Something I keep seeing repeated in our comments, forum and across other sites is people believing Valve have somehow failed already and are abandoning SteamOS. That's far from the truth of the matter.
To re-iterate something I've said every time: SteamOS was never, ever going to be an overnight success. New platforms generally take quite some time to make a difference, but SteamOS has already made a massive difference to Linux gaming.
SteamOS is still a very new platform for Valve and for everyone. Does anyone remember what Steam itself was like a few years ago? It was horrific. It still has tons of problems even now, but it is improving at a reasonable pace. In a few years SteamOS will probably be quite different to what we have today.
I've spoken to a few developers over the years and one thing is quite clear to me. If it wasn't for SteamOS there is no way we would be getting the types of games we have been getting for the past few years. We also wouldn't have as big a push as we have seen in pushing our graphics drivers forward, as a lot of it is thanks to people testing games and sending in feedback from the experience.
Only recently has SteamOS been updated to include a Vulkan driver for Nvidia and the new AMD GPU PRO driver.
Vulkan
Vulkan is the next-generation graphics API that will see Linux/SteamOS hopefully progress even further with a possible promise of improved performance. We have already seen Talos improve quite a bit with it and going by benchmarks out there for Dota 2 it has also improved performance.
Vulkan is still in its infancy and it is being regularly updated with the community to improve it.
Open source drivers
Look at how far MESA has come along even in the past two months. It's incredible. Not only is it gaining support for modern versions of OpenGL, but it's looking like performance is steadily going up too. This is particularly good news for Intel and AMD users.
Games
In the last six months alone we have seen titles like F1 2015, Tomb Raider, Stellaris, Saints Row: The Third, Medieval II: Total War Collection, Payday 2, XCOM 2, Dying Light: Enhanced Edition, American Truck Simulator, GRID Autosport, Total War: ATTILA and the list just goes on and on without even getting into the popular smaller indie games. Linux gaming is expanding at a pretty great pace.
We have a lot to look forward to with plenty of titles not yet announced, some teased and an almost guaranteed steady flow of indie games.
It was only at the very end of march we mentioned that there was now 2,000 Linux/SteamOS games on Steam. Now only two months later we have another ~183 games on the platform.
If you want to help us keep track of games, check out our Release Calendar and submit missing games to it.
We also have a wiki page for Unreleased Ports that could use some community love. You knew we had a Wiki right?
Game engines
Unity, Unreal, Crytek and others have all made pushes towards OpenGL, Vulkan and Linux. Some are working well, some need work, but the point is we have some of the most widely used game engines now supporting Linux. This was another thing that was unheard of only a few years ago.
Not only that, but some major game engines have recently become more open with their code.
The amount of Linux gamers
It's really hard to tell this accurately, so take this with a pinch of salt, but a recent editorial right here on GOL had an interesting way to calculate it. Taking that into consideration, Linux use on Steam is at an all time high.
How can you help?
Buy Linux games from legitimate stores. Steam, Humble Store, GOG, Games Republic and itch.io are a few choices. Try to make sure you're counted as a Linux sale.
Stop buying games on promises of a future Linux version. Wait. You are in control of your own wallet. A good bit of reading is our Samsai's thoughts "On pre-orders and other nasty buying habits".
Advertise Linux to your friends and family, let them know about it, show it to them.
I've been around Linux Gaming for about 10 years now, believe me when I say what we have is bloody awesome. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
To re-iterate something I've said every time: SteamOS was never, ever going to be an overnight success. New platforms generally take quite some time to make a difference, but SteamOS has already made a massive difference to Linux gaming.
SteamOS is still a very new platform for Valve and for everyone. Does anyone remember what Steam itself was like a few years ago? It was horrific. It still has tons of problems even now, but it is improving at a reasonable pace. In a few years SteamOS will probably be quite different to what we have today.
I've spoken to a few developers over the years and one thing is quite clear to me. If it wasn't for SteamOS there is no way we would be getting the types of games we have been getting for the past few years. We also wouldn't have as big a push as we have seen in pushing our graphics drivers forward, as a lot of it is thanks to people testing games and sending in feedback from the experience.
Only recently has SteamOS been updated to include a Vulkan driver for Nvidia and the new AMD GPU PRO driver.
Vulkan
Vulkan is the next-generation graphics API that will see Linux/SteamOS hopefully progress even further with a possible promise of improved performance. We have already seen Talos improve quite a bit with it and going by benchmarks out there for Dota 2 it has also improved performance.
Vulkan is still in its infancy and it is being regularly updated with the community to improve it.
Open source drivers
Look at how far MESA has come along even in the past two months. It's incredible. Not only is it gaining support for modern versions of OpenGL, but it's looking like performance is steadily going up too. This is particularly good news for Intel and AMD users.
Games
In the last six months alone we have seen titles like F1 2015, Tomb Raider, Stellaris, Saints Row: The Third, Medieval II: Total War Collection, Payday 2, XCOM 2, Dying Light: Enhanced Edition, American Truck Simulator, GRID Autosport, Total War: ATTILA and the list just goes on and on without even getting into the popular smaller indie games. Linux gaming is expanding at a pretty great pace.
We have a lot to look forward to with plenty of titles not yet announced, some teased and an almost guaranteed steady flow of indie games.
It was only at the very end of march we mentioned that there was now 2,000 Linux/SteamOS games on Steam. Now only two months later we have another ~183 games on the platform.
If you want to help us keep track of games, check out our Release Calendar and submit missing games to it.
We also have a wiki page for Unreleased Ports that could use some community love. You knew we had a Wiki right?
