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
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    111 months 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@thelemmy.club
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      011 months 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
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        8 months ago

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

        • @fartsparkles@sh.itjust.works
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          111 months 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@thelemmy.club
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            -211 months 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

            • AphoticDev
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              211 months ago

              Did you just wake up today and decide to be an asshole, or is this your usual temperament?

              • @fartsparkles@sh.itjust.works
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                111 months 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.

  • Vuipes
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    111 months ago

    Good, now we need devs to officially support Linux.

    • @masterairmagic@sh.itjust.works
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      -211 months ago

      I noticed that wine/dxvk/proton works better than many native Linux versions. This is usually because the game studio does not think Linux is a priority and ships a half-assed implementation. Better to use the optimized version through wine/proton/dxvk.

  • @Pollux@beehaw.org
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    111 months ago

    It’s awesome that Linux is becoming almost a mainstream desktop operating system. The year of Linux is here just another year or 2 and gaming on Linux will be near perfect. But sadly we will not able to play any kernel anticheat games like valorant but who gives a fuck about that game anyways lmao

  • grimaferve
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    011 months ago

    I did my first Linux Steam hardware survey yesterday so I’m doing my part!

  • Bri Guy
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    011 months ago

    Thank god for Valve and how awesome they've been to Linux users

    • @crow@beehaw.org
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      111 months ago

      They’ve done such amazing work for Linux. Linux gaming wouldn’t be the same without them.

      • @miss_brainfart@lemmy.ml
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        111 months ago

        Well, their position is what allowed them to do so much for Linux. And their desire to distance themselves from Microsoft, which I'm absolutely on board with.

        • @zer0@thelemmy.club
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          111 months ago

          The only desire they have for is money, this is the same company that doesn't mind promoting gambling to kids. Their stupid ass closed source launcher that shouldn't exist needed to run software is a million light years away from what Linux stand for

          • @miss_brainfart@lemmy.ml
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            111 months ago

            There are other colours than black and white, you know?

            I fully agree that Valve has their share of issues. There's things I too don't like about them, but that doesn't mean the good they do is worthless.

              • @Zetta@mander.xyz
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                111 months ago

                "This program is spyware because it collects huge amounts of user information, including but not limited to your Home Address, Telephone Number, Credit Card Number, and Internet Search History. Steam also profiles your hardware, communications through Steam's social networking features, and contains a mandatory self-updater. Steam will not work without an internet connection."

                Seems like they need to collect your address, telephone, and credit card number to process payments? Steam is it's own internet browser, so the browser data it collects is from itself, not your personal browser.

                You seem paranoid and this website seems to be incorrect or purposely stating things in a misleading way, oh and steam does work without and Internet connection

      • @lukini@beehaw.org
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        11 months ago

        It's not useless. None of the launchers are. I greatly appreciate the auto updating of games, earning achievements, among others things. Sure they have issues, but they would have been dethroned years ago if people didn't like their software compared to companies like Epic.

  • @thatsTheCatch@lemmy.nz
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    011 months ago

    I have a steam deck but I also recently changed from Windows to Pop!_OS on my gaming rig. I’m very much enjoying it so far

    • BaroqueInMind
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      011 months ago

      Is Pop OS the new “I use Arch” meme? I see people mentioning it almost everywhere linux is talked about.

  • @Rhabuko@feddit.de
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    011 months ago

    Nice. Steam with Proton works really great for me so far. If only wine would be as good for other software. Trying to get my Affinity products to work on wine or DAZ Studio is a nightmare and I probably will just use a VM 😩.