Steam Linux Usage Dropped Slightly In January

[Gps4l]

To get gamers to come to Linux we "only" need games to run faster on Linux, then games on windows using direct X.

I don't think most gamers care much about what os they use.
They are only interested in the number of available games and the performance.

I consider myself a gamer, but not a fanatic one.

The only reason why my pc is dual boot, openSUSE 13.1 and Win 7, is about games.

If I was not interested in games, I would not need windows.

And I know about wine, I have tried that. I also use play on linux, which at least takes away the setup of wine.

I still have hope though that win 7 is the last windows I bought.

[SpaceJunk]

Most Linux games run from the command line without launching Steam. I basically only turn steam on for updates or Euro Truck.

[eydee]

Complete lack of marketing won't help bring people to Linux/SteamOS. Unfortunately marketing and communication are what Valve is the worst at.

[tomtomme]

I was about to say that too. I personally use Skype (but prefer anything but), GFire, and do video recordings and streams.

and teamspeak also works quite fine

[schmidtbag]

Complete lack of marketing won't help bring people to Linux/SteamOS. Unfortunately marketing and communication are what Valve is the worst at.

To be fair - Valve kind of shouldn't be marketing Steam for linux yet anyway since the AMD and intel drivers still have some catching up to do and their real money-maker will be the Steam Machines. I think Valve is just waiting until Linux is good enough to be an adequate gaming replacement for Windows, which currently it isn't unless you meet all of the following:
* Have a modern intel based system
* Use closed-source nvidia drivers
* Use ubuntu 32-bit
* Stereo speaker system
* A USB xinput compatible gamepad
* An HD monitor (not UHD)

I'm not saying you REQUIRE those things, but that's the best way to be as problem-free as possible. For me personally, I don't match almost any of those:
* AMD FX-6300
* open source radeon drivers
* Arch Linux 64 bit
* 5.1 surround audio
* DualShock 4 (Bluetooth)
but I do have a 1080p screen. I can play most games just fine, even when using catalyst, but not all can play and not all have a flawless experience. Sometimes steam itself encounters issues.

[eydee]

To be fair - Valve kind of shouldn't be marketing Steam for linux yet anyway since the AMD and intel drivers still have some catching up to do and their real money-maker will be the Steam Machines. I think Valve is just waiting until Linux is good enough to be an adequate gaming replacement for Windows, which currently it isn't unless you meet all of the following:
* Have a modern intel based system
* Use closed-source nvidia drivers
* Use ubuntu 32-bit
* Stereo speaker system
* A USB xinput compatible gamepad
* An HD monitor (not UHD)

I'm not saying you REQUIRE those things, but that's the best way to be as problem-free as possible. For me personally, I don't match almost any of those:
* AMD FX-6300
* open source radeon drivers
* Arch Linux 64 bit
* 5.1 surround audio
* DualShock 4 (Bluetooth)
but I do have a 1080p screen. I can play most games just fine, even when using catalyst, but not all can play and not all have a flawless experience. Sometimes steam itself encounters issues.

Well, people used Windows 95 and survived it. Without user base, there's not much to improve.

[Dukenukemx]

I would be using Steam on Linux if it wasn't for a lot of new games that just came out. Far Cry 4, Inquisition are two good examples. GTA5 will hopefully be out soon and that won't run on Linux.

Good news is that lots of progress was made with Gallium Nine and Wine. Mass Effect 1 which barely ran at all on Wine, now works pretty good. Origin still sucks cause I can't save to the cloud but the game actually runs good. Before Galliun Nine it would run at like 6 fps on my laptop. With CSMT is ran a bit better. Now with Galliun Nine it runs at full speed.

One things for sure is that Wine devs need to focus a lot more on compatibility with games. Gallium Nine needs to expand to DX10 cause games are starting to require it. Valve needs to talk to Blizzard and EA about joining the Linux master race cause Steam alone isn't enough for me. Even though Valve won't benefit financially from Blizzard and EA, but their games would build a better stronger library for people to use Linux on.

I want to tell people that you don't need to spend $100 for a copy of Windows for you gaming PC. Linux will do it.

[stiiixy]

I've stopped using Steam. So also have a dozen other of my friends and acquaintences, except those obsessed with DOTA2 (but thye're nto human).

And the BS around gouging Australian's for no reason other than apparently we're all super rich comparitively just burned me.

[GreatEmerald]

Most of those listed work fine on linux, except for decent screen recording/streaming.

It works quite fine. I've recorded what, like 500 videos so far? And streamed, too. For 2D games you can use FFmpeg, and for OpenGL games you can use Simple Screen Recorder.

[eydee]

It works quite fine. I've recorded what, like 500 videos so far? And streamed, too. For 2D games you can use FFmpeg, and for OpenGL games you can use Simple Screen Recorder.

Except that recording with sound as well is kind of a nightmare. At least if we're coming from the ease of windows world.