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Seven years ago today, Steam for Linux went into limited Beta

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Sometimes it only feels like it was a year or two ago but no, it has been seven years to the date since the valve was opened a little to let some Linux users get some Steam.

In that time, Valve have done a huge amount for Linux gaming. Sure, the whole Steam Machine and SteamOS idea didn't quite work out but thanks to the initial push we're still here. Not hard to imagine where Linux gaming would be without Valve, hardly any others really stepped up and took interest.

Likely thanks to their push, just over a year after the full public release of Steam for Linux in February 2013, GOG also entered the scene announcing their own support of Linux.

Valve have contributed to the Mesa graphics drivers, they helped push the Vulkan API, they fund DXVK and D9VK for translating various version of Direct3D into Vulkan, teamed up with CodeWeavers to bring Wine and everything together into their new Steam Play and so much more.

Truly incredible some of the games we have available now, despite being a minority platform. Going by Valves own survey, we're currently less than 1% (0.83%). When Valve last gave out their monthly active users count back in January, they said it was 90 million which puts the monthly active Linux gamers somewhere around 747,000. Every time I take a look at my own Steam library taking that into account, it's pretty amazing. Hopefully there's many more to come, both users and games.

Who knows what's coming in future. Perhaps something called Steam Cloud Gaming? Happy sort-of birthday, Steam for Linux. Thanks for all the fun Valve.

I hope you like my little joke achievement pop-up there, that took me way longer than I would care to admit.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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About the author -
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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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29 comments
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Kors Nov 6, 2019
It was and is, an adveture indeed.
I'm new to Linux, but enjoying everyday.
Maybe its only me, but once in Linux, I feel like in the early days of PC Gaming. Always searching for a new game compatible and cheerishing when a native arrives.
I was ready to throw away my library when Proton get almost it all back.
Very cool days to use Linux.

Ps: sorry for my lacking english.
Mohandevir Nov 6, 2019
Quoting: KorsI'm new to Linux, but enjoying everyday.

Welcome aboard! :)
Tchey Nov 6, 2019
I was there. And still am. And very probably will be.
gustavoyaraujo Nov 6, 2019
I have almost 500 games on my Steam, most of them have Linux support. Thanks Valve, awesome work.
dubigrasu Nov 6, 2019
Love the achievement "screenshot", very well done, for a couple of seconds I thought it was for real somehow.
Kimyrielle Nov 6, 2019
It has been a great time for us! The one negative thing about this story that actually surprised me is that our market share is still the very same 1% it was before Steam for Linux launched. I would have bet that with all these games available now and Windows 10 the buggy spyware it is, it would be higher by now... oO


Last edited by Kimyrielle on 6 November 2019 at 9:28 pm UTC
Koopacabras Nov 6, 2019
All Hail our saviour Lord Gabe

Luke_Nukem Nov 7, 2019
Can someone GIMP this image? You know what needs to be done.



We all know who really loves Linux.


Last edited by Luke_Nukem on 7 November 2019 at 12:55 am UTC
Captain_Rage Nov 7, 2019
Thank you for everything, Valve.
Vulphere Nov 7, 2019
Thank you for your contributions to Linux gaming ecosystem, Valve.

It would be hard to imagine what would happen in Linux gaming without Valve's push.
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