Steam Linux Use Dips Back Below 0.5%

[theriddick]

It can change if flagship titles start appearing on linux, including pubg/fortnite... That masses tend to collect around a handful of games,..

[anth]

The Linux percentage shrinking by 0.03% while VR shrinks by 0.05% is actually a not a bad result. Not long ago Valve said that VR is growing by 160% annually, but this survey shows it is down from 0.70% to 0.65%. Combined with Windows 10 decreasing and Windows 7 increasing suggests the total number of users has gone up.

[anth]

Could you calculate / estimate the total (absolute) number of Linux users over time? Some of the percentage decrease might be due to a rise in non-Linux titles (e.g. PUBG etc.) So rather than reflecting a decrease in Linux's popularity per se, it's just that people have no choice but to use another platform.

Last October I compared user estimates from Steam Spy with Linux percentages from the hardware survey, replying to a comment about how the latter were down from 0.95% in Jan 2016 to 0.60% then:

At the start of January 2016 Steam Spy estimated there were 30.2 million active users and 142.4 total. At 0.95% on Linux that'd mean 287K active and 1.35M total.

October 2017 Steam Spy estimates were 46.4 million active and 261.6 total. Combined with the hardware survey of 0.60% Linux that'd be 278K active and 1.57M total.

Unfortunately Steam accounts becoming private by default due to GDPR means that Steam Spy now has very little data so this technique isn't available anymore. Don't get me wrong, the GDPR has caused some wonderful changes, but this data was nice to have.

[Morbis55]

Well I do what I can. I recently only play RocketLeague and of course on Linux. (Thanks Unreal Engine)
However it really sucks, that there still is no Freesync on Linux. Espeacially these fast games NEED it!

Also my FPS are still way under Windows performance.
On Windows I am 100% at 144++ FPS. Linux is like 80-130 FPS.
And yes it makes a difference on a 144Hz Monitor - which also has Freesync

[librin.so.1]

And we still have Steam Client bug #2286 to consider, even though Valve claims it fixed it, just like all the other bugs they "fixed" *cough* effectively a CLOSED WONTFIX *cough*

[Zoll]

It can change if flagship titles start appearing on linux, including pubg/fortnite... That masses tend to collect around a handful of games,..

Nope. Even if Fortnite comes to Linux, the numbers won't change. Why would someone who is playing fine on Windows suddenly decides to change OS because this game is available on some "obscure" OS for nerds? This might make some _existing_ Linux users to buy the game and play it, but to think someone is just waiting to change their primary OS just because it's available on Linux is pure fantasy.

[theriddick]

I think you'd be surprised, but we will probably never know for sure.

[Juppstein]

In a few years games will only be streamed exclusively anyway so the problem will solve itself in one way or another. It will be interesting to see how much longer we have to wait for Valve to enter the streaming market and test the grounds there. From that point on the OS does not matter anymore for those that use their computers mainly for gaming.

[srakitnican]

And we still have Steam Client bug #2286 to consider, even though Valve claims it fixed it, just like all the other bugs they "fixed" *cough* effectively a CLOSED WONTFIX *cough*

I got two surveys in last couple of months, last one yesterday. While before that I never got one. That is my experience with that.

[buzzrobot]

"Even if Fortnite comes to Linux, the numbers won't change. Why would someone who is playing fine on Windows suddenly decides to change OS because this game is available..."

Applies, of course, across the board to all kinds of applications, not only games. "Here, go through the hassle and risk of changing operating systems and you'll be able to use the applications you're using now" is not really very enticing.