Open Ballot: does a lack of games hold Linux back?

Posted at 10:20am on Wednesday November 24th 2010

After getting sucked into Osmos last night when he should have been doing something far more useful, Andrew got to thinking about games on Linux. Osmos is beautiful, intelligent and original, but our neighbours on PC Format would likely scoff at anything less than the latest Assassin's Creed or Counterstrike iteration.

That got us thinking: is the lack of big-name games for the Linux platform a deterrent to first-time users? Or is a handful of independent games (plus ZSNES and DOSBox) enough to satisfy their gaming urges?

Let us know what you think in time for our latest podcast, and we'll read out a fair, balanced and representative sample of them on air – but not if you can't be bothered to change your name to something more original than Anonymous Penguin.

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Your comments

Gamers aren't the majority.

Steve Ward (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 11:04am

Most PC users aren't hardcore gamers. Most PC users are more likely to play their flash and facebook games and be happy. So having a linux desktop shouldn't hold them back in that regard. I still think that the "stick with what you know/have" mindset is what stops Windows users moving to Linux.

I think so aye. How many of

Brian Hunter (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 11:13am

I think so aye. How many of us dual boot with windows for gaming, or know folks who do? The problem with that is the temptation to boot into windows when they come across something they don't know when using Linux. instead of learning the packaging system, they may load Windows to install the application, because they have been using windows for decades and know how to do it in Windows. My flatmate has ubuntu 8.10 on his system, but he never uses it. started at.first, and loved it. he kept Windows for gaming. he doesn't quite understand how to install spotify under ubuntu, so he loads into Windows to install it. same with Chrome. he is up against a different method and new terminology and it was easier for him to slowly start using windows again, and now it is all he uses. games aren't the sole cause for this,
but it is a reason why some people keep Windows and end up returning to it rather than learn a new system.

It's probably the last thing holding back users from switching

Gabe Mot (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 11:18am

I've heard it lots of times from lots of people: "I like Linux, but I'm sticking with Windows because Linux doesn't run my games. When games will work on Linux (nativelly, not in some WINEy emulated sort of way), I'll switch over."

Definitely, but it's not only that

aSheepie (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 11:25am

I would disagree with Steve Ward's comment to a certain extent in that while gamers aren't the majority they are a significant minority. More hardcore gamers want to play games and they are also, generally, a bit more techie level users so they are a good target for not only becoming Linux users but also Linux evangelists as other folks often come to them for advice. Yes, there is also the apathy/"scared of something new" factor that is meaning other, more general users aren't adopting Linux, but I think the lack (or perceived lack) of games on Linux is quite a significant factor in slowing adoption. Many gamers may well convert, especially if all their titles are supported, when they build a new system if it means they don't have to spend money on Windows in addtion to everything else. Having to dual boot to play games is quite a killer in actually using it, as many gamers will log on, do some stuff, then play a game with what time they have left - and they won't want to have to reboot to do this. I play WoW and on my dual boot system it runs faster on Linux than on windows (I have measured this), and so I use Linux 99% of the time but when there were WINE issues a year or two ago I used windows as most of the time I'd be doing other stuff as well, at the same time. Fortunately that brief period of WINE problems have gone and not come back so now I'm virtually exclusively Linux on my dual boot system.

It's one problem for sure

Feiticeir0 (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 11:29am

Despite a few minor applications that users use and don't work in Linux (yesterday one designer told me that if he could run all the adobe suite applications he uses in Linux we would switch over, until then, he stay's with windows)
games are also one issue that make users staying in windows.

Hold Linux back? No it's not.

johnvile - November 24, 2010 @ 11:39am

It's the last thing holding Linux back.

I'll reiterate what @Brian Hunter said.

and add that
Most people haven't got the time and the energy to learn a new operating system when the one they have works fine.

@feiticeir0

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 11:44am

it is still a relate issue of getting commercial apps on Linux

Open TTD

Bobthebob1234 (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 11:49am

Once you have discovered open ttd, there are no other games you need.

I do dual boot into windows sometimes to play games, but if steam(Valve?) ever releases a linux version of steam (??) then I wouldn't need too.

I don't think that the vast

nai (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 12:00pm

I don't think that the vast majority is all that concerned with anything other then farmville and the like. But for us that likes games it's kind of an thorn in our paws.
While there are quite a few awesome games on Linux, and just judging by the amount today and say seven years ago, when I started playing around in it, I think we are on the way to some nice gaming on Linux as well. 0 A.D. just as an example.

Further more I think most people, like me, could easily skip World of Warcraft and co and be quiet pleased with a functioning OS and do their gaming on the consoles. Which, to me, is by far a more pleasant gaming experience all around(comps really only win on fps, cant get away from how much better a mouse is for aiming).

Forgot

nai (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 12:07pm

While _I_ think that the previously said is true in most families I think its the kids that decide to some extent what computer the home will use, that would be the way that Linux "loses" potential users by the fact that games are largely a windows only thing.

...

Anonymouse Penguine (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 12:08pm

I play tetris. Linux has tetris. Of sorts. Otherwise I use my Linux computer to work and make a living.

On the rare occasions I play anything else than tetris it's on my PS console.

Btw your captchas suck something terrible :) it's like playing a game and a boring one at that trying to figure out the letters.

Not really

dazfuller - November 24, 2010 @ 12:13pm

There are a number of things holding back greater Linux adoption but I don't think gaming is one of them. Most people I know who are exclusively Windows/Mac users don't play that many games on their machines, instead choosing to use their phones and games consoles. I'm the same, when I see a new game that looks good I tend to look for it on the console before I think about the PC.

Having more of the independent games developers release onto Linux would be nice, but I doubt it would bring more people into the fold.

Yes, but not because there's a lack of games.

Eponymous Nanguin (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 12:31pm

I think if every big-name game had a penguin on the box next to the Windows logo, a lot of hardcore gamers would switch to Linux - and use it to watch Youtube, while they play games on their collection of consoles like they've always done. The problem is not the lack of games per se, but the lack of incidental marketing provided by games.

Of course there are some great games that only run on Windows, and there are plenty of gamers who would install Linux if it was required for the latest & greatest game, but I don't believe that deters the majority of first-time users. Most people simply don't consider Linux a serious OS, much less a serious gaming OS, because they don't see it mentioned 50 times every time they visit a computer shop or game site.

