Valve Bringing Steam to Linux, Too
![Valve Bringing Steam to Linux, Too [Valve Announces that Steam Will Extend Support from Windows and OS X to Linux]](http://nexus404.com/Blog/thumbnailimages/alt/steamlinuxTFTSThumb220153.jpg)
Earlier today we let you know that Valve had finally launched a Mac OS X version of their popular game digital distribution platform, Steam. This launch has not only given Valve and all of the developers offering software through Steam a whole new market to penetrate but also gives Mac users the ability to put their powerful Apple-laden hardware to the test. With the OS X Steam launch, Valve can cross the second most popular operating system off their list, but what about Linux, the third most used operating system?
Well, according to NetMarketShare, Linux has a marketshare of just 1.05% compared to OS X’s 5.32% and Window’s massive 91.46% which may lead many Linux users to question whether or not they will ever be able to play CounterStrike: Source without dual booting Microsoft Windows.
Luckily, Valve has come through to let everyone know that Linux users need not to fret – they haven’t forgotten about you. While there is no solid release date, the company has officially confirmed that Steam will be coming to Linux at some point in the future. Of course, considering the OS X version saw numerous delays before finally hitting the streets, the same can most likely be said for Linux, but lets hope not.
In terms of games, the Source Engine is already available for Linux which means we are sure to see many games like Portal, CounterStrike: Source, Half-Life 2 and Left 4 Dead hit the platform once it goes live. And, if we’re lucky, Valve will be nice enough to give Linux users a promotion similar to the free Portal until May 24th promotion recently launched for Mac OS X.
While it’s been proven time and time again that there is large base of gaming Mac owners, I’m curious, how many Linux users actually want to play games on their machines? And furthermore, how many of these Linux gamers don’t already have a Windows (or Mac) machine to play games on?
Credit: Source.Valve Says Steam Hacker Accessed Transaction Records Which Contained Encrypted Credit Card & Billing Information
Valve Rumored to Make a Play for the Console Business, Are the Xbox 360, PS3 & Wii in Danger?
Valve's Steam Box Actually Does Exist, But It Isn't A Game Console Like Many People Think It Is
Steam Group 'A Call For Communication' Hopes To Get Valve Talking About The Next Half-Life Game
Blizzard Files Notice Of Opposition Against Valve, Attempting To Stop Valve From Using DOTA Trademark
7 Comments / Add Your Response?
Breaking News
The TFTS Team
I do indeed have windows machines. But I dual boot on my gaming laptop, and it would be great to be able to play in linux without needing to boot into windows. It will also foster more interest in linux from the graphics cards and game development companies in linux.
We were in a chicken and the egg situation before, where in order to have serious games on linux we would need industry support (graphics cards and game development). In order to have industry support there would need to be a good install base of users so that it would be worth their while. To have an install base of gamers there need to be games to play to grow it. To have games…
The egg has finally hatched.
I’m an Ubuntu user that plays steam through wine on a regular basis. You’d be surprised how many linux users do the same. I think a native client will be awesome.
I will want, I love gaming and I hate Windows. This is very nice of Valve – I think, that no matter how unpopular an OS is if it is used then applications and games should be ported to it to let user choose, however – only Windows, Mac OSX and (a bit)Linux are used by ‘normal users’, who want to play – you can skip other systems. This way not only alternative OS users will be happy, but also Microsoft will be forced to try and create a good OS to keep its domination.
In answer to your questions, it’s a vicious cycle–Linux users don’t play games because there aren’t any games for Linux, and there aren’t any games for Linux because Linux users don’t play games. Hopefully Steam will inject some games into the system and kickstart us out of the cycle–the more games are available, the more gamers there will be, and the more games will be ported to sell to them.
Well, it’s about time.
We’ve been running Linux for years, through Wine we play CS:S, Portal, HL2, etc… It’ll be nice to be able to get rid of the few bugs that WINE hasn’t worked out and continue to bother us.
Oh, and the extra FPS of a native client! WIN!
“While there is no solid release date, the company has officially confirmed that Steam will be coming to Linux at some point in the future.”
Where is your source for this? People, need to stop copying what phoronix as they are not a “official” source.
I also run Steam via Wine and I don’t have any dedicated Windows or Mac to play games on…
Native client would be nice.