this post was submitted on 26 Mar 2025
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Linux Gaming

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Is Linux support still needed nowadays, or is Steam OS good enough? (imgur.com)
submitted 5 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
98 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Hey there!

I'm a solo dev working on a sci-fi grand strategy game (I didn't manage to find if self-promo is allowed so I'll keep the name for myself).

I was updating my planning and started to think: since my game will be published on Steam, it will be playable on Linux using Compatibility Mode even if I don't specifically target Linux itself. I myself play on an Ubuntu and this allows me to play almost every Windows game (old ones are more capricious, but recent ones are ok).

So I'm wondering, is there really an advantage to have native Linux support nowadays? As a solo dev, the thing I lack the most is time. The days/weeks/months it would take me to add it and fix all the probable bugs it entails could be used to improve the game itself or add features instead for example.

On a more general note, what do you other Linux players expect from a Linux game?

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Please publish to GoG as well. I want to support sites that are DRM free. Also I think it's smart to give native Linux support to show the industry that Linux is important rather than rely on compatibility tools that may or may not work well for any given game or setup.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

GoG isn't DRM free anymore

And a game on Steam doesn't have to have DRM if the developer doesn't integrate the DRM feature from SteamWorks API

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

DRM or not this is straight from Steam, you don't own what you "purchase". This isn't consumer friendly:

Steam Subscriber Agreement

  1. REGISTRATION AS A SUBSCRIBER; APPLICATION OF TERMS TO YOU; YOUR ACCOUNT, ACCEPTANCE OF AGREEMENTS

B. Hardware, Subscriptions; Content and Services

Valve or third-party video games and in-game content, software associated with Hardware and any virtual items you trade, sell or purchase in a Steam Subscription Marketplace are referred to in this Agreement as "Content and Services;"

  1. Licenses

A. General Content and Services License

"The Content and Services are licensed, not sold. Your license confers no title or ownership in the Content and Services."

I would like to learn more about DRM on GoG if you wouldn't mind sharing.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

In the past they had the Hitman game of the year edition which had DRM baked in, but they eventually removed it after some pressure, however there is a maintained list on their forum:

https://www.gog.com/forum/general/drm_on_gog_list_of_singleplayer_games_with_drm/page1

Most of it is for cosmetic things which you may feel is not a big deal, but if you read a little deeper you'll see there are more nefarious games on there.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

I appreciate the link and heads up

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I didn't know there was such a demand for GOG. Thanks to this post, your and others' answers, it's on my radar now :)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Oops sorry wrong thread