Valve may be adding support for using compatibility tools for playing games on different operating systems

I'm late to the party due to the timezones but it's funny to see this is really a thing now. I predicted it twice right here, on GoL! Not exactly a super-insightful prediction as it's pretty obvious and who knows what that compat tool really does. Might really be a Windows-only thing as already pointed out.

My another idea is that Valve could start their own porting division using Wine+DXVK, like Virtual Programming do with their library. They might even do it "for free" because they already get their share from each sale, so they only need a developer's permission. The main point is these ports would be supported, i.e. tested and QA'd. Not just a button to install Wine and overrides automatically. This might be a good way to bring Bethesda and Ubisoft's games to Linux among others. For now those comments suggest the compat tool is a not reviewed feature and may or may not work for the particular user. I think this is going to change in, say, 2019.

It's a start. And Valve has always supported Mac, so it makes sense for them to try and fix an upcoming problem for a lot of games in their store. If it is this, then they're probably looking at including something for OpenGL -> Metal, which should be a lot easier than to try and support Windows on Mac/Linux. As you have found out yourself, things are a lot more erratic in that department and it would currently be a support nightmare.

But who knows. They may have much bigger plans indeed.

Think about what you're saying though. If they are going that route, they can't just hook up a tool to convert OpenGL to Metal, it would still need something like Wine to handle literally everything else the game would be doing ;)

Why? Only OpenGL will be deprecated. The rest of the MacOS API will remain in tact. It would be just like dropping DXVK into Windows to make games run over Vulkan while the rest remains native.

This is something I've been expecting (although not so soon).
I do hope it's true

Oh good another reason for developers not to bother with linux as i said on wine and dxvk and am sure purpleguy and sheri will bitch at me for this but see this is what i was talking about valve has given up on courting devs to linux now its hey dont worry about it wine port that shit. I dont care what you say it fucking matters.

It's a start. And Valve has always supported Mac, so it makes sense for them to try and fix an upcoming problem for a lot of games in their store. If it is this, then they're probably looking at including something for OpenGL -> Metal, which should be a lot easier than to try and support Windows on Mac/Linux. As you have found out yourself, things are a lot more erratic in that department and it would currently be a support nightmare.

But who knows. They may have much bigger plans indeed.

Think about what you're saying though. If they are going that route, they can't just hook up a tool to convert OpenGL to Metal, it would still need something like Wine to handle literally everything else the game would be doing ;)

Why? Only OpenGL will be deprecated. The rest of the MacOS API will remain in tact. It would be just like dropping DXVK into Windows to make games run over Vulkan while the rest remains native.

Read the info again, they key point about it was "other operating systems". That doesn't sound like simply making OpenGL go to Metal.

Oh please no. Please don't let this happen Valve. We don't need more people playing Windows games. Wine is the worst what ever happened to Linux gaming. We need the opposite, Wine users should be banned or disadvantaged somehow. DXVK development is something that should stop immediately. R.I.P. Linux.

I don t think banning people using wine is the answer. People want to play games and they don't want to have to use windows. I would prefer people stick to native but people wont i am guilty of it in the past too I want to play it its never coming to linux because its a bethesda title so wine is the only option.

It's a start. And Valve has always supported Mac, so it makes sense for them to try and fix an upcoming problem for a lot of games in their store. If it is this, then they're probably looking at including something for OpenGL -> Metal, which should be a lot easier than to try and support Windows on Mac/Linux. As you have found out yourself, things are a lot more erratic in that department and it would currently be a support nightmare.

But who knows. They may have much bigger plans indeed.

Think about what you're saying though. If they are going that route, they can't just hook up a tool to convert OpenGL to Metal, it would still need something like Wine to handle literally everything else the game would be doing ;)

Why? Only OpenGL will be deprecated. The rest of the MacOS API will remain in tact. It would be just like dropping DXVK into Windows to make games run over Vulkan while the rest remains native.

Read the info again, they key point about it was "other operating systems". That doesn't sound like simply making OpenGL go to Metal.

What it sounds like as has been hinted at the developer of dxvk refuses to take donations or setup patreon guess if these rumours pan out we've found who has been funding dxvk also looks like Steam is positioning itself to have a hybrid version of lutris integrated to steam and apparently called Steam Play.

To avoid the support from the devs and publishers, valve could implement install buttons with installers made from the community, but approved from valve (like an app in a serious app store), and if publishers decide to give their own support like native port or compatibility port, they can add their own supported install button. so no one is forced to give support, the community can contribute, valve has the control of the buttons and linux can grow.


Last edited by evergreen on 15 August 2018 at 10:23 am UTC

Off topic:
I totally dislike to point this out, but FFS, some of you here could use a bit of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punctuation It can't be that hard.
Just saying...


Last edited by dubigrasu on 15 August 2018 at 10:27 am UTC

The fact that Valve can restrict me from downloading games that I've bought just on the basis of what OS I use is horrendous. I really hope this comes to fruition.

My only concern would be that some devs may get lazy with their Linux support and eventually just tell users to use Wine and other compatibility tools.

Read the info again, they key point about it was "other operating systems". That doesn't sound like simply making OpenGL go to Metal.

If you'd take it literally, yes. But since this is all unofficial, I choose to read that with a certain flexibility and take the "simplest" option for now. However, I am always ready to be surprised.

Read the info again, they key point about it was "other operating systems". That doesn't sound like simply making OpenGL go to Metal.

If you'd take it literally, yes. But since this is all unofficial, I choose to read that with a certain flexibility and take the "simplest" option for now. However, I am always ready to be surprised.

Yeah I did say it could be nothing.

More food for thought, in this post from Valve, they said:

We also have other Linux initiatives in the pipe that we're not quite ready to talk about yet

Off topic:
I totally dislike to point this out, but FFS, some of you here could use a bit of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punctuation It can't be that hard.
Just saying...

