Valve: Linux Better Than Windows 8 for Gaming

[Zyst]

"In a presentation at Ubuntu Developer Summit currently going on in Denmark, Drew Bliss from Valve said that Linux is more viable than Windows 8 for gaming. Windows 8 ships with its own app store and it is not an open platform anymore and Linux has everything they need: good OpenGL, pulseaudio, OpenAL and input support."

Via [link = http://games.slashdot.org/story/12/10/29/154207/valve-linux-better-than-windows-8-for-gaming?sbsrc=md]Slashdot[/link]

What do you guys think? A new advent for Linux gaming? As we already know Valve is already working in a Steam version for Linux so it might not be that far off.

As for me right now I use Linux for everything from Work, Listening to music and watching videos. And then I keep a separate Windows Partition for gaming, however considering the direction Windows seems to be headed in Developers might start looking towards Linux as the new platform to develop for.

 

[SajuukKhar]

You must remember, this is the same company who said the PS3 was basically a POS, and yet they released Steam on the PS3.

Valve flip flops more then [insert political person you don't like here], and everyone knows it.

 

[ohnoitsabear]

You must remember, this is the same company who said the PS3 was basically a POS, and yet they released Steam on the PS3.

Valve flip flops more then [insert political person you don't like here], and everyone knows it.

To be fair, in regards to the PS3 thing, at the time, there were completely legitimate reasons to call the PS3 a POS. The processor architecture on the thing is completely different from any other thing out there, and thus is extremely hard to work with. This was made even worse by the fact that there was next to know documentation for the thing at the time, so developers had to figure something out that was completely different from anything they had worked with before with no instructions on how to actually do it. In addition, there was really no reason for a developer to go to the PS3 over the Xbox 360.

Now, there are many incentives to develop for the PS3, especially for Valve. In addition, I think there is more documentation for the thing now, and people have gotten a chance to figure out how it actually works. I actually commend Gabe for changing his stance once his criticisms were no longer valid.

This is something that has come up a lot, and I really felt the need to address it.

Anyway, on-topic. As somebody that likes Linux, but doesn't use it all that often, and hates Windows 8, I would say that, right now, Windows 8 is a better gaming platform. This is mostly due to the lack of games that run natively on Linux, and the abundance that run natively on Windows 8. However, in a few years, if Valve pushes the Linux gaming thing hard enough, that could change.

 

[ResonanceSD]

WTF? Windows 8 is basically Windows 7 with a slightly larger hat on. Other than the unity engine, what's out there for gamers on Linux?

 

[Smooth Operator]

It's more of a warning from Valve how dangerously closed off Win 8 can become, and in that case it would be wise to steer towards Linux for the future if nothing more then to scare some sense into MS.

But MS spent billions upon billions to drown out any competition so do not expect people to easily move over to other things, most people still don't actually know about Linux.

Edit: Also plenty of engines/games work on Linux, but as devs don't give it much time they usually end up as bad PC ports of already bad PC ports.

 

[Evil Smurf]

this is a relief, I am going to get a gaming laptop and am putting Linux on it because I can't stand the windows GUI. Valve has my back for gaming.

 

[Gennadios]

WTF? Windows 8 is basically Windows 7 with a slightly larger hat on. Other than the unity engine, what's out there for gamers on Linux?

Don't discount Unity. The latest crop of Kickstarter megahits that ended up promising multi-platform support ended up settling for it as their engine.

I know, Kickstarter isn't offering any guarantees, but we can expect at least a few fairly professional games to hit Linux by the end of next year. If anything, it'll be a pretty good litmus test on just how viable it is as a gaming platform. Steam support won't hurt it's chances either.

Unreal is also a pretty Linux capable heavyweight. I'm more inclined to believe that not many games are ported because Linux users who are also gamers more than likely have Windows capable systems to run games, so there's not much incentive for porting at the moment.

 

[zumbledum]

its clear Windows is going closed system , the writings on the wall gaming well actually all PC use, will have to go over to linux or get ass raped, i suspect Valve are putting a positive spin on the ease of use of linux here but its a mountain we have to climb and fast, Win 8 is a very clear declaration of the hell to come from M$.

 

[Rack]

Windows 8 isn't closed platform. Metro is but who gives a fuck about Metro?

 

[Ziame]

i think i didnt get the memo...

we cant use windows 7 anymore or something? when vista came out everyone was crying and stuck to XP. noone forces you to use that damn 8 if you dont like it.

 

[SnowyGamester]

They still mad that Windows 8 has a store and Metro looks like big picture mode in Steam. Good for Linux users though...here's to hoping Valve doesn't go power mad ape shit and abandon Windows in the future. Obviously not going to happen, but Windows 8 obviously isn't a closed platform, yet people still believe that crock.