3 ms·

Valve seems to be working on tools to get Windows games running on Linux

50 points by pestkranker 8y ago

dtx1 8y ago
This is really great. I've been worried that Valve might drop their linux support that was only really there in the first place to spite microsoft for the app store. I don't think they'll ever succeed in getting 10%+ steam users over to linux but damn am i glad that they are doing it anyways
craftyguy 8y ago
I hope such games are marked in the store to differentiate them from games made by developers who actually make an effort to support Linux. Relying on a shim made by Valve to support a game on an OS that developers did not target sounds like a recipe for a really bad, unstable time. I'd also rather not give money to developers who make a decision not to support Linux.
- earenndil 8y ago
  I imagine that they'll do it on a case-by-case basis, with a custom configuration for each one, testing to make sure it works. (Possibly they'll also detect games that use unity, c#, java, dosbox, but only officially support window, and make a shim for those.)
bdz 8y ago
So basically their own fork of Wine? A DirectX Linux wrapper backed and supported by Valve. And most likely it will come with SteamOS 3.0 which is rumored to be launched soon (pending Valve Time) https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/looks-like-steamos-30-is-on-the-way-codenamed-clockwerk.12208 https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/looks-like-steamos-30... It's also important because Valve drops the support of XP and Vista in January 2019. https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1558-AFCM-4577 https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1558-AFC...
- mort96 8y ago
  So we're relying in Valve's ability to count to 3. We are doomed.
  - hd4 8y ago
    You could say we're left 4 dead
kevin_b_er 8y ago
Valve knows the threat of S-mode and Microsoft's desire to creates its own walled garden with its own 30% tax on all software.
androidgirl 8y ago
To me, the article reads like Steam Play could be a wrapper over WINE and maybe DXVK (or similar). That would be awesome! Tools like PlayOnLinux and Lutris already exist, and are met with so much love from anyone I introduce to them. The community around windows on linux gaming could use support from a large player like steam. If it increases adoption of linux as well, it will help improve wider adoption of native Linux gaming further. I have been using WINE for gaming exclusively since I started gaming a couple years ago. It has always been a pleasant experience for me. I am excited for the future and optimistic about this speculation. It's not "year of the linux desktop" (cellphones might mean that never comes), but it is always nice to see better, user-friendly resources.
peatmoss 8y ago
Many new titles seem to support Linux. Old titles largely don’t. Even if a Wine-ish compatibly layer adds some performance overhead, the PC that sits behind my TV is losing Windows pretty quickly once this comes out. Managing Windows is a PIA compared to slapping Xubuntu on a system.
- ashleyn 8y ago
  Newer titles tend to use newer engines, almost all of which include Linux export as a one-click build option.

50 points by pestkranker 8y ago

dtx1 8y ago

This is really great. I've been worried that Valve might drop their linux support that was only really there in the first place to spite microsoft for the app store. I don't think they'll ever succeed in getting 10%+ steam users over to linux but damn am i glad that they are doing it anyways

craftyguy 8y ago

I hope such games are marked in the store to differentiate them from games made by developers who actually make an effort to support Linux. Relying on a shim made by Valve to support a game on an OS that developers did not target sounds like a recipe for a really bad, unstable time. I'd also rather not give money to developers who make a decision not to support Linux.

earenndil 8y ago
I imagine that they'll do it on a case-by-case basis, with a custom configuration for each one, testing to make sure it works. (Possibly they'll also detect games that use unity, c#, java, dosbox, but only officially support window, and make a shim for those.)

bdz 8y ago

So basically their own fork of Wine? A DirectX Linux wrapper backed and supported by Valve. And most likely it will come with SteamOS 3.0 which is rumored to be launched soon (pending Valve Time) https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/looks-like-steamos-30-is-on-the-way-codenamed-clockwerk.12208 https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/looks-like-steamos-30... It's also important because Valve drops the support of XP and Vista in January 2019. https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1558-AFCM-4577 https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1558-AFC...

mort96 8y ago
So we're relying in Valve's ability to count to 3. We are doomed.
- hd4 8y ago
  You could say we're left 4 dead

kevin_b_er 8y ago

Valve knows the threat of S-mode and Microsoft's desire to creates its own walled garden with its own 30% tax on all software.

androidgirl 8y ago

To me, the article reads like Steam Play could be a wrapper over WINE and maybe DXVK (or similar). That would be awesome! Tools like PlayOnLinux and Lutris already exist, and are met with so much love from anyone I introduce to them. The community around windows on linux gaming could use support from a large player like steam. If it increases adoption of linux as well, it will help improve wider adoption of native Linux gaming further. I have been using WINE for gaming exclusively since I started gaming a couple years ago. It has always been a pleasant experience for me. I am excited for the future and optimistic about this speculation. It's not "year of the linux desktop" (cellphones might mean that never comes), but it is always nice to see better, user-friendly resources.

peatmoss 8y ago

Many new titles seem to support Linux. Old titles largely don’t. Even if a Wine-ish compatibly layer adds some performance overhead, the PC that sits behind my TV is losing Windows pretty quickly once this comes out. Managing Windows is a PIA compared to slapping Xubuntu on a system.

ashleyn 8y ago
Newer titles tend to use newer engines, almost all of which include Linux export as a one-click build option.