Valve Corporation's Steam is coming to Linux in 2012

[Zeven]

I may be a gamer and I actually own a good deal of Valve titles, but have not yet played them. Might as well wait till they come out on Linux now!

[Zeven]

That's really up to the individual developers. Valve is only porting the distribution method (Steam) and a game (Left 4 Dead 2, probably other Source games).
Look at Steam for Mac, it's been around for a while but not EVERY game is available for Mac because the developer didn't make a Mac version.

Keep in mind that Steam for Linux is seemingly causing greater excitement than Steam for Mac OS. Gabe and the rest of Valve seem to be much more invested in Linux now than they ever were into Mac OS. Steam for Linux will also launch with a lot more games.

[Merk42]

Steam for Linux will also launch with a lot more games.

[citation needed]

[Zeven]

[citation needed]

Probability and common sense will do for me.

[thatguruguy]

Probability and common sense will do for me.

Assuming that this accurately reflects current usage, Mac OSX is on approximately 7.5% of all desktops, while Linux is on approximately 1.5%. It is neither "probable" that Steam would provide more support to Linux than it does to OSX, nor would it be "common sense" for them to do so.

Since I run Linux full-time, I'd appreciate it greatly if Steam supported Linux more than any other platform, but I don't use my own personal wishes as a basis for forecasting what they will actually do.

[forrestcupp]

Assuming that this accurately reflects current usage, Mac OSX is on approximately 7.5% of all desktops, while Linux is on approximately 1.5%. It is neither "probable" that Steam would provide more support to Linux than it does to OSX, nor would it be "common sense" for them to do so.

Since I run Linux full-time, I'd appreciate it greatly if Steam supported Linux more than any other platform, but I don't use my own personal wishes as a basis for forecasting what they will actually do.

What you say is true. But all of the excitement and buzz at Valve over this surely adds to the probability a little. I don't remember such a sense of dedication and "sticking it to the man" when they decided to develop a Mac version. Plus, it would be a pretty big waste of time to develop Steam and Source for Linux if all they're going to be putting on it is L4D2.

You have to admit that if you consider Linux's market share, before a few months ago, the reality of Steam coming to Linux at all was improbable and against common sense. Yet, here they are doing it. With the attitude they're currently displaying, it wouldn't surprise me if they continue doing the improbable. Hopefully, they're rashness won't bite them in the butt until they've put out a bunch of good games for Linux.

[Zeven]

Assuming that this accurately reflects current usage, Mac OSX is on approximately 7.5% of all desktops, while Linux is on approximately 1.5%. It is neither "probable" that Steam would provide more support to Linux than it does to OSX, nor would it be "common sense" for them to do so.

Since I run Linux full-time, I'd appreciate it greatly if Steam supported Linux more than any other platform, but I don't use my own personal wishes as a basis for forecasting what they will actually do.

What you say is true. But all of the excitement and buzz at Valve over this surely adds to the probability a little. I don't remember such a sense of dedication and "sticking it to the man" when they decided to develop a Mac version. Plus, it would be a pretty big waste of time to develop Steam and Source for Linux if all they're going to be putting on it is L4D2.

You have to admit that if you consider Linux's market share, before a few months ago, the reality of Steam coming to Linux at all was improbable and against common sense. Yet, here they are doing it. With the attitude they're currently displaying, it wouldn't surprise me if they continue doing the improbable. Hopefully, they're rashness won't bite them in the butt until they've put out a bunch of good games for Linux.

Quite right. All that noise Valve is making regarding Linux and Windows 8 must account for something. Then there's the simple logic that this is happening after the Mac OS launch by two or so years. More titles have made it on Linux in the mean time for Steam to launch with. Like I said, probability and common sense. In addition to that, thatguruguy, while you may have your source to count market share with (which appears to be irrelevant anyway as Valve seems far more invested with Linux than with Mac OS), my own sources are putting Linux at around 8%, and yes, above Mac OS as well.

[sffvba[e0rt]

Plus, it would be a pretty big waste of time to develop Steam and Source for Linux if all they're going to be putting on it is L4D2.

Well, if they ported Source there are several titles that we could potentially see. Unfortunately it won't be up to Valve if any other games follow suite.


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[sirchmeister]

Don't forget about Steam Greenlight. Greenlight and Steam on Linux seem to be ideas that go hand in hand.

[Merk42]

Well, if they ported Source there are several titles that we could potentially see. Unfortunately it won't be up to Valve if any other games follow suite.


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THIS
Even if Valve supports Linux 110%, porting all Source games with better performance, it still doesn't mean Steam as a whole will have anywhere near the library of available titles as the Windows version.
Valve fully supports Linux, great. What about Activision, Electronic Arts, Capcom, Konami, Rockstar or any of the other dozens of companies listed at the bottom of http://store.steampowered.com/?