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Steam's August Hardware Survey, Linux Dips Below 1%

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Here is the latest instalment of Steam's Hardware Survey, as usual we do our monthly thing and compare it and talk about it and make sure you know not to use it as a hard figure.

Linux Results For August 2013
Ubuntu 13.04 64 bit 0.40% -0.03%
Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS 64 bit 0.15% -0.05%
Ubuntu 13.04 0.12% -0.01%
Linux 64 bit 0.10% 0.00%
Linux Mint 15 Olivia 64 bit 0.08% -0.01%
Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS 0.08% -0.03%

Total: 0.93%
Last Month: 1.06%

Things to note
The Other category may contain a few of the smaller Linux distro's like Fedora, Gentoo and Arch for example.

Other 0.67% -0.06%

Especially when before the main stats did contain quite a few more Linux distro's it's safe to assume some of the % is Linux as well.

There is this long bug report on Valve's github where a fair few users are stating they have never even seen the survey under Linux. I am one of them, yet I am logged in everyday.

Just be aware these results will probably not be that accurate as we don't know how they do their percentage results, they could be rounding up, rounding down or truncating the percentages. So a 0.5% could actually be nearly 0.6% as it could be 0.59% but they could do no rounding and simply truncate it.

Also it won't be every Steam user (it's a survey not a full statistic) so it can be as simple as not actually showing the survey to many Linux people. Let's face it we know they don't survey 100% of their user base, only a small fraction of it, so bear that in mind as well. Personally I am still yet to see it under Linux so it's not counting me that's for sure and I am logged in every day!

Also to note is that Linux is apparently only sitting at around 1.28% of the worldwide desktop share anyway according to Net Applications. Their reporting should also be taken lightly too since it's all using web-based counters.

Lastly Linux users typically shy away from any form of DRM, so you can bet there is a large bunch of Linux users who just simply refuse to use Steam. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Editorial, Steam
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly.
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FoH Sep 2, 2013
I got the survey last week (on Ubuntu 13.04). I'm not logged into Steam every day, my logins are actually few and far between.

The survey doesn't need to hit every Linux user to get an accurate measure. That's not how polls work, generally.
Joe Sep 2, 2013
For what it's worth, over my 4 years of using Steam in Wine and over the past year running Steam on Linux, I've only ever seen the survey once. And it was the one time that I installed Steam on a work computer running Win7 so that I could try Just Cause 2. :(
MrGutsy Sep 2, 2013
I have been using steam on Linux on and off since it came out of beta, and I have been asked to run the survey twice. I don't think there is anything wrong with the survey and that the numbers really are that low.
adolson Sep 2, 2013
Maybe the numbers would be a little higher if Linux users stopped dual-booting and running Windows games via Steam in Wine.
David Sep 2, 2013
I switched to Linux completely only this month. And did the survey yesterday (was hoping my linux mint could raise the bar a bit). Lets hope some more people switch. The games available rock... :) (<-- bought Brütal Legend a few days back)
godlike Sep 2, 2013
One of the reasons Linux gaming is not going forward is that hardcore gamers will never be satisfied with the type of games currently on Linux. People want to see FPS and RPGs but all we have is countless indies with 2D simplified graphics. I have to admit that good graphics don't mean good games but not all people are sentimental, not everyone started playing games on the 80s and not everyone is attracted to simplicity.

Don't want to sound ungrateful, indies are nice to have and the driving force of Linux gaming but they are not enough to attract the hardcore gamer.

PS: I am using steam linux since the beginning and this survey never popped up.
richie442 Sep 2, 2013
Quoting: godlikeOne of the reasons Linux gaming is not going forward is that hardcore gamers will never be satisfied with the type of games currently on Linux. People want to see FPS and RPGs but all we have is countless indies with 2D simplified graphics. I have to admit that good graphics don't mean good games but not all people are sentimental, not everyone started playing games on the 80s and not everyone is attracted to simplicity.

Don't want to sound ungrateful, indies are nice to have and the driving force of Linux gaming but they are not enough to attract the hardcore gamer.

PS: I am using steam linux since the beginning and this survey never popped up.
Serious Sam 3 :BFE, Brutal Legend, Legend of Grimrock, Crusaders Kings 2, Europa Universalis IV, Portal ( Portal 2 coming), Left 4 Dead 2, Killing Floor, The Cave, CS: Source, DOTA 2, Team Fortress 2, Eurotruck Simulator 2 ( beta), Natural Selection 2, Trine 2, Metro: Last Light coming, Cities in motion coming, Wasteland 2 coming, Amnesia: Machine for pigs, Tropico 5 is coming, X3 is on Linux, Wargame is on Linux, Football Manager 2014. Of course, that's not so much compared to Windows..but just remember when Linux client came out :).....   there is already a bunch of really good looking games on Linux.. and i hope in the future there will be more of them
scaine Sep 2, 2013
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Quoting: richie442Serious Sam 3 :BFE, Brutal Legend, Legend of Grimrock, Crusaders Kings 2, Europa Universalis IV, Portal ( Portal 2 coming), Left 4 Dead 2, Killing Floor, The Cave, CS: Source, DOTA 2, Team Fortress 2, Eurotruck Simulator 2 ( beta), Natural Selection 2, Trine 2, Metro: Last Light coming, Cities in motion coming, Wasteland 2 coming, Amnesia: Machine for pigs, Tropico 5 is coming, X3 is on Linux, Wargame is on Linux, Football Manager 2014. Of course, that's not so much compared to Windows..but just remember when Linux client came out :).....   there is already a bunch of really good looking games on Linux.. and i hope in the future there will be more of them

That's a nice list.

If I'm being petty, then I think we need to see an commitment from Unreal to bring their technology over. That would open the door for titles like Borderlands 1 & 2, Bioshock Infinite and Dishonoured among others (Sanctum, which I love, or even the likes of Mass Effect). I know that ports have been done for Killing Floor and Dungeon Defenders, but they have been hacked ports, not "official" support from the engine designers.

Also, Skyrim. Just saying.

And of course, all we need to bring another 8 million potentials over would be World of Warcraft support. But I can't see that happening. Or Skyrim, if I'm being honest.

But I live in hope that U3 makes an appearance at some point.
Ozi Sep 2, 2013
Never got the survey on linux. And I'm still waiting for CS:GO ported to really spend some time gaming.... Complete lack of racing games isn't helping also I think....
JayG Sep 2, 2013
Same here.  I am a daily user and have not seen a survey once...
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