Depends on Who You Ask

Holzster (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 12:39pm

Hard Gamers will say yes there is a lack of games. But us non-gamers will say no it is OK. So it really depends on who you ask. Everyone is waiting for one big Gaming company to release a "big" game natively to Linux. But with gaming company pinching every penny I think it will be a while for that Big Gaming company to do that. I think in the short to mid term the biggest hope will be a smaller company that releases a game for Linux and that game for what ever reason becomes a smash hit.

Linux users tend to know what they're doing

Tom Walker (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 1:54pm

They're not afraid of playing around with something for a little while to get it going, and with that attitude, you can run a hell of a lot of decent Windows games on Linux.

PlayOnLinux makes installing Steam very easy, which gives you access to all sorts of greatness.

I'd say the main thing holdinng us back is ATI and NVidia not updating their drivers for the latest version of X very often.

I was running linux for a

MartinSGill (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 2:15pm

I was running linux for a number of years, making real efforts to learn the packaging system, even running my own mail/imap and web servers, even create a couple of packages myself.

I kept switching back to windows for games. Then I switched back to windows for the odd app that didn't exist on linux and getting it working in wine was too much effort.

The sad truth (for me at least) is that the more precious my time becomes the less likely I am to use linux. As a consequence I don't have any linux machines any more; something I'm really disappointed about, even my server is now a dedicated WHS box, and I've not had a single problem with it.

No matter how much better linux is under the hood and how much more sensible in many ways, the convenience of windows (and the readily available software I need) meant that whenever I quickly needed a computer up and running, it got windows installed. There is no way in linux to "quickly try something out", if the software isn't in the package db,then you're out of luck. No such issue with windows.

Case in point was the revo I bought recently. It came with Linux pre-installed. When connected to my TV via HDMI the resolution was totally wrong (graphics overlapping everywhere) and after 20 fruitless minutes of trying to get it working I installed Windows 7 and was fully up and running in the correct resolution 60 seconds after install. If I had been my landlord the machine would have gone back to the store as "broken".

I think games are merely a symptom; the biggest hurdle I found to using linux was fragmentation. I can't install package X on system Y. If you test your whatever (game/app) on distro A, there's no guarantee it will run on distro B.

It's the freedom and variety that makes linux so great and popular with geeks and techies that makes it a nightmare for ordinary users. Too many desktops, too-many package managers, too-many everything. Sit in front of any windows or apple machine as an ordinary user and you're mostly good to go. Sit in front of a "linux" computer and you're confronted with Gnome/KDE/xfcb, RPM/DEB, every function seemingly has a different app in every distribution.

How much worse must that be for game/app developers who have to hit a moving target of kernel/compiler/library versions?

I think if those issues are resolved, games will start coming to linux and with them ordinary users.

No idea...

Mohan (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 3:38pm

I have no idea, as I am not a PC gamer so the lack gaming on Linux doesn't really wager into my computing at all.

I think it does, at least to an extent

ankspo71 (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 3:42pm

It's not just kids that like to play games these days. I know many adults (including seniors) who will not even try to use Linux because they already know that there is not a large variety of games available. I'm an adult too, and I also like to play games all the time, but I choose to use Linux for many reasons. The main things I miss about using Windows is I can't go to the store and buy a game to play on my Linux computer, and that I can't play the same games as my friends who are using Windows.

Yes

Huw - November 24, 2010 @ 3:59pm

Of course it does, it would be absurd to suggest otherwise. It doesn't matter whether we're talking about millions of people or even a few thousand, the simple fact is that there are plenty of people out there - myself included - who keep Windows around to play games. Myself, I dual boot, using Windows for gaming and Linux for everything else. Many gamers wouldn't have the knowledge or inclination to do that, so they just stick with Windows. If Linux could run all games natively, it would be used by a lot more people.

Haven't you played doom or quake??

Aitor Pazos (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 4:06pm

Most of us have switched to Linux from our time on Windows' Jail. We've made this move happily to come to a system that respect us but most of us enjoyed playing some of the most popular games on Windows, and sometimes, at least I do, we miss them. Younger boys and girls may not want to leave those enjoyable apps.

Yes

Andrew Cole (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 4:32pm

I think there is some validity to the argument that dual booting keeps people from really trying it and absorbing it because their old comfy friend is just a reboot away.

The things that used to cause people to dual boot, like program incompatibility for files, have shrunk down a lot, but games is still one of the last frontiers that hasn't really been addressed at all.

Games like World of Warcraft, Starcraft 2, Fable (I/II/III), and other big box games will only run on Windows and sometimes Mac.

There are a few good games on Linux, but let's not kid ourselves, they aren't even in the same league and real gamers are not going to be satisfied with them.

Yup

bananaoomarang (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 4:42pm

I am certain that it holds Linux back, as a gaming platform we're pretty appalling. There are a few alright FPS' but that's about it, even them you need to use buggy proprietary drivers to play. If even the steam client came to Linux it would be GREAT as I know people who dual boot into windows JUST FOR GAMES, wine isn't good enough (unless we can make it work 100x better than it does now for gaming). First we need to do well in OTHER areas to gain our market share, then devs will think about porting games to Linux as right now they (perfectly understandably) don't.

Most power users are also pc gamers

Epsilon (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 4:55pm

The Linux community wants the power users to switch to Linux, power users will learn the system and encourage other people, friends and family to learn Linux. They will also be the "goto" guy in their social circle for problems concerning computers.

I am a power user myself, I work as a programmer for a large software company that shall remain unnamed, I have friends who dabble in programming and I have friends who also work in software development in competing companies.
Common to them all is they're always looking forward to the next computer rpg thats coming out, the next strategy game; I'll name a few thats being played Planescape: Torment, Baldurs Gate II, Fallout 1+2, Fallout: New Vegas, Civilization V, Sword of The Stars and Neverwinter Nights 2.

These are people who love computers, they love programming and technology and they love games. They find Linux to be interesting but as long as these "big title games" aren't supported there they see no future or use for it.

Wine does the job in some cases, but it's support can be flaky at best and it's never good enough when the next great rpg or strategy game gets released, then they think why should they only have second grade support if at all, when they can just play the newest thing on Windows the moment it's released?.

