After initially showing the decrease as an increase, it seems Valve have now corrected the Steam Hardware Survey results for October 2018.
Originally, it showed as a 0.05% increase even though the figure in October 2018 for Linux is 0.72% compared to September's 0.78% so it's a decrease of 0.06% for people to argue over. This is after Valve fixed a rounding error for small distributions that they reported on October 4th. Keep in mind, they may adjust this figure again like they have a few times.
As a reminder, we have a dedicated page tracking various details including the reported Linux market share on Steam.
It's worth noting, again, that Steam is always growing. As an example of this, Valve reported in April 2018 that they had 43 million daily active users. However, Valve did a presentation back at the Melbourne Games Week last month where they reported that daily active figure to now be 47 million. So, between April and October they had an increase of 4 million daily active users. They're also now up to 90 million monthly active users, which is 23 million more than last year (source).
To give you some fun data points:
- Linux daily active users around: 338,400.
- Linux monthly active users around: 648,000.
The amount of growth Valve is getting is pretty incredible really. They don't seem to have given out a new total active amount of users for a while, but considering their growth it seems like it could be quite a lot compared to the 125 million figure they gave out back in 2015.
So do keep in mind, that while the share is lower overall, the figure it actually represents in terms of actual Linux users is quite likely to be still growing but being outpaced by new Windows users on Steam at the same time. I imagine it's going to take a lot for our growth to ever outpace Windows and push the reported share higher to a point where it's notable. Hopefully when Steam Play matures it might help, but it's far too early to tell.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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Edgarins29 2 Nov 2018
Could it be that Steam beta doesn't trigger survey?
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That survey thing is weird, shouldn't it notice if hardware changes?
Yesterday I got new PC and I did just put my old hard drives in it, fixed bootmanager, started using it and steam didn't pop up that survey.
Yesterday I got new PC and I did just put my old hard drives in it, fixed bootmanager, started using it and steam didn't pop up that survey.
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Expalphalog 2 Nov 2018
That survey thing is weird, shouldn't it notice if hardware changes?
Yesterday I got new PC and I did just put my old hard drives in it, fixed bootmanager, started using it and steam didn't pop up that survey.
I'm not sure what triggers it. I had a survey pop up a few weeks ago and hadn't change a darn thing.
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I guess the upward trend for two months was all the people installing Steam on their work/home server/old laptop/virtual machine Linux boxes to check out Steam Play + Proton. Now the hype ends, and so we get back to our regular numbers.
Overall I get the impression that since Steam survey favours new installations, it is a better estimate of a time derivative of the marketshare (ie. the rate of change of the marketshare) than of the marketshare itself – it tells you more which systems/hardware configurations are growing and gaining users, not how much of the marketshare they actually currently have.
Overall I get the impression that since Steam survey favours new installations, it is a better estimate of a time derivative of the marketshare (ie. the rate of change of the marketshare) than of the marketshare itself – it tells you more which systems/hardware configurations are growing and gaining users, not how much of the marketshare they actually currently have.
2 Likes, Who?
I'm not sure what triggers it. I had a survey pop up a few weeks ago and hadn't change a darn thing.
Well, I got mine few months ago when I didn't change anything, just restarted steam.
Now when all but hard drives changed, I didn't get it.
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Could it be that Steam beta doesn't trigger survey?
I got the survey yesterday, using the beta client and no changes in my HW.
2 Likes, Who?
Does the survey get trigered if you use Lutris as a launcher for Steam games?
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The survey has gone back to claiming the drop is an increase. Looks like it's having issues today.
1 Likes, Who?
stretch611 2 Nov 2018
Could it be that Steam beta doesn't trigger survey?Its just as likely that the release branch doesn't trigger it as well. :P
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Sorry to say that, but Valve surveys are not reliable. If they do not know how to count/interpret surveys - perhaps they should outsource it to someone more reliable like steamdb.info.
But some data are sure without surveys - Linux gaming market is very small (almost no AAA new native titles plus abandon Linux port by many Indie developers means that even this virtual 648000 monthly Linux users it is not worth native port).
Linux native games even with Steam Proton is simply not enough to convince "average Windows/Mac user" to learn how to install Linux on his/her computer. Without some "big company" involved (Dell Steam Machines 2?) - I do not think that situation will change...
But some data are sure without surveys - Linux gaming market is very small (almost no AAA new native titles plus abandon Linux port by many Indie developers means that even this virtual 648000 monthly Linux users it is not worth native port).
Linux native games even with Steam Proton is simply not enough to convince "average Windows/Mac user" to learn how to install Linux on his/her computer. Without some "big company" involved (Dell Steam Machines 2?) - I do not think that situation will change...
0 Likes
Sorry to say that, but Valve surveys are not reliable. If they do not know how to count/interpret surveys - perhaps they should outsource it to someone more reliable like steamdb.info.
But some data are sure without surveys - Linux gaming market is very small (almost no AAA new native titles plus abandon Linux port by many Indie developers means that even this virtual 648000 monthly Linux users it is not worth native port).
