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Valve have put up their usual monthly survey and the interesting thing for us is that the Linux share is the highest it's been for some time now.
We're currently tracking it every month on a dedicated page which gives you some historical data. As you can see, the current Linux market share on Steam is now at 0.71% as of September's figures. It hasn't been that high since July last year when it hit 0.74%. Although we're still chasing that elusive 1% mark.
With Valve introducing their new Steam Play system near the end of August, it certainly seems to have had an effect. Whether this continues or not is certainly going to be interesting to see, but it's still a pretty good sign. Still not exactly a high percentage when you compare it to Windows at 96.30% for September, but we do have to remember the seemingly ever-increasing user-count on Steam too which means we probably have a lot more users than some would think.
The biggest uncertainty will be people testing out Linux for Steam Play, if they do decide to become fully-fledged Linux users. I've honestly lost count of the amount of people across the net, that said they've officially dumped Windows or they're finally trying Linux out. There's been a lot of positive talk about it lately, so no matter what Valve have put Linux back on the radar.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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The comments on this article are closed.
i doubt we will reach higher than 1% any time soon. Proton is great, but it still needs a lot of improvements to be just 1 click to download and play. Drivers still need to get up to date and so on and on. But we are on the right track with it. There are lots of people switching to linux (probably most of them won't stay for long though) as of late. Internet is full of "Hey i switched to Linux" posts. Linus Tech Tips Videos about the proton and Low Spec Gamer one really helped there also to raise some awarness i guess. Exciting times, but i doubt there will be any huge gains in the market share yet. Lets try to report and fix all those small and big issues before.
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What I find relatively surprising is the way proton has become accepted by the community. Beginning September, there was a lot of native vs. proton talk, but it seems we have come to an agreement to welcome the technology as a fundamental part of linux gaming in just one month. I bet there are still people that don't agree, but they are aware of the consensus.
It's there, it won't go away and it's pretty awesome.
It's there, it won't go away and it's pretty awesome.
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Quoting: Xpanderi doubt we will reach higher than 1% any time soon. Proton is great, but it still needs a lot of improvements to be just 1 click to download and play. Drivers still need to get up to date and so on and on.
you cant expect a change after 1 month
i think its more important what developers will do in the future. no one will switch to linux, because old games work (except online games of course, but if you see the most played games on steam most of them are for linux anyways)
the question is: will new games work with proton?
will developers program their games, that they work with proton? (VULKAN)
you cant say anything about that, but that will be the interesting part of proton
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Quoting: Xpanderi doubt we will reach higher than 1% any time soon. Proton is great, but it still needs a lot of improvements to be just 1 click to download and play. Drivers still need to get up to date and so on and on. But we are on the right track with it. There are lots of people switching to linux (probably most of them won't stay for long though) as of late. Internet is full of "Hey i switched to Linux" posts. Linus Tech Tips Videos about the proton and Low Spec Gamer one really helped there also to raise some awarness i guess. Exciting times, but i doubt there will be any huge gains in the market share yet. Lets try to report and fix all those small and big issues before.
I totally agree. It feels like things are really coming together currently, but there are just so many things that need to get default to really show the potential.
Things like latest drivers, gamemode integration and steam-hardware support are still not default, while they can enhance the experience dramatically. Then there are so many things we know will come in a matter of time, like faudio and steam output support. That's really exciting for those who are willing to try out those new things and feel the difference, but a newbie user who just jumps over from windows will not be abled to enjoy this as much.
Last edited by const on 2 October 2018 at 2:35 pm UTC
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EagleDelta Oct 2, 2018
I think it's important to remember that these numbers are only for the Steam Hardware Survey, which still seems to be pretty sporadic on how often it appears to Linux users. Where Proton will make most of its difference is in reports to developers on Linux users.
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Quoting: PikoloI fully expect more states to start their national distro's as a cost saving measure, with business licenses for Windows increasing as a proportion of software licensing cost. This won't happen in the USA, but it might happen in Europe(France already provides Linux as one of the two OS's on parliamentary laptops) or in China/Saudi Arabia/Brazil.I don't think deputies and bureaucrats are PC gamers and would evolve into Linux gamers if there was Linux on their computers at work.
Last edited by ageres on 2 October 2018 at 3:06 pm UTC
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I just read all of you and at times reading you feels like you have a bit too much frown in you guys/gals :P
Sure proton made "wining" games million times easier and this brought a big change, and yes there is still things we need to work on. But come let's just remember the distrowatch motto and take it to heart. How about we put the fun back in computing.
Yes there are a lot case scenarios for gaming where we still need to do a lot of tweaking but hey let's take it as a fun puzzle.
In fact I think that this is truly what we need to do in the long making videos showing us havin' fun experimenting.
Sure proton made "wining" games million times easier and this brought a big change, and yes there is still things we need to work on. But come let's just remember the distrowatch motto and take it to heart. How about we put the fun back in computing.
Yes there are a lot case scenarios for gaming where we still need to do a lot of tweaking but hey let's take it as a fun puzzle.
In fact I think that this is truly what we need to do in the long making videos showing us havin' fun experimenting.
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Quoting: ageresdeputies and bureaucrats are PC gamers and would evolve into Linux gamers if there was Linux on their computers at work.Actually both in France , Germany and Spain we already have a few and they are elected already so no, fresh new blood is indeed finally pumping into our political class and thankfully some FLOSS defenders and some gamers are among them.
Problem is most outlets don't exactly want to be talking about those points because "it ain't really news worthy , and what would be the headline anyway ?"
Heck over here in France a tv channel that is tax payers funded and is solely dedicated to political life debating the new laws text etc made a tiny documentary about the relationship often troubled and tumultuous between game studios and politicans , and focused their first part on "those elected officials who love video games" and only showed Alexis Corbière and Rachid Hamioui , and well let's just say non green party and non left wingers politician who are gamers weren't all too pleased to be left out of the documentary...
As in they threaten to sue the direction team for that "spiteful and clearly politically charged omission" ...
To which Vanessa Derivière answered in her great usual style "Politically charged no, revealing that I was afraid to even ask and only went asking to the ones that have been "out of the gaming closet for a while now" that's for dead certain. And given your reactions and the way you attack me and attribute me malicious intent I sure as hell won't be giving yer silly asses a ringer for part 2 when I'll be filming it . Kindly the evil biased documentary director"
Last edited by TheSyldat on 2 October 2018 at 4:07 pm UTC
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Quoting: GoldpawQuoting: GuestIf i recall well, we were at .59% last month. That would make a relative 20% increase in proportion.
Nah, you're counting the wrong way. If we were at .59 and went up to .71, the increase is relative to .59 as the 100% value, meaning this would be more correct: (.79 / .51) * 100 - 100
We're up 25.42%! :D
According to my phone's calculator app ((0.71 - 0.51)/(0.51)) * 100 is about 20.34.
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So . . . the PUBG wave has crested?
Still don't trust the Steam Survey numbers anyway.
Still don't trust the Steam Survey numbers anyway.
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