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]
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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] 20 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I really appreciate when a dev puts the extra effort in to make a Linux port, but I can understand when a solo dev such as you doesn't have much time to spend on porting. To be honest, I'm just happy if the developers at the very least test the game on Linux using Proton and WINE to make sure it's working well and correctly. That way if making a native port really is that much of a hassle, I expect them to at least test it on Linux. I think that most large teams should make a (good) native port, though.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I'm using Ubuntu myself to develop actually so I'm kind of doing that all the time. The problem is, my machine isn't everyone's machine, my drivers aren't anyone's drivers, and so on.

In the end I think that I'll try to give Linux builds to testers to see if they report a lot of bugs or not and decide at that moment if it's too much work or not.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Sounds like a good strategy. I don't know all the details, but from the way I understand it, your Linux build would be run by Steam in a Linux container, Steam Runtime. So build and test against that if you can. If I have it right, maybe the Steam Runtime container will give you more confidence if you are able to go with a Linux build.

edit: If you sell your game through Steam.