Steam On Linux Still Tap Dancing Around 0.9% Marketshare

[Yttrium]

Windows even updates drivers for you nowadays.

What's funny is that Linux is ahead of the curve on many of these features. Clearly linux (steam?) adoption isn't correlated with performance, features or even ease of use. Your Ubuntu distribution isn't that more quirky or complex compared to Windows gotcha's. Monopolies have the tendency to disrupt competition and create complacency.

I've never been asked to participate in the survey under Windows, under Linux I was asked right away. Anecdotal evidence is anecdotal.

I'm sure Steam is doing their best to randomly sample user accounts and machines, There have been survey issues when querying user accounts that all log in on the same machine in an internet cafe. That caused the same machine to be counted multiple times even though there always is "one" windows/nvidia machine set up. Linux desktop marketshare in general is 1-2%. Steam isn't going to be the reason people switch and I honestly don't see a reason for anyone to prefer linux over something everyone knows.

Not that it matters, Linux is doing great. We have mesa as an all in one graphics solution for all distributions and architectures.

[ezst036]

https://www.pcgamer.com/au/gabe-newe...-the-pc-space/

"Valve wouldn't exist today without the PC," he insisted, "or Epic, or Zynga, or Google. They all wouldn't have existed without the openness of the platform. There's a strong temptation to close the platform, because they look at what they can accomplish when they limit the competitors' access to the platform, and they say, 'That's really exciting.'

“We are looking at the platform and saying, 'We've been a free rider, and we've been able to benefit from everything that went into PCs and the Internet, and we have to continue to figure out how there will be open platforms."

Newell even went as far as to say that a change of operating systems may be necessary in the future to preserve the open platform, so get those boot CDs ready.

"We want to make it as easy as possible for the 2,500 games on Steam to run on Linux as well. It's a hedging strategy," he said.

https://mygaming.co.za/news/business...ent-valve.html

Later on in the speech Gabe touches on Windows and how the Microsoft Store changes things for the gaming industry. He believes that Windows 8 and the Store was not a good idea. “Platforms are becoming more controlled, the software developer market is controlled, the content is controlled, and so is the pricing. These companies should have embraced open platforms instead of proprietary retail models."

Seems only slightly cryptic. The point is that if the platform becomes so controlled to such a degree well then Valve has no reason to exist other than as just yet another game making company. That's the logical conclusion of the Microsoft Store.

Tim Sweeney expressed pretty much those exact same fears in his own way.

https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/2...ing-windows-10

Ever since Microsoft announced it would launch the Windows Store as part of Windows 8, it’s drawn criticism from certain quarters. Gabe Newell’s entire Steam OS was a reaction against Windows — and an attempt to make certain that Microsoft’s store could never threaten Steam’s huge share of Windows game distribution. Tim Sweeney, the Unreal engine developer, has also criticized Microsoft's Windows 10 Store and the entire concept of the Universal Windows Platform. Microsoft has reached out to Sweeney on multiple occasions, but the developer is still unhappy — and he’s increased the volume of his rhetoric.

In a recent interview with Edge Magazine, Sweeney doubled down on the argument that UWP is part of a long-term plan to lock gamers into Microsoft’s distribution net.

[Tuxee]

Daily reminder that i have never witnessed a steam survey on my client on Linux. Just this summer sale i spent 170 euros on linux native games, still no survey. There is something fishy going on here.

Unfortunately I got mine just yesterday. But rest assured: This "something's fishy" argument has been around since the dawn of Steam on Linux.

[andre30correia]

After 8 years 0.9% - this is disaster. And I remember the texts of the linux fanboys. Linux's entry on Steam was supposed to quickly destroy Windows because free and better - LOL: D.

why? Valve makes money with linux gaming, 0.9 is likely millions of profit every year and a alternative if something goes wrong with windows and mac(this is only a matter of time to stop having steam).

[mozo]

The amount of time people spend tinkering with Linux, setting it right, fighting its issues, making games work costs a lot more than $50.

Windows on the other hand has been "install and forget about it" for more than a decade now. Windows even updates drivers for you nowadays.

Good joke. Linux was always "install and forget about it" unlike Windows. And Linux automatically installs and upgrades the drivers for decades. Educate yourself.

[yoshi314]

I think Valve tried to push Linux too early with SteamOS and Steam machines etc. I think the Steam marketshare was temporarily at 2.0% back then, but people quickly figured out that Linux wasn't ready yet for gaming.
Now with Proton on the board and all the graphics drivers generally being fast and stable, Linux gaming is actually in a nice state. But people have lost interest since and stopped bothering.

same for game efforts. around that time, there were plenty of major game ports for linux. nowadays, not so much.

[ezst036]

so why Valve inc. is still pushing so much effort for linux support?

I do believe that back in the day Gabe addressed this himself, but its been a while so I don't specifically remember. The short answer is The Windows Store/The Microsoft Store is why so much effort is happening.

What would happen to the Steam client if Microsoft locked up the storefront and only allowed the Microsoft store on their platform?

Valve needed an insurance policy. Linux is that policy.

[david-nk]

I think Valve tried to push Linux too early with SteamOS and Steam machines etc. I think the Steam marketshare was temporarily at 2.0% back then, but people quickly figured out that Linux wasn't ready yet for gaming.
Now with Proton on the board and all the graphics drivers generally being fast and stable, Linux gaming is actually in a nice state. But people have lost interest since and stopped bothering.

[Lanz]

I continue to throw money into Steam, buying every game I get the impulse to, because I know a significant chunk goes to Valve and they see I am using Linux. Best way to keep them going and reward all the hard work they've done so far.

[avem]

Daily reminder that i have never witnessed a steam survey on my client on Linux. Just this summer sale i spent 170 euros on linux native games, still no survey. There is something fishy going on here.

I've never been asked to participate in the survey under Windows, under Linux I was asked right away. Anecdotal evidence is anecdotal.