Support us on Patreon
PayPal
Another month goes by and Valve have released their Steam Hardware Survey. It shows a drop in Linux marketshare, but it's not as bad as people claim.
I actually stopped talking about this for a while until recently as not much changes. When I see people linking to articles with a title like this:
"Steam Linux Usage Saw A Notable Decline For June 2017"
I can't help but attempt to clear it up.
To be clear, there is no feud between GOL and Phoronix, but I do take issue with, to be blunt, clickbait headlines like that. A large amount of his reporting is generally quite accurate. However, headlines like that and the text of the article too saying it's a "relatively large decline" just aren't right.
Linux marketshare on Steam dropped by 0.09% for last month. That is not a notable decline, it's so low it could be within the margin of error. We don't know what their sample size is though, so the error margin is not clear. It might look like more than it is because our overall share is obviously a lot lower than where Windows is currently. This could also be from variations in the sampling each month.
The main thing: We're talking sub-1% changes here. If there was a notable decrease in Linux gamers on Steam, the decrease in the overall percentage would be a lot sharper.
It can be a simple case of Windows growth in certain markets outpacing Linux growth. That doesn't suddenly mean Linux has any kind of notable decline in use. Linux is likely growing too, just not as fast.
You can claim the Linux survey doesn't come up often enough, but that's just how sampling works.
You can argue booting into your Windows dual-boot partition suddenly makes it appear and claim it's wrong. Of course it would pop up then though, that's it seeing a change in your system. So you are likely to see a survey.
The numbers in the Valve survey are very close to what I constantly see from developers when talking in public (and more often in private) about their sales numbers.
We're strong enough for hundreds of indie titles each month, Feral Interactive, Aspyr Media & Virtual Programming all still port some of the bigger titles to Linux. It's going well all things considered.
Everything's fine. Keep calm and carry on, basically. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
I actually stopped talking about this for a while until recently as not much changes. When I see people linking to articles with a title like this:
"Steam Linux Usage Saw A Notable Decline For June 2017"
I can't help but attempt to clear it up.
To be clear, there is no feud between GOL and Phoronix, but I do take issue with, to be blunt, clickbait headlines like that. A large amount of his reporting is generally quite accurate. However, headlines like that and the text of the article too saying it's a "relatively large decline" just aren't right.
Linux marketshare on Steam dropped by 0.09% for last month. That is not a notable decline, it's so low it could be within the margin of error. We don't know what their sample size is though, so the error margin is not clear. It might look like more than it is because our overall share is obviously a lot lower than where Windows is currently. This could also be from variations in the sampling each month.
The main thing: We're talking sub-1% changes here. If there was a notable decrease in Linux gamers on Steam, the decrease in the overall percentage would be a lot sharper.
It can be a simple case of Windows growth in certain markets outpacing Linux growth. That doesn't suddenly mean Linux has any kind of notable decline in use. Linux is likely growing too, just not as fast.
You can claim the Linux survey doesn't come up often enough, but that's just how sampling works.
You can argue booting into your Windows dual-boot partition suddenly makes it appear and claim it's wrong. Of course it would pop up then though, that's it seeing a change in your system. So you are likely to see a survey.
The numbers in the Valve survey are very close to what I constantly see from developers when talking in public (and more often in private) about their sales numbers.
We're strong enough for hundreds of indie titles each month, Feral Interactive, Aspyr Media & Virtual Programming all still port some of the bigger titles to Linux. It's going well all things considered.
Everything's fine. Keep calm and carry on, basically. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Some you may have missed, popular articles from the last month:
The comments on this article are closed.
HOWEVER, if you look at the desktop market share numbers, you'll see Linux having the biggest share ever, 2.36%.
11 Likes, Who?
It's hard to take the hardware survey numbers seriously when you never get those Steam surveys. I had one this year and that was in like February or March.
5 Likes, Who?
It's quite weird, I took the survey two days ago and it showed me a 0.81% with a small increase on linux and windows 7 64.
