Linux/Steam fans, rejoice.

[Mindf!3ldzX]

Your time has come! Steam to arrive on Linux “in the coming months” | VG247

[golden_boy]

If this is true, I might actually use it.

I guess they're trying to stay ahead of the competition, and Linux support is one thing that might do that.

Given that a ton of Windows games actually run quite well under Linux / wine.

I regularly play Stalker, Mount & Blade, the various Tomb Raiders, the Unreal Anthology and the Black Isle RPGs under Wine. Lately I have been playing Icewind Dale II via wine, to my satisfaction.

Wine even runs Bioshock, although it is much slower than native windows for me. But what you can run and how well it runs seems to slightly differ from user to user, depending on hardware.

For those who don't know it yet, the Wine AppDB has details and test reports for Windows games under Linux.

WineHQ - Wine Application Database

Sure, we could run Steam under wine, but anything that does networking I don't trust if it doesn't run natively. Besides native is always nicer, a lot nicer.

the firm is working on Linux-compatible titles

I hope they port Source to Linux, and if they do, I will buy all their games.



I'm waiting.

[Phenom]

Yes!!!

This is awesome news and I've been tracking it for years!

While it won't make Windows XP go away for me for specific reasons(work.) I'll definitely be enjoying Linux much more!

[bluntz]

Still buggy,I got it but it needs a few workarounds to make it run right.I get directx 10 error launching assassins creed anyway.Likely caused by my choice of xp emu

[Mindf!3ldzX]

Well, this move by Steam is the first real step in making Linux a viable alternative to Windows when it comes to gaming..(In the real world,not the opinionated world)

AFAIK, only an elitest linux user even bothers with +making+ any damn game work in the Linux enviroment. I have zero doubts that Steam will streamline gaming + linux into making sense. If they succeed, look out Windows.... No more "gaming" monopoly on PC.


ONION?

[Phenom]

Well, this move by Steam is the first real step in making Linux a viable alternative to Windows when it comes to gaming..(In the real world,not the opinionated world)

AFAIK, only an elitest linux user even bothers with +making+ any damn game work in the Linux enviroment. I have zero doubts that Steam will streamline gaming + linux into making sense. If they succeed, look out Windows.... No more "gaming" monopoly on PC.


ONION?

I didn't know you <3'd so much over Linux?

[Baker]

There should be more companies like Steam. Steam even setup shop in Russia.

They are forward thinking.

[bluntz]

There should be more companies like Steam. Steam even setup shop in Russia.

They are forward thinking.

Check out Desura
Games & Mods | Desura
Also of note is POL for Wine
Wine Reviews your source for Windows Applications and Games on Linux and Mac | | Wine Reviews

[golden_boy]

Tons of Ubuntu newbies are already running windows games on Linux, and those types are definitely not super-nerds. It's not rocket science. Usually there are precise instructions on the game's Wine AppDB page, as well as instructive multi-page threads on Linux forums ("WOW under wine", and similar).

Nope, nothing elite about it, it's done every day by newbies even.

The advantage of Windows is that the game will run out of the box, without bothering to follow written instructions (2/3rds of the American population are too lazy to read and can barely be bothered to rip open the packaging, which is why Steam exists).

Same for consoles. Windows is pretty close to a game console on your PC.

Edit: I should have said that reading, and having an attention span, is of course pretty elite these days - I'll give you that.

[Phenom]

You want to work harder to play your games? O_o

I consider Linux a much more productive environment to work in as I didn't want to:
"sudo apt-get install wine wine-essentials wine-tricks | wine /etc/bin/Crysys2.exe -opengl"

all the time. Steam coming over to Linux for me means I can play all my Steam games without having to reboot into Windows.

because I'm that lazy... O_o

[Mindf!3ldzX]

Tons of Ubuntu newbies are already running windows games on Linux, and those types are definitely not super-nerds. It's not rocket science. Usually there are precise instructions on the game's Wine AppDB page, as well as instructive multi-page threads on Linux forums ("WOW under wine", and similar).

Nope, nothing elite about it, it's done every day by newbies even.

The advantage of Windows is that the game will run out of the box, without bothering to follow written instructions (2/3rds of the American population are too lazy to read and can barely be bothered to rip open the packaging, which is why Steam exists).

Same for consoles. Windows is pretty close to a game console on your PC.

Edit: I should have said that reading, and having an attention span, is of course pretty elite these days - I'll give you that.

thats the point I wish to convey, except that there should be an alernative to the "out of box playability" , and I'm betting any variant of Steam on Linux will bring the same fluid functionality of /purchase/download/install/play. If this is reached, then PC gamers can ask themselves Do they really need Windows?

Competition Drives Innovation