Steam on Linux

[DJRWolf]

I got to thinking about games that are on Linux and how there are really no games developed for it. Then when I was browsing the games on Steam's store it got me thinking. What if Valve developed a Linux version of Steam. Now I'm not saying they would also have to port over all of their games just the Steam platform. That way Indie developers would have a way to sell higher quality games on Linux without each also having to develop the distribution system for their own software.

What do all of you think?

 

[randomizer]

They are developing an OSX client now (finally) so Linux may be coming. It just depends if they think it's financially viable to maintain a Linux client. I personally would like it even if the games aren't ported, as I use it as one of my primary IM programs and it doesn't work amazingly under Wine.

 

[mobster1227]

Linux and gaming are not usually used in the same sentence however it is growing in popularity. Steam will have very few Linux clients because of the lack of game support

 

[audiovoodoo]

As I've said in other threads, more and more of the game engines are moving to OpenGL and more and more games houses are thinking of the cross platform market. Given the volume of games sold on handsets running Linux, Symbian, Andorid and Apple I fully expect a lot more games to appear with Linux support. Why the hell would you write only for Windows nowadays?

 

[DJRWolf]

There is a lack of game support because there had been no good way of selling games on Linux. Brick and mortar stores don't have the space and it is complex to develop a digital distribution system that is as good as Steam. The only other good one I know of is Impulse.

Just think if you had games like Plants Vs Zombies or Defense Grid: The Awakening on Linux. Smaller game developers like them might port those games over if they had a way to sell them like Steam.

 

[audiovoodoo]

If it was a true Linux game then they would not be selling it ;-)

Point taken though, for the commercial side I can see the benefit.

 

[DJRWolf]

Stumbled onto something when I was looking for distro's for forensic work.

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=supergamer

 

[Pyroflea]

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/steam-linux-mac-os-x-half-life-team-fortress,10247.html

Some good news on the front page