According to these new numbers from Valve, the Linux customer base is up to 1.96%, or a 0.52% jump over June! That’s a huge jump with normally just moving 0.1% or so in either direction most months… It’s also near an all-time high on a percentage basis going back to the early days of Steam on Linux when it had around a 2% marketshare but at that time the Steam customer size in absolute numbers was much smaller a decade ago than it is now. So if the percentage numbers are accurate, this is likely the largest in absolute terms that the Linux gaming marketshare has ever been.

Data from Valve: https://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/Steam-Hardware-Software-Survey-Welcome-to-Steam?platform=combined

  • Stillhart@lemm.ee
    76·
    1 year ago

    Count me as one of those new Linux users. I’ve been trying to switch since the 90’s and Linux gaming is finally viable. I know this is in large part thanks to Valve, so thanks, Valve!

    • zer0
      637·
      1 year ago

      If the games you are playing don’t run on linux than you are mostly playing crap designed by people who’s main goal is to empty your pockets and who think that you are stupid

      • hstde@feddit.de
        211·
        1 year ago

        Or you are playing games made on a tight budget focusing on the largest userbase: windows (>90% according to Steam hardware survey)

        • Holzkohlen@feddit.de
          8·
          1 year ago

          That clearly does not apply for most of the games holding people back from switching to Linux. It’s mostly going to be games like Destiny 2, PUBG, Rainbox Six, Call of Duty, Battlefield, heck probably even Roblox now.
          And funnily enough a lot of indie games do support linux, mostly because are build using engines that make it easy. So I personally reject the claim that it’s games made on a tight budget. Those are going to be few and far between.

        • fartsparkles@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          12·
          1 year ago

          I know countless amazing indie developers who can only afford to target and support Windows as Linux doesn’t generate them any or enough income. They certainly aren’t trying to empty anyone’s pockets, instead supporting their games for years and constantly adding new content for free.

          Linux gamers don’t buy every game that developers have put the time and effort into shipping native binaries. Proton is the ideal stop gap until Linux has a bigger user base that can result in a return on investment for native binaries.

          • zer0
            118·
            1 year ago

            I wouldn’t call them amazing if they would rather focus on free/pay content rather than releasing binaries for linux. I wouldn’t call them amazing either if they consider releasing binaries as an investment.

            There’s plenty of devs who work on their games without the ambition to bank the stock market.

            https://libregamewiki.org/Main_Page

              • fartsparkles@sh.itjust.works
                2·
                1 year ago

                -311 comment points in 8 days. Clearly their usual temperament.

                It’s festering toxicity like that user displays that turns developers away from Linux. Would you want support tickets from someone like them?

                I also found it hilarious they linked a wiki I’ve been contributing to for years hahaha.