite: removing all the pressure from devs to even care about native Linux versions of their software. As long as they know their build works with the latest Proton versions, they can consider their job done and even get the nice "Steam Deck verified" badge.

Another thing to consider is - afaik - that a Steam "Linux" game runs on Linux because Valve has put a lot of work into Steam's libs and a host of sandboxing type tech to make sure that it does. So it's not like these pieces of software can run "on their own" on this OS, which is still a chaotic patchwork of endless libraries and constantly outdated dependencies of dependencies of dependencies.
 
It still sounds like a niche thing, for example with Baulders Gate 3 the only reason that even has a Linux native version is because ONE DEVELOPER wanted better performance on his Steam Deck when playing the game.
 
Same ol G said:
Wishfull thinking, no matter what people say, Linux is not viable for mainstream.
If you really think this will ever happen i also have a bridge to sell you.
There is a reason why consoles are sold so much and it has nothing to do with the brands behind them.
Click to expand...
my little brother reasoning for exclusively playing on PS5 and not PC is because he can't be bothered to test/fiddle with the game settings for performance everytime there's a new game coming out

he just want to boot the game and play immediately, convenience is still king for some people
 
Once the Devs and Linux community find a happy medium with anti-cheat, its game over Windows. I will then fully embrace you, CachyOS. I'm patiently waiting.
 
Bernkastel said:
The Steam Deck has sold 3-4 million in 3 years. Valve may even be working on updating the Steam Box.

The next step for Valve is to pay AMD to make a custom SOC. Eventually Valve may get numbers rivalling Playstation and Nintendo in their "consoles". Many devs will start making native Linux versions of their games.

As Xbox exits hardware, Steam enters the space as an alternative. Eventually Linux will get the same native 3rd party support as Xbox. This will incentivize many PC users to go full Linux. Eventually Windows may become the less attractive choice and some devs will start skipping Windows entirely.
Click to expand...

You Sony guys really got to take a step back and think. Lol

If 3 to 4 million is enough of a market for Devs to invest in creating native versions of games for Linux do you think they will ever drop Xbox consoles and windows?

That could get at minimum that same amount of sales?
 
I've been a Linux user for 20+ years, and I think the system is fine as it is now. Proton does the job nicely, so no need to make changes.
 
Topher said:
This is what makes Proton brilliant
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It's really quite amazing. I recall trying out Steam on Linux when it first was announced. My experience went like "OK, Dota 2 (one of the few "big" native games at the time) wants to download some gigabytes of patches and then still refuses to run". Rinse and repeat every time I repeated the experiment, hence I gave up rather quickly. Also gaming with Wine at the time was hit and miss, more often the latter.

Fast forward to April last year. The Fallout series (I really liked S1, even though some of the plot twists towards the end were very much in the "ehh" category) made me want to replay FO3 and NV, but I had donated my 360 to a friend ages ago. So I ordered a Steam Deck. But while waiting for it, for shits-n-giggles I decided to give them a go on this work laptop (12th gen i7 + Intel IGP) running Linux (Arch, I'm obliged to mention, I think it's in the EULA). And to my surprise, with Proton, it worked flawlessly. Ran very well even, given that this is not exactly a gaming laptop.
 
Bernkastel said:
I meant it if the Steambox is successful, devs will make native Linux versions of games. If it gets the same level of 3rd party support as Xbox, more PC gamers will run Linux.
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Some devs do opt to make native Linux versions though. It's at their own discretion and not forced upon them, which is how it should be when it comes to shipping PC games.

store.steampowered.com

SteamOS + Linux Titles

Steam Store Hub
store.steampowered.com store.steampowered.com
 
No. Linux is like 5% of the entire install base.

It will never be a big enough priority. As shit as Windows has been in recent years, it is not replaceable. For a small handful of users it is, but not for most.
 
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Per the steam hardware survey only 2.68% of Steam users are using Linux, and of those 90%+ are probably content with using Proton like me. Sure native linux versions can give much better performance but aren't absolutely necessary.

Rather than mandating native linux builds it would be much more beneficial, and far less burdensome on developers, to just mandate games don't include kernel level anti-cheat that isn't compatible with Linux/Proton.

"Eventually Valve may get numbers rivalling Playstation and Nintendo in their "consoles". "

Not going to happen. The Steam Deck is immensely well liked in the pc gaming community, and has sold around 5m units in 3.5 years. Because there are many hardware options, you don't need a device made by valve to play steam games. Though they could certainly give the next xbox a run for it's money as that's unlikely to break the 10m mark and they'd be essentially the same device.

The main difference would be the next xbox supposedly can play your console library, but when you can just get a steam key of your old games for $2 and run them far better than the console builds... what's the point. Why would you run the Series X build of Cyberpunk on your new powerful machine and not the PC build with max PC settings, modding capability and completely unlocked res/fps targets.
 
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Why? Wine/proton can run just about anything. Now it's stuff like kernel level anti cheats and drm that's blocking a few games. Valves priority is to give devs alternatives.

But also it's almost impossible to stop because your pc needs everyone's position in a game to work.
 
I think the opposite has happened: Steam has shown that devs don't need to bother with bespoke Linux versions because Proton does a good enough job.
 
Ellis said:
No. Linux is like 5% of the entire install base.

It will never be a big enough priority. As shit as Windows has been in recent years, it is not replaceable. For a small handful of users it is, but not for most.
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It only becomes replaceable if/when NVIDIA drivers and support on Linux reach parity with Windows, both in terms of features and performance.

Until then, Linux gaming on anything but handhelds will be niche because there's zero serious reason to choose Linux over Windows for gaming on desktops.
 
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