Last edited by Jahimself on 2 July 2017 at 1:00 pm UTC
Last edited by Jahimself on 2 July 2017 at 1:00 pm UTC
0 Likes
Quoting: JahimselfIt's quite weird, I took the survey two days ago and it showed me a 0.81% with a small increase on linux and windows 7 64.Two days ago would have still been the May numbers.
2 Likes, Who?
As luck would have it, I recently switched back to Ubuntu Gnome. The very first time I logged into Steam on the fresh install and --- BANG!! Steam Survey!!
Dreams really do come true! :D
Dreams really do come true! :D
2 Likes, Who?
It's summer sale, and thousands of cheaters (who are Windows users, of course) are buying dozens of CSGO copies each, so this affects overall percentage. Also, Steam got popularity in Asia, where very few people uses Linux (~0.1%), so if there are 17M of Chinese on Steam, that means +17k of new Linux users and +16,983,000 of Windows users. I don't pay attention to Steam stats. I prefer absolute values, not relative percentage.
Last edited by ageres on 2 July 2017 at 1:57 pm UTC
Last edited by ageres on 2 July 2017 at 1:57 pm UTC
4 Likes, Who?
Avehicle7887 Jul 2, 2017
Another thing to consider is that plenty of people don't use Steam, taking myself for example, I buy games only from GOG on a regular basis. Taking this into consideration, the number of Linux gamers is higher than one might think.
8 Likes, Who?
ertuqueque Jul 2, 2017
It is indeed quite annoying the clickbait tendency of Phoronix title articles... not to mention the absolutely unjustified "Capitalization Of Every Word In His News Titles". People don't seem to understand that this stupid habit just creates confusion when reading it!
Anyway, I agree with @rkfg's comment that according to Netmarketshare's update, Linux has reached an "all time high" market share... I check every month their updates and I take this increase as very likely due to last months WannaCry and Petya's attacks to the Windows ecosystem. I think it's realistic to think that some Windows users and/or institutions would dip their toes in Linux over the past few weeks to see if they do the switch... Maybe some of them actually did.
Anyway, I agree with @rkfg's comment that according to Netmarketshare's update, Linux has reached an "all time high" market share... I check every month their updates and I take this increase as very likely due to last months WannaCry and Petya's attacks to the Windows ecosystem. I think it's realistic to think that some Windows users and/or institutions would dip their toes in Linux over the past few weeks to see if they do the switch... Maybe some of them actually did.
7 Likes, Who?
Quoting: Avehicle7887Another thing to consider is that plenty of people don't use Steam, taking myself for example, I buy games only from GOG on a regular basis. Taking this into consideration, the number of Linux gamers is higher than one might think.There also exist windows and mac gamers who don't use steam, and I am not sure that the share of gamers not using steam are higher on linux than windows or mac. Part of the reason is that linux gamers has fewer online stores to choose from.
So yes, there are linux gamers who won't be measured in the steam survey, but there also are windows and mac gamers who won't be measured.
3 Likes, Who?
Quoting: NanobangAs luck would have it, I recently switched back to Ubuntu Gnome. The very first time I logged into Steam on the fresh install and --- BANG!! Steam Survey!!Meanwhile, after not getting the survey in a very long time, it pops up when I decide to install Steam in Wine. The hardware survey sure is a fickle thing.
Dreams really do come true! :D
2 Likes, Who?
Quoting: KetilI am not sure that the share of gamers not using steam are higher on linux than windows or mac.
I expect it to be higher (though there is no easy way to measure it). Linux users are more commonly averse to DRM.
Last edited by Shmerl on 2 July 2017 at 3:13 pm UTC
3 Likes, Who?
Quoting: rkfgHOWEVER, if you look at the desktop market share numbers, you'll see Linux having the biggest share ever, 2.36%.
Interestingly, if you look at those trends, most of those new users seem to come from former MacOS users, not Windows ones.
3 Likes, Who?
Quoting: ShmerlI noticed that but it's not necessarily true. Like with the Steam survey, these values are percentages not absolute numbers. It could be the same story, the desktop Linux users count grows faser than that of OSX but slower than Windows. Even absolute numbers don't say anything about platform migrations.Quoting: rkfgHOWEVER, if you look at the desktop market share numbers, you'll see Linux having the biggest share ever, 2.36%.