Theres a sort of hostility towards retail pay for games in the Linux landscape.
Many people thinking that the open source games should be good enough.
Unfortunately they're not even remotely close to the games that got released 15 years ago in whats considered the 'golden age' of pc gaming amongst the power users in my own social circle the years 1992 until 2002.
People like Linus Torvalds and many of his peers never experienced that as they've been using and programming on Linux since 1993, and so pc gaming to them is a non issue, for them a pc is something you use to program with, surf the internet and check your email. And that might be good enough 'for most people' who don't see the computer as anything but a tool to get a job done.

But for the power users who did experience this golden age and love pc gaming for the qualities it attained during this 'golden age' and might still retain some of them, it's not good enough as they use the pc for work and fun, the pc isn't as much a tool, as it's an extension of themselves, and if they're not able to do it all on the operating system, then the operating system is just not up to par.
Even if it's technically, ethically and morally superior, if it can't play the games, then it's not good enough.

I think that games are an

euterpe (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 5:30pm

I think that games are an important factor. If you brought mainstream games to Linux, you would get many more converts almost overnight.

However, I think that the most important thing to get people to use Linux is to pre-install it on computers. Many people will just stick with what they've got, and not bother with anything else. I don't think that for most it's a problem of not being bothered, or not knowing how to switch, it's a problem of not knowing Linux is out there, or not knowing enough about it to understand. The amount of times I've told my friends I run Linux, and then had to explain it in terms of "You know how Windows and Mac are different? Well, Linux is different again." Because that is the extent of their knowledge, and it is hard for computer-literate people to understand. One of my friends didn't even understand what I meant by "browser". It's a question of education.

No

Fairly Anonymous Person (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 5:44pm

No, as minecraft works for linux. Minecraft is ace!

Another brick in the wall...

The Sultan of Swing (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 5:45pm

Whilst Linux has many attractions for various users, it clearly does lack in big-name games that other platforms provide. Personally, I loved playing games on my old Amiga 500, and later on Windows 98, but the attraction has since waned (with the sole exception being a prerequisite that a Tetris clone live on my Linuxbox).

Serious gamers, like my brother-in-law tend to prefer dedicated games consoles (like the PS3 or X-Box), so I don't think a linux desktop is likely to compete, especially if 3D graphics are still an issue for some nVidia and ATI cards.

That said, Linux is more than capable of playing host to any number of native or ported games if correctly applied and marketed. And, if we would like to see Linux become a mainstream desktop of choice, then the choice of big name games must also become another brick in our wall.

We often talk about how Linux or FOSS provides choice, but I'd say we are severely lacking in providing THAT kind of choice. Serious gamers are a market we must exploit. So as long as we can convince developers to provide decent games for our platform, and we can match that gaming experience with hardware and OS excellence, then why not? I'm not sure if Linux NEEDS to attract gamers, but what have we got to lose if we try?

openTTD

Gwilym (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 6:03pm

I can't stop playing openTTD. All my friends on windows also play it XD. I don't see why we need another game.

Games or Gamers?

Tom Green (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 6:26pm

Linux has many good games plus emulators for classic games from other platforms.

A hardcore gamer who wants the latest game will stick with Windows, folks like me who play a game to fill an odd 10 minutes find linux games just fine!

Yes very much so!

Adam Marsh (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 7:47pm

Its one of the few reasons I keep a partition of Windows on my Laptop.

Wine does help, but its never as easy as just playing it on Windows.

If linux had Steam like Mac just got maybe things would work a little easier.

linux needs gamers...

zingyyellow (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 9:40pm

linux needs gamers 'cos they tend to be the tech support in many households. and if they went over to using Linux then they would wear down their surrounding users to try Linux also.
Linux has got what it takes low system overheads great hardware compatibility all that's holding it back is a good range of games, i'm sure if porting were done well they would easy run as good as windows if not better. kinda down to the video drivers to keep up.
Some independent software houses are catching on... now if we could get a standard base... mmm mmmm sounds a good idea..

...perhaps we could get Pink Pony running with 3d glasses!!

download time and again

bruce muggins (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 9:58pm

I do still dual boot, and that is mostly for games, however there are some other things holding me back, like hot plugging projectors/second monitors. One issue with games on linux is the fact that if you like to try other distros, you end up redownloading huge games every few months. You don't just stick in the CD/DVD and install.

Good riddance to games!

penguinmod (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 10:06pm

I like the fact that there are no "serious" games on Linux. Time spent playing GTA San Andreas and Star Wars Battlefront can now go on more productive things like website design and learning to code.

It's just one a ways the lack of apps problem manifests itself

Shimi - November 24, 2010 @ 10:15pm

It's a lot more difficult to make a linux application than a windows\mac application due to lack of standardization, this leads to much less applications and some of the casualties of that have to be games.

A lack of the same games

As if need a unique name for (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 10:27pm

A lack of the same games holds Linux back. My friends hate it when I say, nope, can't play the latest Call of Duty, I'm running Linux. I know about Wine, but it has its limitations. Until the game developers start investing in Linux ports this will always be a problem.

Gaming is not such a big problem now.

CN-Penguin (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 2:24am

Gaming on Linux is not such a big problem now. We have Wine(wine-tricks) and Wine based emulators: Cedega and CrossOver Gaming. Major popular games could run very well on Linux although the performance is not good as on the original windows platform. IMHO, one of the most important aspect that holding Linux back is the community is so diverse. Diverse makes the Linux world colorful, but diverse also cause a lot of duplication of efforts and can not utilize the resource to concentrate on big issues.

Definitely

jethro (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 4:58am

All it takes is one or two PC gamers in the family when the kids are young to ensure the family computer is Windows based - and then the addiction is started.

Interest in Linux then depends on the geekiness factor - and dual booting.

It is a problem for those who need the latest and greatest

pengythai (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 6:44am

It would be great if the games companies could create games that run directly under Linux, but as the market is probably perceived as too small it isn't worth their time to do it.
For me Wine has been great it has allowed me to run a lot of the windows games I like Starcraft 1 & 2,Warcraft 3, Doctor Who adventure games, Civ IV.
However you can't rush out and buy the game and run it smoothly straight away. Which is the killer for many people
It took about 3 weeks for me to be able to run Starcraft 2 on my machine. I just kept biding my time plugging away at it and eventually I got it to work. Thank heavens for Play On Linux and the ablility to select specific versions of Wine to run against an Application.

It is a problem for those who need the latest and greatest

pengythai (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 6:44am

It is a biggy

ExplodingPants (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 8:14am

For some like me it is quite a biggy. I am a massive fan of linux as an OS but annoyingly find myself reverting to windows because dual booting seems irrelivent to me, as I spend most my time gaming, so dual-booting just to use firefox? No thanks!

