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I don't understand why people at Microsoft's gaming division are not acting like their hair is on fire right now. The only reason I and many people stay on Wind

by kzz102 4y ago

I don't understand why people at Microsoft's gaming division are not acting like their hair is on fire right now. The only reason I and many people stay on Windows is because of games. The success of Steam Deck makes Linux a major gaming platform, opening the way for PC gaming to migrate to Linux. The only reason I have not switched already is my kids needs to play Minecraft.

MineBill 4y ago
Are you talking about Bedrock edition? Because the Java edition runs perfectly fine(maybe even better) on Linux.
AnIdiotOnTheNet 4y ago
Honestly I don't think Microsoft cares about Windows, or to the extent they do care they'd rather people not use a Desktop computer at all. Almost every decision since Windows 8 has been to the determent of the user experience on Windows, and it is getting difficult to believe that is accidental at this point.
neogodless 4y ago
I think there are a few puzzle pieces to look at... PC gaming Windows licensing is probably not significant to their revenue. For now, most PC gamers still buy laptops/desktops with Windows, or build a desktop and obtain a Windows key. Xbox Game Pass seems to be an important piece of their plan, because subscriptions are gold. They release games that are PC and Xbox compatible (that might work on other systems, e.g. Linux). As long as Xbox Games is selling games, they are less concerned with how the games are played. Giving up the PC Gaming on Windows part of their strategy does not necessarily have a big immediate effect on Microsoft. (But may be short-sighted in the long term.)
ranger207 4y ago
Microsoft seems to care less about platforms than apps nowadays. Windows and Xbox are important, but mostly because they get people to buy Office and Microsoft games. On the platform front though, the Steam Deck is for most people purely a gaming device, but their PCs are both gaming devices and workstations. SteamOS only solves the gaming part. Microsoft might be worried about their platforms if they put work into getting the workstation part better, or they might embrace it and dive entirely into selling apps and games
glenstein 4y ago
>I don't understand why people at Microsoft's gaming division are not acting like their hair is on fire right now. I completely agree, although perhaps their hair is on fire, which has inspired them to acquire Minecraft and pursue Activision. >The success of Steam Deck makes Linux a major gaming platform, opening the way for PC gaming to migrate to Linux. I think this has been brilliant by Steam, is great news for PC users, but it's something that has taken time. It has been so frustrating to see articles in the Verge declaring that SteamOS, or the Steam Box/Steam Machine were 'failing' because they did not result in overnight market dominance. But they were necessary steps to get to this point.
darknavi 4y ago
The trajectory of gaming at Microsoft seems to be "play our games anywhere" (for the most part). It doesn't seem like gaming at MSFT has any allegiance to Windows. Now if the Windows org is banking on gamers staying on Windows, then I can see why they'd be sweating.
barbazoo 4y ago
> The only reason I and many people stay on Windows is because of games. 100% for me. I loathe having to boot my Windows PC, figure out why the Keyboard isn't working, getting a different one, installing a driver update, restarting to update Windows because it's been so long since I last played, ... What I want is either a small device that's aimed at gaming, I guess that would be a game console or a device that's small and portable that streams to whatever TV I want to play at (we have 2). I guess that would be Nvidia GameStream, is that still a thing? Oh and Linux, would I love to have the PC run Linux.
ThrowawayR2 4y ago
Why would they? Proton is an adapter that allows Windows games to run on Linux so the Deck's popularity is simply cementing Windows' APIs as the preferred API for games development and burying the hope of Linux-first games development in its grave forever. Proton will forever be playing catch-up to DirectX as it iterates, meaning the most current gaming experience will always be on Xbox / Windows as well. Aside from that, what would you even suggest Microsoft do? Building their own portable game console would be suicidal, with Nintendo firmly entrenched with a large stable of games on one side and Valve's Steam and their monopoly on Windows games distribution on the other, which even Epic flushing billions of dollars down the drain hasn't been able to dent. Even Sony bowed out of the handheld console market and they were in a much better position to compete.
- kaba0 4y ago
  > burying the hope of Linux-first games development in its grave forever Nah, there are much graver (pun not intended) problems on Linux, but especially not having a standard environment to program against (which libc will be available?), and even more so the terrible terrible binary backwards compatibility/longevity.
- surgical_fire 4y ago
  Well, I moved to Linux for good now that I can play most of my Steam and GoG libraries on Linux. I don't use a Steam deck, but its success makes Linux a viable alternative for me. Now... If a lot of people play on Linux (either directly like me or indirectly through Steam Deck), why would devs not make games directly for Linux instead?
phendrenad2 4y ago
There are an estimated 1 million Steam Decks sold. There are an estimated 1 billion PC gamers. Maybe a 1/1000th of Microsoft's hair is on fire.
zamalek 4y ago
> I don't understand why people at Microsoft's gaming division are not acting like their hair is on fire right now. They have tabloids in the start menu to supplement income, of course. There is a bit of truth in that joke, they have completely lost touch with their customers. You have PMs and designers making decisions about Windows... on their Macs. Games were one of the few moats that Windows had. Now, you can get most productivity tools on a Mac, and most games on Linux. With no adverts on either. And the PC gaming customerbase aren't really tolerant of adverts. Possibly the only remaining advantage with Windows is that you can do both.

by kzz102 4y ago

MineBill 4y ago

Are you talking about Bedrock edition? Because the Java edition runs perfectly fine(maybe even better) on Linux.

