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The latest Steam Hardware Survey is out

By - | Views: 29,614
Another month, and another Steam Hardware Survey.

First of all, here's the overall market share:
Linux overall for March
0.85% - 0.06%

Ubuntu 15.10 64 bit 0.19% 0.00%
Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS 64 bit 0.17% +0.17%
Linux Mint 17.3 Rosa 64 bit 0.09% 0.00%
Linux 64 bit 0.08% - 0.01%

Onto my usual point: At face value you might assume Linux use is just dropping. It's likely that growth in general has just outpaced Linux growth. So don't be too sad about it.

As for Distribution popularity, Ubuntu still remains top dog.
Linux by itself
Ubuntu 15.10 64 bit 20.20% +0.83%
Ubuntu 14.04.4 LTS 64 bit 17.78% +17.78%
Linux Mint 17.3 Rosa 64 bit 9.84% +0.12%
Linux 64 bit 8.74% -0.46%
Other 43.44% -1.13%

You know me by now. I don't think these statistics are really to be trusted. One of the main problems is that we have no idea how they are sampling the data, and we don't know how we are supposed to read it.

SteamOS and Steam Big Picture do not get the survey yet either. That's a chunk of people we already know that aren't even counted.

So basically, business as usual, we are doing fine. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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47 comments
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Beamboom Apr 2, 2016
The numbers are so steady and tendency so consistent that I don't think there's much reason to doubt the numbers that much any more. Had they been very untrustworthy the variations from month to month would have been a lot greater.
Beamboom Apr 2, 2016
Quoting: Guest
Quoting: seveni don't know anyone who uses steamOs, i honestly think not alot of people use it

Most everyone who buys a Steam Machine?

How many do you know who's done that?

... Exactly.


Last edited by Beamboom on 2 April 2016 at 3:16 pm UTC
Mountain Man Apr 2, 2016
Quoting: PeciskMust be spring or something, you are way too optimistic for Linux gamer.
It's the summer of Linux!
Mountain Man Apr 2, 2016
Quoting: BeamboomThe numbers are so steady and tendency so consistent that I don't think there's much reason to doubt the numbers that much any more. Had they been very untrustworthy the variations from month to month would have been a lot greater.
All that means is that the survey methodology is apparently consistent and not that the numbers are necessarily accurate.


Last edited by Mountain Man on 2 April 2016 at 3:26 pm UTC
whatever Apr 2, 2016
Let's face it, every statistical indicator tells us that Linux gaming is practically non-existant, with percentages so low to be almost considered just noise.
If games are still published with (seldom good) Linux support, it's only because Valve, which is now terrified by the Windows-XBox convergence, is pouring big dollars to convince the publishers to do so.

And this is hardly surprising, given the fact that there are zero-nada-null-zilch reasons for a PC gamer to not use Windows.
Games (the very few that have Linux support) perform worse 90% of the times, no modding tools, no recording/streaming tools, no community tools, very limited hardware/configuration support for controllers, lots of games don't even work on AMD cards ffs! .... etc.

Given the grim situation, I would say 0.85% is a surprisingly high value.
Renzatic Gear Apr 2, 2016
For the first time ever, I finally saw the Steam survey pop up while in Ubuntu.
whitewolfguy Apr 2, 2016
Quoting: barottoAnd this is hardly surprising, given the fact that there are zero-nada-null-zilch reasons for a PC gamer to not use Windows.
Given the grim situation, I would say 0.85% is a surprisingly high value.

There are many reasons for a regular user to use Linux (stability, security, better update system, more customization options, the O.S. is free and you do not need to resort to piracy, ...) therefore it would be great to take all these advantages to PC gamers, the Linux devantagens cited by you, not are because Windows is better as a S.O. , but because manufacturers/developers of games still do not give due attention to Linux. And the monopoly of Microsft is good for PC gamers? And with all the current disadvantages Linux still has almost 1% of the players of Steam, imagine if support for Linux was equal to Windows? As this percentage would go up?


Last edited by whitewolfguy on 2 April 2016 at 6:59 pm UTC
Pecisk Apr 2, 2016
Quoting: barottoLet's face it, every statistical indicator tells us that Linux gaming is practically non-existant, with percentages so low to be almost considered just noise.
If games are still published with (seldom good) Linux support, it's only because Valve, which is now terrified by the Windows-XBox convergence, is pouring big dollars to convince the publishers to do so.

And this is hardly surprising, given the fact that there are zero-nada-null-zilch reasons for a PC gamer to not use Windows.
Games (the very few that have Linux support) perform worse 90% of the times, no modding tools, no recording/streaming tools, no community tools, very limited hardware/configuration support for controllers, lots of games don't even work on AMD cards ffs! .... etc.

Given the grim situation, I would say 0.85% is a surprisingly high value.

Fact you throw everything in one bag despite each case being different - controllers are very well supported on Linux, OBS says hello regarding streaming and recording, no community tools? What, do we need some special Skype version to be considered? Lot of games don't even work on AMD cards properly even on Windows platform.

But sure, be that "Linux is doomed" guy. It is cheap, and false, but you knew already that anyway.
stss Apr 2, 2016
Something else to think about is that Linux gamers might also be switching to playing solely on big picture/steamOS at a higher ratio than non-Linux gamers. Which excludes them from the survey.

At first glance you might think that the percentage should still stay the same because some windows users are doing the same thing. However, I'd imagine that Linux users would have a much larger percentage of people interested in steamOS than the general steam population. Even if it's just for testing purposes. So you would expect that our relative percentage in steams survey would drop as more people would be missing the survey due to SteamOS.


Last edited by stss on 2 April 2016 at 5:12 pm UTC
Pecisk Apr 2, 2016
Quoting: GuestLinux is still largely unknown and when it is known it's often thought of as something too hard and horrible to use. Even many "geeks" have this outdated attitude about Linux.

And also there's certain doom and gloom and disbelief because of years of broken promises...and it is somewhat self-fulfilling prophecy at this point.
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