I understand that WINE does help but it never seems to support the game I want to play. It is an amazing project though.

Maybe when gaming support improves I wont need to use windows, but I dont see that happening any time soon.

Less games means less distractions

MessedUpHare - November 25, 2010 @ 9:49am

In my windows running days It would be easier to become distracted due to the abundance of new games available. Part of my initial reasoning for switching for linux was to start doing some "proper" computing and stop wasting as much of my time.

If I did ever want to start running the latest and greatest games I would just buy a games console.

In the long run it's saved me a hell of a lot of money and given me an environment with less distractions, improving my knowledge by being able to spend time actually reading and properly computing.

I won't complain about more games

Joseph VanPelt (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 10:39am

When I first attempted to switch to Linux in the late 90's this was one reason to keep Windows and ultimately the reason I gave up on Linux at that time. I was heavily into Counter-Strike when it was just a mod to the original Half-Life. I didn't understand why I couldn't get better performance and why I had to do so much configuration to get some games to work at all (Wine, etc.).

Now my priorities for computing have changed and I don't get to play games much; I've reduced the M$ usage to a virtual machine if a program won't work any other way. I think there is probably a large audience that would switch to Linux if their games would run on it.

Yes...Games would boost the

Roy Samuel (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 11:18am

Yes...Games would boost the use of Linux to a wider audience....

Would be nice, but

Charlie Ullman (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 12:57pm

I certainly don't find the current crop of Linux games very interesting, but I'm not sure the PC games market is so big that it's worth the (presumably) massive effort it would take to get even a tiny slice of games working on Linux.

Personally I dual boot so that I can play games on the Windows machine, so it would obviously be nice for me if, say Valve released Steam for Linux. But I doubt it would attract anybody to switch.

SoftwareStore

GamingBeFun (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 1:19pm

I think If Ubuntu got Games like Doom3, QuakeWars ect... on a one click install in the software center, it would bring the intermittent gamers like myself in.

And if that crowd purchased a lot of games, this could be a snowball effect for other games (and dear I say, software)

Hardcore gamers will always go to the hot cake place like PS3,XBOX and (sadly) Windows

Gamer Hell

Zabadda (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 1:47pm

I love gaming and love Linux and it's a total nightmare everyone i know would use Linux if they could play proper games, and not be palmed off with "there are some great Linux games" until they can install any game and load it with a few click Linux will never challenge Windows seriously.

It's not a show stopper but it is a factor

Creeky gamer (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 3:59pm

For those who are into games and young and bright it is a point. Like me it keeps a Windows dual boot around. Except I'm not young and getting dimmer

Long Road

Micah (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 4:04pm

Look at OSX. That has a lot more games than Linux, but no real gamer tries to get by on OSX alone simply because there's always going to be games that aren't ported from Windows. Likewise with Linux. More games might entice some Windows users to make the switch -- at least partially -- but unless there's a 1 to 1 correspondence in terms of what's available, it's hard to imagine a dedicated PC gamer giving up Windows.

Myself, I'm reconciled to having to reboot my desktop into Windows whenever I want to play a game and having to reboot into Linux whenever I want to work, browse the internet securely, or just enjoy an elegant operating system!

Yes

Frostbite (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 4:24pm

I've heard numerous times over from people, notably PC gamers, that would make the switch permanently to Linux if the Steam platform came to Linux, or some other such solution that would make replacing Windows or at last dual-booting obsolete

Games may not be that important for all Linux users, but there's enough folks out there craving the full gaming experience on all platforms, including Linux, to make it worthwhile, IMHO.

"Silly Reasons..."

dogbert0360 (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 7:51pm

There are many reasons that most big time game developers don't want to create games for the Linux platform. It comes down to these few:

1) "Not enough users to make it worth while." According to most stats, Linux users are either at or just below where Mac users base are at which is 10% (give or take a few).

2) "Too fragmented to create games for." This point maybe true. One of the benefits of using a Linux distro is the abundents of choices that a user can choose from. If you get sick of one, or you dislike a direction a distro is taking, just pick another. This may be nice, but for most game developers this can get frustrating, since a developer likes a common platform to bug test on.

3) "Linux users refuse to pay for anything." This point has been muted with the release of (memory slips me)the compilation game set released awhile back. If a well developed game, or application, is offered at a reasonable price, most Linux users would be willing to purchase that product.

So those are just some of the many reasons, but lets focus on point two. "Linux is too fragmented..." - Opengl is capable of running on any Linux distro, or for that matter, any 'nix os. So why the argument with Linux fragmentation? Seems really silly to me, wouldn't you think. Some have complained about the difficulty deciding what sound platform to support. Well, thats becoming less and less a problem, since more and more Linux distros are opting for Pulse-Audio.

Well that leaves the first point, which is not enough users.
Let me see here...If there are the same amount of Linux users as there are Mac OS X, again give or take afew, then why the beef? IMO, there may be a need of some of the leading Linux distros to start taking a stand with EA and the others. But this may be asking too much, since some of them could care less. Until this changes, this will always be a sticking point for Windows users (myself included) to make the switch to Linux permanently.

It is the major draw back for young people

Rodvil (not verified) - November 25, 2010 @ 10:01pm

If you try to get anyone into linux you can mention so many nice or even great things about it. Then the typical questions will come:
- Office?
No problem
- Surfing the web?
No problem
- Communicating?
No problem
- Games?
PROBLEM!
No good linux games, wine is too complicated to use, and the big ones won't run
(you could always double boot, but that isn't linux, is it??)

It is easy to convert some old fart that never used a computer before, it is easy to convert someone that knows well enough how to use his PC and it is completely fed up with WIndows. The hard part is to get someone there in between and specially someone young that uses 80% of their computer time playing.
The future of the world would be a much better place if we could have a nice bunch of young people moving towards the open and free world.

So I say: get the games in linux and save the future!

Maybe, I don't Know

Mihaly - November 26, 2010 @ 5:40am

Look, /before/ I read everybody else's comments, I want to make one of my own, I will read the others, but want to try to explain my point of view first. So bear with me if others have made these points before, I want to try to explain my perspective just because, well, because.

It has been an interesting life for me with computers, since my first TAPE-BACKUPABLE TRS-80 which essentially had cartridges and you could choose "games" or "BASIC".

