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Note: Multiple updates at the bottom.

Sad news, Facepunch are no longer selling the Linux version of their survival game Rust [Official Site] after removing mentions of Linux support yesterday from their Steam page.

Linux support has been available in Rust since 2013, along with continued support during Early Access and after the official release earlier this year. It was a bit of a surprise that we got an email from a reader, to mention that the Steam store page for Rust was no longer showing the SteamOS/Linux icon or listing it in the system requirements.

Thinking it was a mistake, since nothing was announced, I reached to Facepunch to which they replied with:

Hey dude - yeah we stopped selling Rust for Linux.

I did request more information as to why and will update this article if I receive any further information. To be fair, they haven't had a lot of time to respond again yet, but I feel it's important to get the word out.

It's possible it's due to issues with the Unity game engine, which has suffered some nuisance problems with their Linux support lately. We've gone through black screens, no input in fullscreen and the latest being double-input issues—all issues that have plagued a number of games that use Unity. All of which have been solved in updated versions of Unity though. Still, it has become more of a hassle for developers to support us due to issues like this repeatedly coming up.

To be clear on something though, it might only mean that they're not actively advertising it as a Linux supported game, while still allowing Linux users to buy it and play it—something a few other developers do as well. I highly doubt they would actually remove the Linux version, after it being around for so long.

Really sad about this, we have an active community-run server with plenty of people enjoying themselves on it. Sin has livestreamed plenty of it on our Twitch Channel, purchased skins and all. With all the additions to the game, it was really becoming quite interesting. Even I was also going to be jumping back in soon, so this has me a little down as I did quite enjoy the game as well.

As always, please remain respectful in the comments. Issues like this can become quite heated, but let's not go throwing any insults around. Now is a time to show your support, not have a war of words.

Updates

Garry responded on Twitter and said this:

We stopped selling Rust on Linux because we won't/don't give it the QA support it needs. There are situations where there's a Unity Linux bug that pops up, and we ship with it - because it's the right decision for 99.99% of our players.

And while 60% of Linux users are fine with this, they understand their position in this world, it's probably not the right thing to act like it's fine. So while we're still going to ship Linux updates and keep it up to date.. we're not going to sell it anymore.

Also Linux Community - being abusive, demanding, rude to the few developers actually shipping games to your favourite OS isn't the way to go. It makes me regret ever shipping Linux versions.

I've said it before and I will say it again: Developers are human, people do need to understand that and not resort to throwing insults around right away. Even so, if you sell a game on any platform you should be doing QA on it—there's no excuse for not doing it.

Update #2 - Here's what another developer said on Reddit:

Linux is and will still be supported but the decision to remove Linux from purchase was mainly based on multiple issues in the current Unity version (2018.1.4).

We're currently unable to downgrade to a Unity version which corrects these Linux issues and we're unable to upgrade Unity to 2018.2 due to a number of new issues.

Linux is in a state of limbo in which we're unable to resolve, instead of selling a broken platform we decided to remove it from purchase but still offer it to existing players.

Once Linux is in a working state we'll review the decision.

Hat tip to Basiani for letting us know.

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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Salvatos Jul 28, 2018
Yeah, I'd be a lot more pissed about a company selling a game with no guarantee that it works and will work for the foreseeable future. As far as I can tell they did the sensible thing here, regardless of why they can't or won't support the OS, which is entirely up to them as far as I'm concerned. Of course I'd probably make some kind of announcement and offer a refund to the people who bought it for Linux specifically shortly before they removed that guarantee, but I'm sure it's easier if those 17 people make that request themselves if they deem it necessary.
Xpander Jul 28, 2018
Some of the people here show exactly why we can't have nice things on Linux. Emotional Community, always hurt when something is said about their platform.

That's my opinion
jesta Jul 28, 2018
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Quoting: XpanderSome of the people here show exactly why we can't have nice things on Linux. Emotional Community, always hurt when something is said about their platform.

I agree with this message. That's all.
lucifertdark Jul 28, 2018
A bad workman always blames his tools, or in this case lack of tools, especially when he could fully solve that lack in less than an hour FOR FREE, it might take him a bit longer than that to get to grips with the complexities of Linux after spending so may years with Windows but it's not like he'd have to shell out for a whole new machine to run Linux on, it works on pretty much anything you throw it at these days & better than Windows in most cases.
nate Jul 28, 2018
Isn't this the same developer team that won't let you pick your own gender/race in their game? I can't say that I'm surprised by what happened. Their "vision" never appealed to me.
edo Jul 28, 2018
They did the right thing, I would have done the same.
riusma Jul 28, 2018
Their reasons are fine, and unofficial support is fine too (I've Arma3 and love it, and Everspace too before it was officially available on Linux)... but seriously, an average Linux customer has really to go to Gaming on Linux site, Twitter account of the lead developer or Reddit to have informations (all in reaction of the GoL article, without this article I'm not sure informations would be available on Twitter or Reddit)? Nothing in the game site, official Twitter accounts or Steam page... that's communication at its worst (I don't know how many persons they have for QA but they should seriously consider hiring someone for communication at least)...
Kuduzkehpan Jul 28, 2018
Beyond that Gary guy is at least full with hatred being developping games on linux platform- he mentioned that he wishes he havent develop linux build ever- So not selling an unsupported software to a part of users is a honorable decision.
if you really dieing for Rust go dual boot. or stop crying.
Perkeleen_Vittupää Jul 28, 2018
Quoting: XpanderSome of the people here show exactly why we can't have nice things on Linux. Emotional Community, always hurt when something is said about their platform.

That's my opinion

But without any of that passion, would the Linux platform be anywhere near in numbers for even a slightest of possibility for titles we have now...?

;)
tonR Jul 28, 2018
Quoting: nox
Quoting: tonRBTW, no pre-order and no early access. Always buy when it's available. That's what I learned after gaming on Linux.

Rust left early access at the start of this year and has had linux support for way longer, so whatever you are trying to say here doesn't apply.
Damn.... My bad. Well, I'm rarely into FPS nowadays so I'm probably unaware. Only watched on GoL & other Linux gamers streams occasionally.

Off-topic.
Yes, you as Linux gamers can be outrage and furious but being abusive and insulting-counter insulting is not best solution either.

And for developers... Eugene H. Krabs once said,

The money is always right!

So, take care of your 'money' well. Money isn't everything but losing money means you'll losing everything. That's what I learned being employee of small business.
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