Note: This is an editorial, all of this is my personal opinion, it seems some people in the comments forget what editorials are for.
It's always fun when I see lots of websites talking about how many games Linux now has on Steam, as the number itself doesn't really mean all that much. So, I have decided to do my take on it.
It's true that it's a milestone (1505 right now), but the truth of the matter is that it's just a number. It may sound like a lot, but the vast majority of the games are very niche, mobile ports and not all that many high quality AAA titles that will actually push Linux and SteamOS adoption properly.
Put any fanboy tendencies you have aside for a moment (as hard as it may be for some people, myself included), and think about what other people see. We're already massive Linux gaming fans, but not everyone is because of the lack of AAA games.
Looking at it, Windows has 6478 games right now, so while it looks like we are gaining ground, plenty of games still release without a Linux version. I don't see this gap being filled any time soon, but hopefully with the release of Steam Machines it might pick up a bit.
It has gotten better thanks to Aspyr, Feral, VP and a few others, but it simply isn't enough right now. I am eagerly awaiting the many ports still to come, as we do still have some decent games to come.
On a very positive note - what I do like to see though, is that 7 out of 10 of the highest rated games on Steam are available for Linux, now that's something that pleases me more than the overall number of games that we have available.
Long live Linux. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
It's always fun when I see lots of websites talking about how many games Linux now has on Steam, as the number itself doesn't really mean all that much. So, I have decided to do my take on it.
It's true that it's a milestone (1505 right now), but the truth of the matter is that it's just a number. It may sound like a lot, but the vast majority of the games are very niche, mobile ports and not all that many high quality AAA titles that will actually push Linux and SteamOS adoption properly.
Put any fanboy tendencies you have aside for a moment (as hard as it may be for some people, myself included), and think about what other people see. We're already massive Linux gaming fans, but not everyone is because of the lack of AAA games.
Looking at it, Windows has 6478 games right now, so while it looks like we are gaining ground, plenty of games still release without a Linux version. I don't see this gap being filled any time soon, but hopefully with the release of Steam Machines it might pick up a bit.
It has gotten better thanks to Aspyr, Feral, VP and a few others, but it simply isn't enough right now. I am eagerly awaiting the many ports still to come, as we do still have some decent games to come.
On a very positive note - what I do like to see though, is that 7 out of 10 of the highest rated games on Steam are available for Linux, now that's something that pleases me more than the overall number of games that we have available.
Long live Linux. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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oldrocker99 Sep 24, 2015
A pretty big debate here, people. My own list of what I consider AAA Linux games 
(for me, anyway).
Age of Wonders III
Bastion
BioShock Infinite
Borderlands 2
Crusader Kings II
Dominions 4 (yes, it's my own list)
Don't Starve
Empire:Total War
Europa Universalis IV
Pandora: First Contact
Pillars of Eternity
Planetary Annihilation (plus PA:TITANS)
CIV V
Torchlight II (and where, Steam, is the Linux TL 1, which runs very well?)
Tropico 5
War for the Overworld
Wasteland 2
The Witcher 2
XCOM: EU
...and there are more.
Yes, Steam Machines do not appear that they'll dominate the console market ;), but I've built a pretty good Steam Machine (and Everything Else Machine) for ~$450 (including parts I already had; I bought a case, and a MB, CPU and GPU; used the existing drives and RAM. Maximum PC magazine even had a BYO Steam Machine article.
Now, there are a lot of the :S: B games, for sure, but why whinge and complain? I, too, remember awaiting each new Humble Bundle for something, anything for Linux. I remember when Steam's Linux game list was almost all games already in various Humble Bundles. Things have progressed a long way from then. I can remember buying just about every game out for Linux, to encourage developers, and to find a gem amongst the offal :'( .
Now, I've become pretty picky; I already have more games than even I can find time for
, and AFAIK, there's practically noting to complain about. Yeah, there are still far too few RTS games and far too many FPS games. Nonetheless, I'm a pretty happy gamer and when I look at what's coming, I reach for my sunglasses.
Last edited by oldrocker99 on 25 September 2015 at 3:00 am UTC
(for me, anyway).Age of Wonders III
Bastion
BioShock Infinite
Borderlands 2
Crusader Kings II
Dominions 4 (yes, it's my own list)
Don't Starve
Empire:Total War
Europa Universalis IV
Pandora: First Contact
Pillars of Eternity
Planetary Annihilation (plus PA:TITANS)
CIV V
Torchlight II (and where, Steam, is the Linux TL 1, which runs very well?)
Tropico 5
War for the Overworld
Wasteland 2
The Witcher 2
XCOM: EU
...and there are more.
Yes, Steam Machines do not appear that they'll dominate the console market ;), but I've built a pretty good Steam Machine (and Everything Else Machine) for ~$450 (including parts I already had; I bought a case, and a MB, CPU and GPU; used the existing drives and RAM. Maximum PC magazine even had a BYO Steam Machine article.
Now, there are a lot of the :S: B games, for sure, but why whinge and complain? I, too, remember awaiting each new Humble Bundle for something, anything for Linux. I remember when Steam's Linux game list was almost all games already in various Humble Bundles. Things have progressed a long way from then. I can remember buying just about every game out for Linux, to encourage developers, and to find a gem amongst the offal :'( .
Now, I've become pretty picky; I already have more games than even I can find time for
, and AFAIK, there's practically noting to complain about. Yeah, there are still far too few RTS games and far too many FPS games. Nonetheless, I'm a pretty happy gamer and when I look at what's coming, I reach for my sunglasses.Last edited by oldrocker99 on 25 September 2015 at 3:00 am UTC
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