So please consider this in light of the way I have been brought up with machines, games consoles, but also realising that there was potential to actually program them YOURSELF, to study to learn, to get "deeper into the details" if you like.
This is important because it relates to the very ideas and concepts (and philosophies) I admire, relish and enjoy with an OPEN SOURCE OPERATING SYSTEM ('scuse the shouting there).

I did try to write simple games, learned a bit, but mostly learnt that until I could really get into sprites, PEEKing and POKEing (love the double entendres again! :) I couldn't get my version of Conway's LIFE to run any faster than about 1 generation per second. It was a little tedious to the othe memebers of my family, who all waited patiently for me to finish my little game, then they could plug in the "Space War" cartridge and have a ball. And I enjoy "Space War" as much as the next person. But I also realised I wasn't entirely clued in to being a programmer either. So the whole of my pocket money was spent on the arcade game PACMAN (And believe me , I could challenge for TOP EVER score on that machine, my mate Bowie and I worked out a pathway through every level of that game back in 1981 before anyone wrote a book about it)

Forgive the digression, but it's IMPORTANT!

Games are what people want, almost above and beyond a useful Desktop (they'll tolerate bugs, so long as they can have fun! And Who should deny them that? Eh?!)

Yet, Games also demonstrate time and again the UPPER capabilities of what computing is all about. Forget galaxy emulation, forget F1 Turbulence simulations, forget weather prediction(all very USEFUL IMHO). Games are what push the envelope, for graphics hardware, CPU speed, better Left/right bridgeor North/SouthBridge, whatever all that stuff is, I don't, they don't CARE. They just want SHINY, 3D, Immersive environments - GAMES... and GAMES test your hardware to breakage point.

So YES. Linux needs better support for games. Despite any sense of "high-mindedness" (personally, I wanted Octave, KANT, and Gnuplot to help me understand and test mathas and draw fractals, and to CODE in C/C++, even if I wasn't particualarly good at it. Opoen source has given SO MUCH to us, to them, to you and to me, we shouldn't feel OBLIGED to give GAMES as well .....

But Games are the killer app that will eventually bring linux into the desktop world and WHEN it happens (NOT IF, WHEN) We will be able to say: "Remember when... "

But We also GOT TO GIVE .... You want games? Well, you can just about write your own games now ... NOT MEANING SARCASM HERE! - There are now game development environments the envy of anyone who tried to come up with PAC-MAN.

But what you have to also remember is that GOOD games aren't that easy, and there's a reason why there are companies rather than individuals involved, so here's where open source CAN HELP!

Blender has a GAMES mode .... Get involved in the community. I know I tell this, the same way I "preach politics" as well ... IF YOU AREN'T SATISFIED, GET INVOLVED.

Attend a local LUG/Party meeting. Get off your *****ing Arse and offer to help. IDEAS are as important as manual labour, so if you aren't speaking up, then don't complain no-one is listening.

OK. Sorry if I cam across brusque or dare I say even angry, but really. This IS a Linux podcast/user group/posting board. Perhaps I am preaching a bit to the converted, but how about this? GO OUT AMONGST THE PEOPLE AND PROSELYTISE!!! Join a LUG. Write an Idea for a game down. FIND A WAY> forward.

I'm off my high chair/horse/whatever now. Will read your other comments. Hope I wasn't too LOUD, but REALLY
anyway, cheers for now.

Guidance? Best guess? how about Sourceforge.net, login, search for game projects and filter by operating system.

Meanwhile, Im banging the rocks together guys.
Vale Douglas.

Mihaly

Mihaly - November 26, 2010 @ 6:07am

Stage 2, sorry, still haven't finished reading your comments, but:

It just occurred to me that one of the underlying issues is a matter of comprehensiv support, for various hardware, built into a "default kernel" (as in say, your standard LIVE CD DISTRO) makes it successful but also puts it at a disadvantage in terms of gaming.

Witness the success of consoles: SPECIFIED HARDWARE, ALL CLOSED SOURCE (though shared with the software/os providers - all commercial in confidence of course) but they WORK.

Linux is at a disdvantage (with the possible - hurrumph - exception of Gentoo! but who would wait 3 days after plugging their console for a "perfect and unbroken kernel" to have to be compiled and committed, with even the slightest chance of breakage, it's a no-win for commercial companies, the lawsuits would be at crossed swords for decades - longer than it took to actually compile the kernel, BTW)

But essentially it's this ... You get your standard live CD, and it WORKS, it has (just about) all the drivers for just about any situation, and suffers for it !

It has support for a black and white monitor, or something like that, built in. Do you GET ME? There are so many extra modules, some of which can be easily deleted becasue they don't apply to YOUR case, but would break an install on (EVEN) your next door neighbour's PC , he might have an AMD with an 8X GPU card, whereas you don't need that, you have a PCI express card. But BOTH drivers are available in your "vanilla" kernel, so that "It Just Works" (TM?)

All I am saying here is that this is kind of what's happening now. Ubuntu supports this and that, and if it doesn't, fine, you can upload drivers, and of course EVERYBODY has broadband these days, or soon will have, but if you don't and your hardware doesn't have a pluggable module compiled into your kernel, that excellent game that you see on your neighbour's PC running linux, won't work on your (almost equally spekked) computer at home.

It's dedicated drivers, and kernel cruft that kind of keeps decent gaming at bay for linux. It's NOT INSURMOUNTABLE a problem, just tricky. KNOW WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH: GIVE IT A DESCRIPTION THAT CORRECTLY ALLOWS FOR A SOLUTION. Otherwise you are jumping at shadows.

Hmmmm.... "Jumping at Shadows" .... Hmmmm ... Hmmm.
That /sounds/ like a /really/ /really/ good name for a game of some sort. Hmmm.

Oh dear, wait .... Now listen. Just because I was stupid enough to actually write it down as an idea, don't you dare steal that away from me, that MY IDEA. I guess I'd better copyright it before I work out exactly what I mean by either "jumping" (TM), and "Shadows" (TM)

Oh, fffffffffffff aahhhhhh shhhhhh shhhhh. Quiet, now.
Argggh!. Damn, that was actually a good idea and everything.

A gift for you, ok. Treat it carefully, and give back, ok.
You can have it. Not much really. Just an idea.

Yes, have read your comments now

Mihaly - November 26, 2010 @ 6:32am

yes, and, unsurprisingly, the previous comment to mine just about summed it up, except for that bit about getting involved.

