We've known for a while that the massive and popular RPG Path of Exile was going to get a Vulkan API implementation and they would have liked to do Linux support, seems like they're continuing that line of thinking.
In a new interview done by YouTuber Zizaran, they were testing out some upcoming content and changes coming with the recently announced Path of Exile 2. While doing this they were joined by Chris Wilson from Path of Exile developer Grinding Gear Games to answer some questions.
When talking about their plans, Wilson mentioned: "We realised that if we did a port to Vulkan, which is a renderer that is used on phones and various other stuff, we get Mac support, we get Linux support, we get support for things like Google Stadia and so on - it was just worthwhile to do a Vulkan port. So we started that, because it's going to be good for Path of Exile players.".
If you're interested, you can see the full video below with the Linux mention starting around 6:40.
Direct Link
It's really great to see that Grinding Gear Games continue keeping a port to Linux in mind, while it's not confirmation it's clear they are thinking about it and porting their game to Vulkan makes that possibility a lot closer to reality.
With Path of Exile 2 due out late next year, we should hopefully hear more closer to then. You can find out more about Path of Exile 2 here.
Hat tip to NuSuey.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
While Stadia requires a Vulkan renderer, I don't think large publishers are going to release for Linux that easily, and part of that reason is the bloody launchers (Origin, Rockstar Launcher, uPlay...etc). Without a native version of their client they'd have no way of distributing the game in the same way as Windows.Maybe things like the coming home of EA to Steam may help swing things our way? I am not saying Origin will come to Linux, as AFAIK it is still required for games such as SWJFO even on Steam, but maybe?... eventually?... wishful thinking?...
Realistically I don't see them putting all those resources into that even if a Linux version can be done easily. They'd rather have you jump through Wine hoops than supporting it officially, gives them a good excuse to avoid extra support costs.
I have pondered for the longest time about this, and while I know, not speaking with hard data on this, you can read all over the place when (if) a user contacts tech support for any given game, they are left feeling whatever the issue is, was their fault. Not surprisingly the gross amount of "support" these days is in forums or social media (or the IRC of the 21st century, Discord)
There may however be a shred of hope for DRM Free games or Steam ones without a 3rd party client required.
Hopefully that will be the case.
... But will they get Mac support? I thought they did not use vulkan but something else they made themselves? I thought that was the entire problem with Mac and gaming nowadays?That's called Metal, and MoltenVK is a project that is kind of like DXVK, but actually translates Vulkan into Metal. Since the three DX12, Vulkan and Metal share the core basic principle (theoretical, nothing of the APIs themselves!) AFAIK it has been possible to translate into one another easier than it was with past APIs (namely D3D→OGL) with much less overhead (theoretically). Alas, I still have to see a successful translation of DX12→VK in the wild, though.
While Stadia requires a Vulkan renderer, I don't think large publishers are going to release for Linux that easily, and part of that reason is the bloody launchers (Origin, Rockstar Launcher, uPlay...etc). Without a native version of their client they'd have no way of distributing the game in the same way as Windows.
Realistically I don't see them putting all those resources into that even if a Linux version can be done easily. They'd rather have you jump through Wine hoops than supporting it officially, gives them a good excuse to avoid extra support costs.
There may however be a shred of hope for DRM Free games or Steam ones without a 3rd party client required.
I think this bleak state is still a win for us, since Vulkan games might work a bit easier via Wine. And more developers working on Vulkan means slightly lower barrier/cost to hypothetically supporting Linux natively.
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