Game engines
Unity, Unreal, Crytek and others have all made pushes towards OpenGL, Vulkan and Linux. Some are working well, some need work, but the point is we have some of the most widely used game engines now supporting Linux. This was another thing that was unheard of only a few years ago.
Not only that, but some major game engines have recently become more open with their code.
The amount of Linux gamers
It's really hard to tell this accurately, so take this with a pinch of salt, but a recent editorial right here on GOL had an interesting way to calculate it. Taking that into consideration, Linux use on Steam is at an all time high.
How can you help?
Buy Linux games from legitimate stores. Steam, Humble Store, GOG, Games Republic and itch.io are a few choices. Try to make sure you're counted as a Linux sale.
Stop buying games on promises of a future Linux version. Wait. You are in control of your own wallet. A good bit of reading is our Samsai's thoughts "On pre-orders and other nasty buying habits".
Advertise Linux to your friends and family, let them know about it, show it to them.
I've been around Linux Gaming for about 10 years now, believe me when I say what we have is bloody awesome. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Great post Liam, very insightful as usual.
As I may already have stated, I switched from gaming on consoles and working on Linux to doing both on Linux without feeling any shortage.
In itself it is already a great sign and I'm still looking forward to seeing what's next.
As I may already have stated, I switched from gaming on consoles and working on Linux to doing both on Linux without feeling any shortage.
In itself it is already a great sign and I'm still looking forward to seeing what's next.
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Good post Liam. I think we should consider how big the Windows gaming market was when games started coming to Linux.
I remain hopeful as there have been some pretty interesting games released for Linux lately and we will likely see many more once Vulkan gets further in the development process. I imagine that some developers / publishers are holding off until they can use Vulkan in a good development stage.
I remain hopeful as there have been some pretty interesting games released for Linux lately and we will likely see many more once Vulkan gets further in the development process. I imagine that some developers / publishers are holding off until they can use Vulkan in a good development stage.
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Quoting: STiATWe're lucky for that, but we're just beta testers for their real business goals. [...] Valve is scared not of the Microsoft store, but of Google Play.
Very interesting read! Many people are already carrying a little computer around and those won't get weaker...
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I've been a Linux user for quite a while now, way before the Steam craze hit. The bottom line is that in the gaming world Linux is still a niche market and will be few years from now. Sorry but that's the reality. People have been preaching the same stuff about the Linux desktop market for years now. Making games is a business and to make money you focus on the larger market share - which is Windows. People that say stuff regarding Linux going away usually haven't been in the Linux World very long.
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Some things to remember.
SteamOS and the Linux gaming scene valve is pushing was in response to a Windows walled garden. Microsoft backed off but Valve is still working on things just not as fevered as it once was now it's more of a insurance policy with the possibility of being much more still. However the fact they didn't just walk away shows they're still interested in growing the platform.
As someone mentioned previously, games and games and more games. The Linux catalog is now more than many doomed game consoles. There will be more!
Valve + DOTA2... Okay so DOTA2 is ushering in vulkan, this is HUGE!
There are some bad points, cancellations, delays and other things (poor performant/broken games being my personal pet peeve), however as time goes on with vulkan/top tier cross platform engine based games this will hopefully start becoming less and less of an issue.
SteamOS and the Linux gaming scene valve is pushing was in response to a Windows walled garden. Microsoft backed off but Valve is still working on things just not as fevered as it once was now it's more of a insurance policy with the possibility of being much more still. However the fact they didn't just walk away shows they're still interested in growing the platform.
As someone mentioned previously, games and games and more games. The Linux catalog is now more than many doomed game consoles. There will be more!
Valve + DOTA2... Okay so DOTA2 is ushering in vulkan, this is HUGE!
There are some bad points, cancellations, delays and other things (poor performant/broken games being my personal pet peeve), however as time goes on with vulkan/top tier cross platform engine based games this will hopefully start becoming less and less of an issue.
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I just need - let me repeat that, NEED - Vive confirmed to support Linux. Like, really confirmed. A timeline, estimation of date, something that leaves no doubt. Not the promo rush they were on a year ago or so, but something real.
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One thing I didn't mention is the new way Windows Store will have games in a walled garden. This is why Steam and other stores will be increasingly important.
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Quoting: liamdaweOne thing I didn't mention is the new way Windows Store will have games in a walled garden. This is why Steam and other stores will be increasingly important.
I posted this above but this was and is the primary reason SteamOS exists. They were going to make it impossible to install any software outside of a "app store" like interface. With crazy regulations put on distribution applications like steam (not only compliance but an insane amount of the revenue) The funny thing is how many windows users got up in arms about it but the comical part is how secure it would of made windows compared to how it was/is. users are their computers own worst enemy. However thanks to MS greed we have Linux games, I'm good with that... keep making "friends" MS!
edit: derp...
I should make it clear that was the original app store model the one they're implementing now is obviously not as rigid.
Last edited by Xzyl on 30 May 2016 at 4:03 pm UTC
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Mountain Man May 30, 2016
Quoting: wojtek88- Valve have made super discrete launch of Steam Machines. If I wasn't following this site everyday I guess I would miss Steam machines launch.I was at my local GameStop recently, and there was a prominent SteamOS display featuring the Steam Controller and a couple of Steam Machines. A retail presence in the biggest gaming franchise in the US is a pretty big deal.
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Mountain Man May 30, 2016
Quoting: Linux tayshadyThe fact that you're posting this news article and not news about big games coming out on Linux is a big tell though.Oh, come on, this website is frequently posting articles about upcoming and just-released games.
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