A New Linux Game Store Is Launching Next Week

While there isn't an over-abundance of quality native games right now for the small Linux gaming market, it looks like a new web-based Linux game store is launching next week. It's called Gameolith, but will it be anything special?

I've received a few emails regarding Gameolith.com, which carries a tag-line of "The Linux Game Download Store." Not many details are officially known about this forthcoming store, but based upon the line, it will be e-delivery / download-based.

Their web-site hasn't launched yet (not until 7 July), but they have bits of information on this partner page. It appears that the store will be browser-based rather than having a native system client like Valve's Steam, Desura, or even the Ubuntu Software Center. It does look like they intend to package the games in Debian and RPM formats at least. It's not clear whether or not Gameolith intends to bundle any Digital Rights Management (DRM) with the titles. It also appears that Gameolith will try to build some sort of community and distribute news.

Gameolith is based out of the United Kingdom and is owned by 736 Computing Services Limited. 736 Computing Services just appears to be a small web-design firm that was only launched last year. It's a bit ironic that it's a web design firm when the Gameolith web-page currently appears fairly broken in Firefox. The Gameolith domain was registered back in 2009. The only name that I've turned up associated with the computing company is Jonathan Prior, which appears to be a developer based upon his blog and Stack Overflow.

It will be interesting to see if Gameolith is able to do anything to distinguish itself from Tux Games of Linux Game Publishing or any of the other small online Linux game stores. There's also Desura and Steam forthcoming that it has to compete with as well as Ubuntu's growing Software Center. At this point, however, it doesn't look like it will be offering anything unique to the Linux game market, but we shall find out on the 7th of July.