Good news for SteamOS: Is Linux set to be the #2 gaming platform?

TheLizardbones

From a Slashot Article, Gaming On Linux looks at Linux sales of some popular indie games, and ponders whether or not Linux will be the #2 gaming platform any time soon.

 

Doesn't look like Linux is poised to be a gaming behemoth any time soon, but at the same time, nearly every indie developer they talked to was behind supporting Linux.  David Rosen, of Wolfire sums up the best reason to support Linux.  One percent of their sales are for Linux, which is teeny tiny.  On the other hand, the cost of porting their game Overgrowth to Linux was far less than the revenue they've earned from that 1% of sales, so it's profit that they would otherwise not have.  Nice.

 

With SteamOS coming soon, and tomorrows mainstream developers supportive of Linux, I think the future is bright for Linux as at least the #2 gaming platform of choice.

 

Nadia

i thought OSX was second?

http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/08/osx-killed-linux/

 

edit:  nevermind,  i didnt look at Ops link,  who knows?

 

worth noting that OSX is now free (if you own a mac)

 

SEANMCAD

Things in this space can happen very rapidly.

1. If hardware manufactures start to work better with Linux devs (which appears to be happening now as in the last few months)

2. If developers start to feel that Microsoft is not good for long term planning. (Microsoft has done nothing other than give these signals).

 

 

SirPKsAlot

Q: How do I install SteamOS?

A: The easiest method is an image-based install using CloneZilla. You will need to create a SteamOS System Restore USB stick to perform this install. The image provided here requires at least a 1TB disk.

 

umm...what? 1TB?

Pyatra

Originally posted by SirPKsAlot

Q: How do I install SteamOS?

A: The easiest method is an image-based install using CloneZilla. You will need to create a SteamOS System Restore USB stick to perform this install. The image provided here requires at least a 1TB disk.

 

umm...what? 1TB?

It's a set partition size, they don't need it, but it's the only image they got... if they used a 500Gb HD it would require 5Gb, its mostly empty space to put the games. Also... poor poor Apple, after all that "Innovation" Steve Jobs did in the last 5-8 years... pffft *snicker*

SEANMCAD

Guys...

 

Linux is not the issue.

Hardware manufacturers in bed with Microsoft is the issue.

 

and as it turns out those old realtionships are currently changing.

 

Quizzical

What counts as a gaming platform?  PS4?  Xbox One?  Xbox 360?  Consoles in general all grouped together?  iOS?  Android?  Specific versions of Android treated as separate platforms?  Specific distributions of Linux?  All variants of Linux including Android grouped together?

Because I'm sure that there is some way to group things such that Linux already is the #2 gaming platform.

SEANMCAD

Originally posted by Quizzical

What counts as a gaming platform?  PS4?  Xbox One?  Xbox 360?  Consoles in general all grouped together?  iOS?  Android?  Specific versions of Android treated as separate platforms?  Specific distributions of Linux?  All variants of Linux including Android grouped together?

Because I'm sure that there is some way to group things such that Linux already is the #2 gaming platform.

I would say any OS that is build from the core Linux OS is in the Linux family given that Forking is very common and basically encouraged to begin with.

 

Katinko

I think it's going to be great for devs to escape the stranglehold that MS has on certain elements of gaming (DirectX, etc)

TheLizardbones

Originally posted by Quizzical

What counts as a gaming platform?  PS4?  Xbox One?  Xbox 360?  Consoles in general all grouped together?  iOS?  Android?  Specific versions of Android treated as separate platforms?  Specific distributions of Linux?  All variants of Linux including Android grouped together?

Because I'm sure that there is some way to group things such that Linux already is the #2 gaming platform.

 

In this particular case "Linux" refers to PC desktop operating systems using the Linux kernel.  In short, any game that would be sold on Steam as a "Linux" game.