Does anyone have "jumpingatshadows.com" tied up yet? I can't afford to buy any web estate, but I've been thinking about this and it kind of has a certain appeal.

Seriously, anyone care to discuss this game idea with me, please feel free to get in touch. I kind of feel this has some potential, or maybe I'm just imagining.

BTW, last game I've been playing is NWN I (not II), and it has the feel of a good game, but it's not FPS, it's RPG. There are a few of those for linux already.

BTW, tried to get crossfire, rogue, and that other one, network thingy to work. But not much joy there. Anyone know what current status of crossfire is? The client/server thing is (HAAAAHHHAAA) Really difficult to make work on a non-networked machine. ( You have to try running a local server to get this joke ... but what I am saying is ... I'VE TRIED.... Man, How hard I have tried!!)

Anyway. If my luck is anything to judge by, someone already previously trademarked "Jumoing at Shadows" and will by now hold anyone even mentioning that phrase at risk of sewege. Like "Happy Meal" and "Coca-cola adds Life". Did you know that words like Real, Happy, and joy are now trademarked?

Disgraceful. Dishonourable. Someone even told me today that speaking "Shakespeare's Language" was akin to "sniffing one's nose" .... the equivalent of holding in contempt others. Didn't she realise Shakespeare wrote for the common people? And what's wrong with wanting to speak well anyway, damn it?!

Mike (Mihaly) out.

Hey, topic is games.

Sslaxx (not verified) - November 26, 2010 @ 1:03pm

Wish people wouldn't blather on trying to take the focus away from the subject. It's about games, not trademarks, no matter how much you'd like it to be.

And yes, it is an issue, like it or not. As to what can be done, well. It's a hard situation, and I don't think the big publishers will be coming to Linux any time soon. And Steam is even less likely, despite the odd "it's coming to Linux" crap that happens every now and then.

Yes for me it's the last

Jason (not verified) - November 27, 2010 @ 4:01am

Yes for me it's the last reason I have a Windows box, I have got some of the games running in WINE but can't work out how to get force feedback to work so it's a no go. I bought the indie bundle, Penumbra and a few others to give my support and to ease myself into Linux gaming but I still have quite a few legacy games that I fear will always need a Windows pc to use and I think this is the case for some businesses also (not games obviously!) without these native apps they can't make the change.

Games on Linux - NOT the top ones that is for sure!

Bazza, G0LCU. (not verified) - November 27, 2010 @ 6:32pm

YES!

I`m no gamer but my Brother-In-Law is - big time.

He wouldn`t even look at a Linux box for this reason.

Much as I hate closed source systems and app`s I can`t blame the Graphics Card manufacturers keeping their secrets from their competition.

Hence a closed source OS, (Windows), working hand in hand with these Graphics Card manufacturers to TRY and get every ounce out of their gear, (DirectX), in a closed developement environment for the benefit of a closed games developement environment.

Wine is pretty damn good approximation but sadly not good enough for SERIOUS gamers.

Until there are APIs to access the Video HW to its best capabilities for gaming then Linux will take a back seat and be considered a geeks hobby tool/toy by people like my Brother-In-Law.

73...

Bazza, G0LCU...

TA...

Many people refer the

Jorge Sousa (not verified) - November 28, 2010 @ 3:58am

Many people refer the "when/if Steam becomes available in Linux" argument, but seem to forget that Steam was ported to MacOS, but it's oh so very far from granting a 1-1 correspondence with games available on Windows.

Can it play Crysis?

badgerbadgerbadger (not verified) - November 28, 2010 @ 11:06am

GNU/linux is great, but can it play Crysis?

in a way no because people

andy roid (not verified) - November 28, 2010 @ 3:52pm

in a way no because people are forgetting something and thats android just think angry birds and all the other games and we have a good gaming platform on mobile devices just not on desktop

Games are not your savior

Moriarity (not verified) - November 28, 2010 @ 11:33pm

MartinSGill has it right! Your quest for "freedom" has insured that you will never be considered a primary OS. When EVERY distro has the same installation procedure; loads as quickly; recognizes hardware as efficiently as Windows, and presents the same desktops you stand a chance against Win & Mac.

In the meantime, keep your techie attitude and watch Linux never come close to mainstream. Games is not your savior.

Much of what MartinSGill

jamcam100 (not verified) - November 29, 2010 @ 7:36am

Much of what MartinSGill says is absolutely correct, however, not everyone has his (I am assuming Martin is male) needs or wants. Many people will never use Linux, or they will use it and go back to Windows, because that is what meets there needs best. It sounds from his description that at least he gave Linux a fair go, which is all that we Linux users can ask from anyone. However, neither Martin, nor anyone else (including Linux users), should insist that what is best for them is also best for everybody else. It is a free world (mostly), so let us all enjoy the ability to choose what is best for us.

But back to the question at hand. The responses above clearly show that many Linux users have no significant interest in games, and it is probably true that many non-Linux users have just as little interest. For those non-Linux users, it is obvious that other issues lie behind their reluctance to use Linux. These other issues have been discussed to death in this and other forums, so I will not go into them here.

It is also obvious from the responses above that Linux is not capable of running many of the latest release games, indeed even some games released two to three years ago still do not run properly in Linux. For many Windows users the arguement quite rightly stops there. It is folly for us to say that this is a trivial reason not to use Linux. I seldom do much gaming myself (and the games available in Linux meet my needs), and I respect other people's right to feel that they have better things to do with their time than play computer games, but I also respect the right of computer gamers to use their computers to do whatever they want.

Just like several people above, I know many intelligent, computer literate people of both sexes, who use computers for work as programmers, systems adminitrators, data analysts, etc., who are dedicated gamers. Many of these people use Linux at work, and would not consider using anything else in their work enviropnment, but when it comes to gaming Linux is just not in the race. Linux games have improved, but they are still years behind the games that can be played on Windows.

I personally do not believe that Linux will ever catch up to Windows in this area. The things that I love about Linux, (lots of different distros; freedom to choose what desktop, file manager, text editor, etc. I want to use; massive repositories of high quality software that I can select from; regular upgrades; freedom to use Open or Proprietary software, etc.) are precisely the things that make it extremely difficult for software creators to port their games over to Linux as a whole. Possibly some games may be made available to one or two specific distros - eg I would not be surprised to find some games being ported over to Ubuntu in the near future and made available for sale within that distro.