Interestingly, if you look at those trends, most of those new users seem to come from former MacOS users, not Windows ones.
0 Likes
GustyGhost Jul 2, 2017
Unless the Steam client goes open source and they start offering DRM-free options, I will be ditching Steam ASAP.
I hate having software installed on my system that shows me popup advertisements when I open it.. like why do I even make an exception to tolerate this shit?
I hate having software installed on my system that shows me popup advertisements when I open it.. like why do I even make an exception to tolerate this shit?
0 Likes
Quoting: rkfgI noticed that but it's not necessarily true. Like with the Steam survey, these values are percentages not absolute numbers. It could be the same story, the desktop Linux users count grows faser than that of OSX but slower than Windows.
Yeah. I think it reflects general stagnation and bit rot of MacOS, and trend to abandon it for something modern.
0 Likes
Mountain Man Jul 2, 2017
Until Valve releases hard numbers, it's all guess work based on incomplete data.
2 Likes, Who?
I get the survey several times. During a year between 3 of 4 times I would say. In one case it came while I was using wine. The survey recognized this correctly. I think Vales survey is a clean thing.
For me it's a surprise that so many people do gaming under Linux. Only 2% of all desktops are Linux systems. Most of them are just for working or Linux is installed on old hardware which could otherwise not be used.
Linux will never be widely used on desktops. But Steam Machines will develop. In my opinion the selection of games is already better than for the PS4 or XBox. And running a Steam Machine is much easier than having a Windows-PC.
Unfortunately, this advantage is not reported. Instead, it is only ever complained that there are fewer games than for Windows.
It's so absurd when the press celebrates Nintendo for the release of Rocket League in December. The PS4 and XBox missing important games such as Civilization. Games where we spend hundreds of hours. But that is no problem for the gaming press. They would never criticize it.
But at some point people will notice what a cool concept Steam Machines are.
For me it's a surprise that so many people do gaming under Linux. Only 2% of all desktops are Linux systems. Most of them are just for working or Linux is installed on old hardware which could otherwise not be used.
Linux will never be widely used on desktops. But Steam Machines will develop. In my opinion the selection of games is already better than for the PS4 or XBox. And running a Steam Machine is much easier than having a Windows-PC.
Unfortunately, this advantage is not reported. Instead, it is only ever complained that there are fewer games than for Windows.
It's so absurd when the press celebrates Nintendo for the release of Rocket League in December. The PS4 and XBox missing important games such as Civilization. Games where we spend hundreds of hours. But that is no problem for the gaming press. They would never criticize it.
But at some point people will notice what a cool concept Steam Machines are.
2 Likes, Who?
Quoting: AnxiousInfusionUnless the Steam client goes open source and they start offering DRM-free options, I will be ditching Steam ASAP.
Steam does not force games to use DRM. That is what the developers choose (or don't). As for it going open source: that's just as likely as Debian providing non-outdated software ;)
Quoting: AnxiousInfusionI hate having software installed on my system that shows me popup advertisements when I open it.. like why do I even make an exception to tolerate this shit?
You do know that you can disable these, right?
Steam -> Settings -> Interface -> "Notify me about [...]"
6 Likes, Who?
Quoting: AnxiousInfusionI hate having software installed on my system that shows me popup advertisements when I open it.. like why do I even make an exception to tolerate this shit?Popups can be turned off.
Why are people so open-source obsessed? Games are not open-source anyway, as well as Nvidia drivers, so what would be different if Steam goes open-source? Linux market share is too small for gamers to be capricious and picky.
Last edited by ageres on 2 July 2017 at 4:34 pm UTC
11 Likes, Who?
Quoting: ageresWhy are people so open-source obsessed? Games are not open-source anyway, as well as Nvidia drivers
We are using Linux after all, not Windows, so you can answer your own question. There is no reason to make such clients closed, except for DRM. DRM can't be open by definition.
Regarding drivers, you can switch to AMD, and use open ones.
Last edited by Shmerl on 2 July 2017 at 5:06 pm UTC
1 Likes, Who?
See more from me