AnIdiotOnTheNet 4y ago

Honestly I don't think Microsoft cares about Windows, or to the extent they do care they'd rather people not use a Desktop computer at all. Almost every decision since Windows 8 has been to the determent of the user experience on Windows, and it is getting difficult to believe that is accidental at this point.

neogodless 4y ago

I think there are a few puzzle pieces to look at... PC gaming Windows licensing is probably not significant to their revenue. For now, most PC gamers still buy laptops/desktops with Windows, or build a desktop and obtain a Windows key. Xbox Game Pass seems to be an important piece of their plan, because subscriptions are gold. They release games that are PC and Xbox compatible (that might work on other systems, e.g. Linux). As long as Xbox Games is selling games, they are less concerned with how the games are played. Giving up the PC Gaming on Windows part of their strategy does not necessarily have a big immediate effect on Microsoft. (But may be short-sighted in the long term.)

ranger207 4y ago

Microsoft seems to care less about platforms than apps nowadays. Windows and Xbox are important, but mostly because they get people to buy Office and Microsoft games. On the platform front though, the Steam Deck is for most people purely a gaming device, but their PCs are both gaming devices and workstations. SteamOS only solves the gaming part. Microsoft might be worried about their platforms if they put work into getting the workstation part better, or they might embrace it and dive entirely into selling apps and games

glenstein 4y ago

>I don't understand why people at Microsoft's gaming division are not acting like their hair is on fire right now. I completely agree, although perhaps their hair is on fire, which has inspired them to acquire Minecraft and pursue Activision. >The success of Steam Deck makes Linux a major gaming platform, opening the way for PC gaming to migrate to Linux. I think this has been brilliant by Steam, is great news for PC users, but it's something that has taken time. It has been so frustrating to see articles in the Verge declaring that SteamOS, or the Steam Box/Steam Machine were 'failing' because they did not result in overnight market dominance. But they were necessary steps to get to this point.

darknavi 4y ago

The trajectory of gaming at Microsoft seems to be "play our games anywhere" (for the most part). It doesn't seem like gaming at MSFT has any allegiance to Windows. Now if the Windows org is banking on gamers staying on Windows, then I can see why they'd be sweating.

barbazoo 4y ago

> The only reason I and many people stay on Windows is because of games. 100% for me. I loathe having to boot my Windows PC, figure out why the Keyboard isn't working, getting a different one, installing a driver update, restarting to update Windows because it's been so long since I last played, ... What I want is either a small device that's aimed at gaming, I guess that would be a game console or a device that's small and portable that streams to whatever TV I want to play at (we have 2). I guess that would be Nvidia GameStream, is that still a thing? Oh and Linux, would I love to have the PC run Linux.

ThrowawayR2 4y ago

Why would they? Proton is an adapter that allows Windows games to run on Linux so the Deck's popularity is simply cementing Windows' APIs as the preferred API for games development and burying the hope of Linux-first games development in its grave forever. Proton will forever be playing catch-up to DirectX as it iterates, meaning the most current gaming experience will always be on Xbox / Windows as well. Aside from that, what would you even suggest Microsoft do? Building their own portable game console would be suicidal, with Nintendo firmly entrenched with a large stable of games on one side and Valve's Steam and their monopoly on Windows games distribution on the other, which even Epic flushing billions of dollars down the drain hasn't been able to dent. Even Sony bowed out of the handheld console market and they were in a much better position to compete.

kaba0 4y ago
> burying the hope of Linux-first games development in its grave forever Nah, there are much graver (pun not intended) problems on Linux, but especially not having a standard environment to program against (which libc will be available?), and even more so the terrible terrible binary backwards compatibility/longevity.
surgical_fire 4y ago
Well, I moved to Linux for good now that I can play most of my Steam and GoG libraries on Linux. I don't use a Steam deck, but its success makes Linux a viable alternative for me. Now... If a lot of people play on Linux (either directly like me or indirectly through Steam Deck), why would devs not make games directly for Linux instead?

phendrenad2 4y ago

There are an estimated 1 million Steam Decks sold. There are an estimated 1 billion PC gamers. Maybe a 1/1000th of Microsoft's hair is on fire.

zamalek 4y ago

> I don't understand why people at Microsoft's gaming division are not acting like their hair is on fire right now. They have tabloids in the start menu to supplement income, of course. There is a bit of truth in that joke, they have completely lost touch with their customers. You have PMs and designers making decisions about Windows... on their Macs. Games were one of the few moats that Windows had. Now, you can get most productivity tools on a Mac, and most games on Linux. With no adverts on either. And the PC gaming customerbase aren't really tolerant of adverts. Possibly the only remaining advantage with Windows is that you can do both.