A lack of Games is a big disadvantage

David911 (not verified) - November 29, 2010 @ 6:13pm

I have been using Linux for a few years now. It suits my needs better than either Windows or OSX Panther, and I've even managed to convert my wife to using it. That being said, Adventure Game support is not good. ScummVM and DOSBox provide partial solutions for older games (including the first 2 instalments of "Broken Sword", and WINE can handle a selection of more modern titles, although it is a limited selection. PlayOnLinux and Cedega perform no better than WINE.

The Windows community is willing to adapt - G.O.G. has ported quite a few older games to XP/Vista/Windows 7: an elgant and inexpensive solution. I would quite happily pay for Adventure Games which run on Linux (there are a couple: the rather excellent "Machinarium" comes to mind, and the lamentable "Hopkins: F.B.I.").

I agree with zabadda's point of view - I've even considered installing Windows as my main OS and running WUBI or Linux from a USB stick to be able to play my favourite games.

Stalin-esque (sorry Stallman-esque) purity is well and good, but the Linux community may at some point have to consider seriously George Bernard Shaw's dictum:

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself."

and accept that to be widely accepted an OS needs to fulfil the needs of a wide selection of users.

Shaw's dictum has a second part -
"Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man." Windows does not need to adapt - the change, as always, has to be made by the Linux Community.

Yes, Definitely

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - November 30, 2010 @ 1:52am

I work with Linux, and am a Linux user/supporter almost to the point of fault. I also work with many technically inclined people, who are both capable and do use both Windows and Linux. However, every single one of them has told me at one point or another that the only thing holding them back from converting fully is lack of game support/development.

Consoled with games

Fran Blakes (not verified) - November 30, 2010 @ 11:18pm

For serious gaming use a games console!

Back in the day I played games in DOS / Windows - but as game requirements increased and but my system didn't, game playing waned.

When there's a urge I'm happy playing my old games in DOSbox or with Wine, sure I do play some Linux games on Linux! But still my system isn't powerful for the modern games...

One small step

Gavin (not verified) - December 1, 2010 @ 9:38am

I think games may be an issue further down the line. Before that you have to sort out the divided community - you know, those who "hate" Ubuntu because it is popular.

You also need to standardise on one package manager. Have as many desktop environments as you like, but who wants to publish for half a dozen different package managers?

Deifinitely Agree

Dr. MaLice (not verified) - December 3, 2010 @ 8:05am

Like the earlier post stated, Linux is catching up with the system software and utility applications but Gaming is always a problem. As a gamer and a Linux enthusiasts I only keep ma windows installation just for gaming purposes but end up using it more when I log in there. Its sad but true. Linux needs to get more competitive with the gaming sections or it'll be loosing out on an incredible number of potential users

I wouldn't really want to

Leke (not verified) - December 3, 2010 @ 7:25pm

I wouldn't really want to see Linux become a gamers OS. I mean games, even though enjoyable, retards hacking. Let's keep our community smart without these distractions.
If we really need to play with ourselves, isn't that what games consoles and are for (If only we had an open console that could compete with the big boys -- maybe we could get the major developers to port their games to it)?

I agree!

win2linconvert (not verified) - December 3, 2010 @ 11:55pm

Steve Ward in the first comment is right on the $$$.

Gamers aren't the majority.

Steve Ward (not verified) - November 24, 2010 @ 11:04am

What is the best distro,

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - December 13, 2010 @ 12:29pm

What is the best distro, computer, cellphone, car, camera, or whatever? The answer depends on who you ask.

I've used several distros for a couple of years or so and continue to play around with them. Some have programs/features I like while others don't. And some have things I'll never use. I like some distros better than others, and it's not always the one with the mostest.

If someone plays lots of different games, and someone else doesn't care about them at all, their responses will differ.

And, someone who "grew up" using Windows' games and got familiar with such, then used a distro in which the names of those same games are different, they may well never learn to appreciate whether ANY has suitable games, as far as they are concerned. What I'm speaking of is the different names used. I suppose there's a legal reason for it, but if someone doesn't know that Solitare, Freecell, or whatever, is known by another name, they may well never get there and simply write the whole thing off as a failure of Linux, never to return.

Although this was not asked as part of your question, I will still mention it. I don't think one can emphasize enough the single thing that made Windows become so popular and so widespread. Regardless of claims to the contrary, it was not Microsoft's shenanigans such as forcing suppliers to install Windows, etc.

Care to guess??? It's CONVENIENCE.

I'm purposely downplaying the fact that each new version of Windows has a different interface than all that went before, but the fact is most ordinary/typical users want to access everything via the GUI, and not have to mess with settings, etc. behind the scene. They just want the damn thing to work.

Unfortunately, there's a tremendous downside to Windows, known to all, and ignored at their peril - malware. Have you or anyone you know ever gotten hit?

Getting back to my argument for convenience for a moment. People settle into a routine of doing what they are familiar and comfortable with.

That most people can download, burn, and install
distros without having to use the command line is a huge step in the right direction.

Gurus will disagree, but when something is harder to use than someone likes, they are unlikely to pursue it further than the first obstacle. Perhaps I'm getting lazy in my old days, but I'm one of them.

Case in point: A computer reaches a point in installation and stops at a command line waiting for input. If you don't know what it's looking for or what to do about it, you're dead in the water.

On the other hand, a GUI presents you with at least some or all of the options necessary to continue. Reader Brian Hunter illustrated this in his blog dated Nov 24th. His friend uses Windows to do things because he knows how.

Incidentally, I request that Brian take a couple of hours to help his friend become more familiar with Linux. They'll both benefit.

An audience only progresses as far as the computer, etc. encourages them to go. Beyond that you are leading a bunch of stubborn mules to the stream to drink.

Make Linux as familiar as wearing a pair of old, comfortable shoes. You use it because you want to. And there are no hindrances.

Developers, if your grandparents can use it, you will have succeeded.

Games still tempt me to go back

Senkrad_Luna (not verified) - December 23, 2010 @ 5:11am

Power Gamers if given a choice would use Linux. They are Power Gamers by designation and they drool over the latest upgrades and pretty sparkly bits that computers come with. They want that .0001 reduction in lag. It is why they spend large amounts of money on new graphics cards and consider liquid nitrogen a suitable way to cool a processor. If they can push what a system will do they will try it. They learn the inner workings of their chosen operating system.

