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Valve seems to have removed the SteamPlay logo from Steam

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Something that didn't go unnoticed was that Valve has removed the SteamPlay logo from Steam store pages.

This is interesting, as it was a partial source of confusion amongst SteamOS/Linux gamers. Plenty of us know how to easily identify games that have Linux support, but there was plenty who didn't. People were genuinely getting confused about it all and I don't blame them.

What the "SteamPlay" text meant was essentially: you buy that game once, and get it on any operating system that particular game supports on Steam. It did not mean Linux/SteamOS support, as that was identified originally by the Tux icon and now the SteamOS icon. People were so confused I was asked to write about it before.

It's still confusing though, since the SteamOS icon is just the Steam logo. It's a step in the right direction of course, as now people can't think SteamPlay suddenly means SteamOS, but it's still pretty ambiguous considering it really is just the Steam logo.

What is also interesting is the fact that this could open up more games requiring a purchase across multiple platforms (it has happened before: see CoD Mac edition). Valve haven't announced anything on it, so we don't know what their intentions are.

The more likely conclusion (and what I hope), is that Steam won't allow developers and publishers to separate game purchases by platform.

They haven't even updated their official SteamPlay page back from when they used the Linux "Tux" logo.

This situation is clear as mud. I still think the Tux icon needs to make a return, even if it's in addition to the SteamOS logo. The SteamOS logo would then have a real purpose, to showcase games that are properly tested for SteamOS. 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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36 comments
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Luke_Nukem Nov 27, 2016
The Tux icon is fucking hideous though, and scales down like a lump of cow shit does to a rabbit dropping.

Ehvis Nov 27, 2016
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I remember looking it up way back when I signed up for Steam. To this day I have never seen a game that was multiplatform, but not steamplay. So either it was already forbidden to do so or publishers chose not to. I'm actually leaning towards the first because otherwise we would have seen at least a few to break the rule.
Xpander Nov 27, 2016
#bringbackthetux

seriously that steamOS logo is still confusing lots of people.

bring the tux back, everybody knows its a linux icon, even kind a newbie user who has just used computers for gaming.
dubigrasu Nov 27, 2016
I'm glad they're keeping the same icon for Steam and SteamOS. This tells me that Valve still believes in SteamOS future.
tmtvl Nov 28, 2016
Salt mining: replace the SteamOS icon by the Ubuntu icon. They're recommending Ubuntu on the Steam download page anyway.
aL Nov 28, 2016
Let them have a red banner in the game saying it doesnt have steamplay instead of showing it in 99.9% of games

And regarding the tux icon, I like it better the steamOS. Let them target their own OS.

Their win is our win. Let them do whatever they deem necessary. Nothing so far says they are not doing their best. They know their public

For those of you who think they could do better with linux, please reconsider. Bringing linux support to mostly every engine out there, fixing drivers and getting everybody on board is the brunt of the work. Nothing that last can be build without it

Also, they wont stop supporting windows no matter what
Guest Nov 28, 2016
Quoting: LukeNukemThe Tux icon is fucking hideous though, and scales down like a lump of cow shit does to a rabbit dropping.


I have to admit the logo doesnt scale well. It also looks a bit childish, but what else can we use, a stallman avatar ?
GustyGhost Nov 28, 2016
Quoting: meggermanI have to admit the logo doesnt scale well. It also looks a bit childish, but what else can we use, a stallman avatar ?

A silhouette of an actual penguin, perhaps?

ThePierrasse Nov 28, 2016
#MakeSteamTuxAgain
hm11 Nov 28, 2016
Good. I got confused a bunch of times and ended up buying some games that werent on linux... only to then later on get a refund.
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