Dude, I bet most of the people here are (like me) not even natives. And punctuation in English can be really weird sometimes. xD

Off topic:
I totally dislike to point this out, but FFS, some of you here could use a bit of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punctuation It can't be that hard.
Just saying...

Dude, I bet most of the people here are (like me) not even natives. And punctuation in English can be really weird sometimes. xD

I'm not a native English speaker myself, and is not hard to do it.
At least you split your thoughts in sentences/paragraphs and use full stop after them. Don't need to go for perfection.

I'd remember read a comment on PC Gamer on Apple deprecates OpenGL. (link

This is a huge gift to MS and a huge FU to Gaben and linux.

Let's remember that MS has a thing called Xbox (DirectX-box, get it? it's in the name). Most developers are now forced not to care about MacOS X (because it's just to expensive) or linux (because it's too small) so they'll just develop inside walled gardens of D3D, because they DO have to care about xbox and game development becomes cheaper when it's developed across just one API (or two, for PS additionally).

Apple is in an all-out war against open standards. I don't think I'd ever seen this kind of hostility from MS.

Possibly Valve retaliation? With very strong rumours on Win 10 will be free and/or subscription-based service, walled-gardening, MS huge incentive to devs, etc; Valve doesn't want their "oil wells" being disrupted. Being "locked-out" means game over for Valve's profit. Desperate + critical times need desperate measures. Making every game works even "Wine"-ing is huge step to ensure future on Steam.

But, it's also a double-edge sword. MS will considered it as "act of war". With MS wealth, they simply buying/paying every developers to make them come to Win. Just look at MS's own presentation on E3 this year.

Infact, I'm really won't surprised Cyberpunk 2077 won't coming to Steam and/or Linux. And won't surprised if CP2077 will be MS Store timed exclusive.

Remember guys, Windows 7 EOL is on 14th Jan 2020, which means less than 1.5 years from now. Net Market Share says Windows 7 still dominating at 42++% (nearly half). As former XP-ian, Win XP EOL makes me come to Linux. Will soon-to-be EOL Win 7 users adopting Linux or upgrading to 10? Time will tell.

p/s:I know PC gamer comments aren't "too constructive", but sometimes we should listen outside of our echo chamber..

One of the reasons as to why some games arent realeased as a native linux port is cause there arent enough gamers (in their view. to us we are many)
And most of the average joes who tried steam machine said it didnt have enough games. So doesnt have enought games and doesnt have enought gamers to support the games.

Well that situation have become better more linux native games. But I think that if you can play 99% of games with close to native performance through something like wine, it wont render the game devs lazy.
It will move more gamers to our linux platform and in turn starting to solve the problem mentioned above. therefore something like this will cause new linux native games to appear rather than new windows wine games, as game developers tend to want something that works good. good graphics, performance etc.

So I myself is for the Wine + DXVK thing that is going on. Best thing to happen to Linux in a while, Now if this compat thing is what we think it is :O :O :O :O

I am all about native Linux games, but I have to admit that there are more than a few games in my collection that I run from Wine. I understand that it goes against the idea that companies won't care to make native Linux games if people are willing to run them using Wine, but the reality is, those games are simply not going to get ported and dammit, I want to play them.

That being said, I am looking forward to simply making a couple of clicks, rather than jumping through hoops, to play games like Diablo 3, Skyrim, Dungeons & Dragons Online, etc. (actually, Skyrim was a pretty easy install, compared to the others mentioned, but still).

I welcome our non-emulator to the Steam fray, if that is what is happening.

I am all about native Linux games, but I have to admit that there are more than a few games in my collection that I run from Wine. I understand that it goes against the idea that companies won't care to make native Linux games if people are willing to run them using Wine, but the reality is, those games are simply not going to get ported and dammit, I want to play them.

That being said, I am looking forward to simply making a couple of clicks, rather than jumping through hoops, to play games like Diablo 3, Skyrim, Dungeons & Dragons Online, etc. (actually, Skyrim was a pretty easy install, compared to the others mentioned, but still).

I welcome our non-emulator to the Steam fray, if that is what is happening.

I understand people's concern about this wine situation, but companies still won't care about Linux if our market share stays this low regardless of wine's existence.

That being said, imagine that most of the windows games (old and new) working hassle free using wine, most people unhappy about windows would switch. And when Linux market share reaches a certain point it would be too risky for game devs to not to port the game and only then we can break this chicken and egg dilemma.

I always find the WINE paranoia bizarre. Rather than worry about the devs, think of the users. If the process was streamlined, I mean we're talking Steam here, than that would likely bring in a good chunk of users on the fence. More users means we become a more viable market, meaning devs will have to stop treating us as 2nd class consumers, meaning more properly supported, native ports.

Of course, this is Valve we're talking about, so no telling what this really is or when Valve will bother announcing it to us peasants


Last edited by HadBabits on 15 August 2018 at 5:10 pm UTC

I hoped for a feature like that for a long time now. Depending on how this is implemented it could be great.

I understand people's concern about this wine situation, but companies still won't care about Linux if our market share stays this low regardless of wine's existence.

That being said, imagine that most of the windows games (old and new) working hassle free using wine, most people unhappy about windows would switch. And when Linux market share reaches a certain point it would be too risky for game devs to not to port the game and only then we can break this chicken and egg dilemma.

Either case, if Steam gives a solution to play Windows games on Linux, they probably will take their part from publisher profits (and hope it's a big one). From my perspective, this solutions shouldn't be as bad as some are afraid of, but right now there is a lot of hype around it and we're not even sure of what is going on. I insist that we should calm down and keep gaming with native games for now :D


Last edited by x_wing on 15 August 2018 at 5:43 pm UTC