Current games combined with the elegance of Linux. This would usher in a new era of gamers. Lan parties would have penguins everywhere, well at least on the all the machines that are top in the leader boards.

It has been mentioned my many online that some games that do work are better on Linux even though a translator is required. Of course this would require the Power Gamers to limit what they play, which is not really logical.

I gave up much of my gaming to use Linux. I did it because I could not afford the time to waste on MS and have my gaming. If I was giving up gaming to maintain MS to a suitable standard then I might as well give up MS.

So now I have more time due to a significantly better OS. So where do I spend this extra time improving my linux box, learning how to tweak X to the nth degree or stripping out packages to get those last bits of resource? Nah, I know there is no point the returns are limited before I bother starting.

Each year though I see a latest game and I know it will be better on my desktop than on my console and I think, maybe WINE has progressed and is worth a try. I find out it isn't and realise well if I can swallow my sanity I can install MS and then all the games I have skipped in the past few year would be available. . .

. . .then I come to my senses.

I wish mainstream games were available I would greatly improve my Linux abilities.

Lack of compatibility for games and apps

blud (not verified) - December 30, 2010 @ 9:42pm

Absolutely it holds Linux back. Not just games but other apps not being compatible with linux. Case in point: Me. I would totally switch to linux from windows - but I can't because linux doesn't support games and programs I need(want) to run! If it did I'd switch to linux.

YES! its not the main thing

ubuntu (not verified) - December 30, 2010 @ 11:32pm

YES! its not the main thing that holds us back but it is a big issue. i mean even mac's can play games (even if it is to a lesser extent) thus so should we! if linuxers have to pay for crossfire to be able to play games then thats definately going to alienate poeple and some will just stay with windows! I would gladly totaly ditch windows if it wasnt for the point blud makes about compatability of games and apps!

after all we have acheived why should games be consigned basically to just windows!?

Yes

UserU (not verified) - January 14, 2011 @ 6:38pm

Yes it holds back. I am what you could call a "hardcore gamer", I don't like all that flash games, casual games and whatever. So while I use Ubuntu every day to work / web, I have another computer with Windows just to play. Remember that the gaming industry is making more money than Hollywood lately, so more games for Linux, more popularity it will achieve.

as far as I know gamers do

jelatang (not verified) - January 14, 2011 @ 7:08pm

as far as I know gamers do not worry about what OS that is in use, just want the game running smoothly.

I think the linux community should try to suppress the VGA card makers pay more attention to Linux, which in their next turn will put pressure on game makers to pay more attention to Linux users

is wrong also to say the game is not important. do not always have great games. for example in the user window popularity of games like "GameHouse" very high, ranging from small children to adults.
very important to introduce something from a very early age, kids are very curious and interested in everything related to games.

if the linux community could reproduce games ranging from kids who are new to the keyboard, we will see very good progress in the future for Linux users.

A True Gamer

gimcrack (not verified) - January 15, 2011 @ 12:20am

A true gamer isn't going to use Linux as there gaming operating system. If you are dealing with only Windows current games. Then you are going to be dealing with a Windows operating system period.

I'm a gamer, but I switch to Linux in July of 2003. I mean I install Linux right over my Windows installment. Because Windows just sucks. It took me 5 day with Linux to get back and running like I did with Windows. I didn't want my PC to be a paper weight, so I learn Linux real fast.

Now as time went by, I had the gaming itch. So I download all the 3D games I could find in a Linux repositories. Wow, I was surprise the games I found in there all for free. Then I learn how to compile from source codes. Then I look for games out there that aren't in a Linux repositories. I found many Linux games this way. I had a full library of Linux games. O.K. now I had some Windows games laying around before I made the switch. So I started to play around with wine to see if I could get some of them going in my Linux machine. Well at that time wine was still a new app for Linux. I got a few games working but wasn't really happy with the results. So more time went by, wine now had some updates under its belt. So, I made another try with the Windows game I had still laying around. Wow, I got 80% of them going with very few bugs in them. Some work just as good even if I played them in Windows. So, I'm happy with Linux and the games that I had collected with deep hard searches. That day I made the switch to Linux from Windows, was the best decision I ever made.

More game support needed

Supay (not verified) - January 16, 2011 @ 12:09pm

I got into Linux a few years ago and I love the options it gives me. However, although I've learnt a bit, I wouldn't describe myself as a poweruser yet and there is a lot of stuff that just stops me dead until I can work out what the hell it means.

I play a lot of games and, while I have some working under Linux by tweaking wine or similar systems, a lot just don't work and I have to keep Windows XP lurking on a dual boot partition.

Unfortunately, this just results in me spending more and more time living in Windows due to me being such an avid gamer. I find that I am having to force myself into Linux each time I'm not logging on specifically for playing games, which is such a shame as I much prefer my various Linux installs to Windows.

I was so excited when the rumours about Steam came out and disappointed when they announced it was untrue. It's also odd, as Steam sell a lot of games which do have Linux versions available. Surely for a start they could write a Linux client and thereby allow these games to be played cross system, at the very least.

With the large market Steam now has, even that humble beginning might lead to greater things. I think I might even send them a message regarding this, as 90% of my gaming is through Steam these days and I'd never boot Windows again if I had Steam in Linux.

Minecraft works in Linux,

Anonymous Penguin (not verified) - January 19, 2011 @ 3:03am

Minecraft works in Linux, WoG works in Linux, Braid works in Linux. What more could anyone ask for?

JensE

Jens Elstner (not verified) - January 24, 2011 @ 9:27pm

No lack of games will hold back linux on the desktop, I'd think.

It's the majority of indifferent pc users who doesn't care which os lurking on their pc.

They just buy a pc and use whatever os will be on the harddrive. And be honest, if you buy a pc it will be a windows flavor at most.

Only customer with it resp. os knowledge will be able to make a choice prior to the purchase.

Regards
JensE

Yes and No...

Generic Demon (not verified) - February 18, 2011 @ 2:42pm

I am a strong belief in freedom, that why I am a Linux user, but I think there is still a market for "paid for content", ie; open source game engines, developed on mass for free, but games developed within the open source games engines should chargable. Scary thought, but I am suggesting that creativity used to design a games is equal to say music or a film. I am not suggesting drm. Also, imagine an open source game engine supported and developed by activision and ea. first off game development time would be slashed and they would be able to put their efforts into games, not the core tools and it should also reduce costs to the end users.