Steam for Linux - will you switch?

[Geforce255]

Gabe Newell is "disappointed" with Windows 8; actually he recognizes that Microsoft is attempting to close the gates on independent portals like Steam and force users to the XBox Live marketplace.

In response, Valve is putting a full court press on migrating Steam to Linux, particularly Ubuntu and Mint.

http://store.steampowered.com/news/9289/

So with a Linux client, and IF a lot of titles are ported to Linux, will most Sharks abandon Windows in favor of the Penguin?

[Kamakazie]

Not a chance. GabeN is just angry that Microsoft has their own in-built game marketplace competing with Steam. There is nothing wrong with Windows 8 and there is nothing in place to block independent portals at all.

[ImaNihilist]

No one is going to "abandon" Windows for Linux.

What's going to happen is that Valve is going to make a console of their own, which will run Linux behind the scenes and be completely awesome. And developers like EA and Activision are going to **** their pants when they realize that little old Valve is a massive threat to their business.

Right now Valve is seen as a small company that doesn't matter, believe it or not. No one at big game publishers gives a **** what Valve does, Microsoft included. But when they have a console, the game changes. The barrier to entry in the console space has always been distribution and licensing. Distribution is no longer a barrier, since the disc is EOL. If they don't have to license Windows or some other OS, they can make a set top box for cheap.

Big Picture Mode is awesome. When you can cut $100+ off of building a small PC for gaming because you don't need to buy an OS it's even more awesome.

[kpxgq]

im dissapointed at valve for taking so long to even support linux

im not going to jump ship since im heavily invested with many windows only apps but i think going multiplatform is the best thing for the market, for competition, and for the consumer

[linoleum]

I don't run Windows for Steam, I run Windows for the games that run on Steam.

[Timman_24]

I don't run Windows for Steam, I run Windows for the games that run on Steam.

Bingo, get back to me when AMD and Nvidia give a **** about linux

[proxops-pete]

I don't think I will make the jump for next year or two... but once video card support is on-par or better on Linux and all my games are supported in Linux, that's when I will make the jump

[Geforce255]

Bingo, get back to me when AMD and Nvidia give a **** about linux

Great point. I've done okay with AMD drivers, but the Nvidia ones for Ubuntu are a crime against humanity.

[Timman_24]

The only thing nvidia drivers are good for on linux is to be able to even boot.