Linux native games even with Steam Proton is simply not enough to convince "average Windows/Mac user" to learn how to install Linux on his/her computer. Without some "big company" involved (Dell Steam Machines 2?) - I do not think that situation will change...
what is the problem with installing linux? its pretty simple
it takes time. win7 support ends and maybe some developers will use VULKAN for game they just started to program.
but i dont think valve needs surveys. steam records everything. playtime, when u played the last time, OS, etc. why do they need surveys anyway?
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Comandante Ñoñardo 2 Nov 2018
I just checked and I see:
Windows -0.02
OSX -0.03
Linux +0.05
Windows -0.02
OSX -0.03
Linux +0.05
2 Likes, Who?
We need Ellon Musk to start give away free top-notch hardware to anyone who signs the paper saying they'll game solely on Linux for a year.
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what is the problem with installing linux? its pretty simpleThere is no problem at all - for "power users". "Average user" will not reinstall system. In fact most users do not care what is on his/her computer - they are using what was prepared by manufacturer.
it takes time. win7 support ends and maybe some developers will use VULKAN for game they just started to program.
Users that in 2020 still will be using Windows 7 probably will not be game developers target. Even so - probably they will stay with Windows 7 anyway.
The real change could be done only by "big company" that will start selling hardware with Linux. Example: Nintendo Switch it is rather new console. Even that there is already many AAA titles - old and new ones. Valve should cooperate with someone and do the same.
1 Likes, Who?
Sorry to say that, but Valve surveys are not reliable.
Because it does not show what you want to see? I think the numbers from the survey are much more realistic than one would think. I remember reading here that developers more or less confirmed these numbers in their sales.
Sure, less than 1% is far from cool, but I guess that is indeed our position.
Last edited by jens on 2 Nov 2018 at 7:13 pm UTC
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i haven't had a steam survey since i transitioned when they released proton. they should allow people to opt-in if they want to contribute.
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nadrolinux 2 Nov 2018
I had steam survey yesterday (first time since a year+). In october I replaced ssd in my PC, so I think that it may be a reason.
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stretch611 2 Nov 2018
But some data are sure without surveys - Linux gaming market is very small (almost no AAA new native titles plus abandon Linux port by many Indie developers means that even this virtual 648000 monthly Linux users it is not worth native port).
Linux native games even with Steam Proton is simply not enough to convince "average Windows/Mac user" to learn how to install Linux on his/her computer. Without some "big company" involved (Dell Steam Machines 2?) - I do not think that situation will change...
Lets face the truth here...
How many people actually switched to linux because they are an avid gamer and want the best games? Unless you are trying to be funny, or are completely delusional, I am sure the answer is none; even on this site dedicated to linux gaming.
You switched to linux for a different reason; whether that is you didn't want to pay for a windows license, or were fed up with telemetry, or crashes, viruses, or had a crash and no install disks. You may be using linux for educational or work reasons as well. Or, someone that helps you with computers decided to install linux for you. Possibly some specific app might have caused you to use linux. But as I said, you did not come to linux for games...
That being said, regardless of your reason for coming to linux, you want to use it now, and play games on it.
WINE/Proton will never in itself cause people to migrate to linux. NEVER. Why would someone on windows which can run all the windows games without the need for WINE switch to linux to use WINE? As wonderful as WINE/Proton is, it does not work with everything and you have a better chance of support with native windows than with WINE under linux.
However, WINE/Proton does help in one very big aspect... It allows people who choose to switch to linux to minimize any need to go back. It allows people to play games they already have without needing to reboot to windows. But even with this, the point is that some other reason caused someone to switch to linux, not linux gaming.
This is not likely to change any time soon either... The big AAA titles draw people to gaming, but the publishers are not going to limit themselves to a market so small. Until something else creates a mass migration to linux, the big game companies will be supporting windows.
4 Likes, Who?
no_information_here 2 Nov 2018
Well, since Liam likes to poke at this wound every month, I get to make the same rant again:
1) It is a Hardware survey. The OS is an afterthought.
2) Valve has never disclosed their statistical methods, rendering the entire thing useless for anyone outside of Valve.
3) Valve knows the OS of every computer logged into Steam, in realtime. It would be trivial for them to compile that information. But, they don't.
In other words, ignore the survey until one of these last two points changes.
Last edited by no_information_here on 2 Nov 2018 at 9:16 pm UTC
1) It is a Hardware survey. The OS is an afterthought.
2) Valve has never disclosed their statistical methods, rendering the entire thing useless for anyone outside of Valve.
3) Valve knows the OS of every computer logged into Steam, in realtime. It would be trivial for them to compile that information. But, they don't.
In other words, ignore the survey until one of these last two points changes.
Last edited by no_information_here on 2 Nov 2018 at 9:16 pm UTC
5 Likes, Who?
There are few issues that need to be resolved before Linux can be mainstream:
1- More hardware vendors provide Linux laptops as an option.
2- Some big retailers start providing Linux laptops.
3- AMD laptops become widely available.
4- Proton matures more.
3 & 4 are not far from happening. 1 & 2 are the tough ones. But if all 4 happen, expect linux usage on steam to quickly rise.
1- More hardware vendors provide Linux laptops as an option.
2- Some big retailers start providing Linux laptops.
3- AMD laptops become widely available.
4- Proton matures more.
3 & 4 are not far from happening. 1 & 2 are the tough ones. But if all 4 happen, expect linux usage on steam to quickly rise.
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