This is pretty insane, Steam has broken another record for their concurrent user count hitting over 17.6 million. It was only in January that Steam passed 14 million concurrent users, so this is a pretty big growth.
Not only did they hit that allmighty figure, they also recorded 6.8 million users actually in-game, so not just people with Steam sat open doing nothing.
The thing is, it isn't just the sales driving this. It helps of course, as everyone scrambles to splurge the cash on the latest games, or whatever's been sat in their wishlist. On a day like today Steam is still sitting at around 12.3 million users, which is still extremely high considering the previous record.
I have no doubts that PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS is driving quite a bit of this, since it hit an all-time peak player count of 2.9 million around the same time. Honestly, if PUBG was on Linux, I would be playing it too. This is again a part of the reason why the Linux market-share on Steam has gone down (remember though, it doesn't actually mean less Linux gamers!), due to such popular games not supporting Linux and Steam's growth in markets where Linux isn't currently popular.
Now, just imagine how much money Valve is likely dealing with. Not just how much they're making, but how much passes through their systems every day—crazy! It shows how big a grip Valve holds on the PC gaming market and how far they could push Linux gaming in future once drivers have come further along, once VR support is better and so on.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Philadelphus Nov 27, 2017
And, uh, to save on electricity costs as a starving student.
(And yes, I know it's still technically drawing current while asleep, but to such a tiny extent it's hardly worth mentioning. If only hibernate wasn't so hit-and-miss on Debian…)
Quoting: TcheyI don't believe a Linux console is a solution for Linux gamers. I don't know about you, but around me, me included, all Linux users are doing much more than playing, on their PC.I still think a Linux console would be a very big win for Linux gamers. Lots of computing software these days are browser based. People use Google documents and email and music, etc. You can use the good browsers on Linux no problem. So, if the majority of highly advertised games ran on Linux, then I do think PC gamers would be more apt to running Linux on their PC's instead of Windows. The rest of the stuff they do on their computers wouldn't even be a shift.
It's a workstation for video, music, 3D, development, internet, social media door, games, all together, and if there was a Linux console, they would NOT buy it or use it even for free. It would require a split between the PC and the console, while with the PC they have all in one machine.
Quoting: TcheyI don't believe a Linux console is a solution for Linux gamers. I don't know about you, but around me, me included, all Linux users are doing much more than playing, on their PC.
It's a workstation for video, music, 3D, development, internet, social media door, games, all together, and if there was a Linux console, they would NOT buy it or use it even for free. It would require a split between the PC and the console, while with the PC they have all in one machine.
I agree with you. A linux console could bring people from Windows and consoles, but not linux users.
Maybe they should invest in make easier to port games from Windows to Linux. Make more Steam Dev Days, invest in some free online courses that are better than what already have. If more people learn about linux, Vulkan, OpenGL, SDL etc then will have more ports to linux
Quoting: TcheyI don't believe a Linux console is a solution for Linux gamers. I don't know about you, but around me, me included, all Linux users are doing much more than playing, on their PC.
--speculation----
We are Linux users, ok, agreed. But i am talking about NEW Linux gamers, or, new "Linux gamers" :D (I suspect that most of them will not want to be Linux gamers, let me be rude. I.E. Android users. Most of them do not know they are Linux users, and get shocked to know it)
What is our goal? More games are ported to Linux, period.
The solution is in front of us. Valve SteamOS Consoles (Steam Machines). But, Valve as a leader must promote that, regardless of the hardware. More people will be willing to buy that console IF there is something, whatever something, perhaps like a guarantee that the 40 most played games on Steam will be ported to that console. People need guarantees.
If all goes well, the result will be our happy "Linux users" faces.
--end speculation----
Valve need to be more independent of Microsoft, and they know that.
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