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Linux surpasses the Mac among Steam gamers

(arstechnica.com)
433 points Sporktacular | 11 comments | 04 Aug 23 00:36 UTC | HN request time: 1.5s | source | bottom
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015a ◴[04 Aug 23 05:12 UTC] No.36995730[source]▶
> But before you declare this a triumphant moment for desktop Linux, it's important to note that some of these Linux users are not, in fact, using Steam on a desktop. The Linux version "SteamOS Holo" 64-bit is the most popular reported, at just over 42 percent of the Linux slice of pie. That indicates that a huge portion of these Linux users are actually playing on Valve's Steam Deck portable, which runs Linux.

There's such a deep seeded, systemic bias against linux that it actually can never win, to any degree or magnitude, because the moment it starts winning we just move the goal-posts for the flimsiest of reasons to ensure it can't quite claim that victory.

Linux is obviously and clearly the most popular operating system kernel on the planet. Oh, no, that's no good a measure, servers are messy, let's refine it to most popular consumer operating system kernel? Oh... it, could also reasonably claim that title? No no, no Android, that doesn't count. Nope, No Chrome OS either, you can't have that, that's, well, that is linux, but its not. Just nice, pure, desktop linux, yes, perfect, arch linux, kde desktop, that'll never trend up and thus is the perfect new-new definition of desktop linu--wait hold up, I'm getting word this is, not possible, its actually SteamOS? Nope, kill it, that's not desktop linux either, kill it.

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handmadeta ◴[04 Aug 23 07:42 UTC] No.36996737[source]▶
I am not sure it's a matter of bias.

Instead, I think it's that "Linux" is an overloaded term. One sense is that someone downloads and installs a "Linux" distro because they actually want to use "GNU+Linux" (wink). The other sense, what you are aluding, to is that linux is foundational to most things IT. If I subscribe to DSL the provider is probably going to send me a modem that runs linux. But that doesn't mean I chose linux. I just wanted DSL. Same for Android. Most people that use Android didn't choose a linux-based mobile operating system. They want Android or are just using whats one the phone they wanted. And indeed, I don't think many "GNU+Linux" people would tolerate the specific essense of Android in their distros.

Now, SteamOS might be the bridge between these two worlds. On the one hand, Steam Deck users also didn't chose Linux. But then, the resources that Valve can spend on enabling gaming on Linux because of the success of Steam Deck means that many more people, like me, can finally consider choosing Linux.

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executesorder66 ◴[04 Aug 23 10:04 UTC] No.36997771[source]▶
> or are just using whats one the phone they wanted

In that case 99.9% of windows users fall in the same category. They are just using the OS that came on the device they bought. How many people actually bought a separate license, and downloaded a Windows installer because they specifically wanted to install Windows on their device?

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deadbunny ◴[04 Aug 23 10:42 UTC] No.36998042[source]▶
How many people actually bought a separate license, and downloaded a Windows installer because they specifically wanted to install Windows on their device?

Pretty much the entire (DIY) PC gaming market? Granted they may not buy Windows but they are certainly making the choice to download and use it over linux.

Sure there is a pre-built market for desktop PCs but I would think the PC Gaming market skews to DIY though I have no stats.

Note: I run arch btw.

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1. bitcharmer ◴[04 Aug 23 13:52 UTC] No.37000041[source]▶
No, that used to be the case a few years ago. Proton runs practically any game on Linux these days. No good reason to pick windows these days
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2. bombolo ◴[04 Aug 23 14:07 UTC] No.37000277[source]▶
proton is good, but it's not nearly that good.
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3. bitcharmer ◴[04 Aug 23 14:13 UTC] No.37000349[source]▶
Yes, it doesn't run 5% of games smoothly therefore it's shite. Give me a break
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4. dicytea ◴[04 Aug 23 14:31 UTC] No.37000611{3}[source]▶
30% actually.

Just a few weeks ago, I tried playing a Japanese game that I was interested in, but it didn't even get past the start menu. Not a big deal for me as I'm not an avid gamer, I just moved on.

But imagine telling a hardcore gamer that no, you can't play that new game released an hour ago. Maybe it'll become compatible a few months later, maybe not.

Or tell a professional artist that no, they can't use that art software anymore, they have to retrain their entire skillset with an entirely different software.

Now that's a show-stopper. For most people, it's 100% compatibility or bust.

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5. pjmlp ◴[04 Aug 23 14:40 UTC] No.37000708[source]▶
Except that Windows is the target OS emulated by Proton, which otherwise wouldn't have any games to run.
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6. ◴[04 Aug 23 15:33 UTC] No.37001426{3}[source]▶
7. taeric ◴[04 Aug 23 15:46 UTC] No.37001612{4}[source]▶
The community is really responsive, such that you could point the hardcore gamer to the forums and they would likely get help getting it fixed.

Professional artists are also an interesting choice. If they are in a major art studio, they are probably having to use custom tooling there already. And Wacom is very well supported on linux.

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8. bombolo ◴[04 Aug 23 19:32 UTC] No.37004756{5}[source]▶
It's responsive but most people aren't so technically skilled.

I have a game that works fine with proton on one machine, but doesn't on another machine. But works fine with windows on both machines.

I tried for hours to get it to work on the other machine, since it clearly can. No luck.

In the end with proprietary software, it's always a black box.

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9. taeric ◴[04 Aug 23 19:56 UTC] No.37005034{6}[source]▶
They aren't necessarily technically skilled, but they are often building the skills. Is literally how a lot of us got into computers. Did we actually understand what himem was? Not at all, but we could play with DOS and friends really well. :D

This is also an odd rabbit hole to fight about. I've had so many windows boxes that couldn't play games throughout the years that I've basically accepted that games programming is hard. :D

10. bitcharmer ◴[04 Aug 23 20:16 UTC] No.37005281[source]▶
Yes, and what's your point?
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11. pjmlp ◴[05 Aug 23 05:38 UTC] No.37009307{3}[source]▶
It is a failure regarding fostering the development of Linux games.

No difference of being a nice package for something like MAME.