Back in August 2018, Valve announced their new Steam Play feature with the Proton software in the Linux Steam client to play Windows-only Steam games on Linux. A little note about what platform is counted for sales.
When we spoke to Valve originally back then (shown in an update to our original article), we asked about how the sales would show up for developers and this was the response:
Hey Liam, the normal algorithm is in effect, so if at the end of the two weeks you have more playtime on Linux, it'll be a Linux sale. Proton counts as Linux.
It seems that there might be some issues where it's not correctly counted, so it shows up as a normal Windows sale as a user noted on Reddit. Since reaching out to Valve, developer Pierre-Loup Griffais has released this quick and simple statement on Twitter for all to read:
That doesn't seem like intended behavior, we'll look into it. At this early stage, the team's focus is still on compatibility and performance, so it might take a little bit.
As with anything new and in constant development there's going to be teething issues. Hopefully this hasn't been too widespread though if true.
Update 19/02/20: I've now had this verified by a developer whose game I purchased on Linux, then played entirely on Linux and I know a few others who did the same and the developer told me all show up as Windows sales.
Update #2: See a clear statement from Valve in this latest article.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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The comments on this article are closed.
Quoting: TheRiddickNot surprised, the whole system is rigged to throw numbers at windows stat data, not at all surprised linux slips past due to system-statistical errors.It just defaults to Windows, unless very specific criteria is met. Bought on the Android app, bought a key on a store, got it in a bundle, did not manage to play within the first two weeks, all Windows sales.
In the end it doesn't matter, because Mac users are counted the same way. When there are enough of us, all these statistical errors and inaccuracies will no longer play any significant role.
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Quoting: lelorrainI'll stop buying this type of games from steam and go to GOG instead
How does GOG count sales? And how GOG reports platform of users to developers?
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Quoting: Cyba.CowboyAny idea when they're going to update the "white list"?
protondb has a pretty long list of my games with a "Gold+" or "Platinum" rating, yet the "white list" for Proton hasn't been updated in quite a while...
Pretty sure the answer to that is the same listed in the article:
"At this early stage, the team's focus is still on compatibility and performance, so it might take a little bit."
I'm guessing they stopped whitelisting because there's still so much development going on that potentially white-listed games might suffer regression. Plus they've probably got better things to do for the time being, such as working on compatibility and performance.
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Most of my Windows games work flawlessly (not Arkham Knight, still crash prone) at least in solo mode. I do not play multi.
Too bad for the stats but frankly it does not bother me that much since games work great.
Anyway a whitelist update would be great.
Too bad for the stats but frankly it does not bother me that much since games work great.
Anyway a whitelist update would be great.
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Quoting: lelorrainAS other users, I bought Windows games on Steam since Proton came out and I am disappointed to learn that that never counted as Linux play! I'll stop buying this type of games from steam and go to GOG instead ... although I will still buy and play Linux games from steam ...
LL
That's not what the article said. It might be buggy in some instances, but saying that they never counted has never been said.
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Quoting: Cyba.CowboyQuoting: RickAndTired"early stage" he says, yet Proton already allows me to play so many great games effortlessly. I can't wait to see where it keeps going.
Any idea when they're going to update the "white list"?
protondb has a pretty long list of my games with a "Gold+" or "Platinum" rating, yet the "white list" for Proton hasn't been updated in quite a while...
and
Quoting: gojulAnyway a whitelist update would be great.Why? What do you both need from the whitelist keeping in mind you can manually set Proton on any game now? The whitelist was originally from before they let us do that.
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Quoting: Liam DaweQuoting: Cyba.CowboyQuoting: RickAndTired"early stage" he says, yet Proton already allows me to play so many great games effortlessly. I can't wait to see where it keeps going.
Any idea when they're going to update the "white list"?
protondb has a pretty long list of my games with a "Gold+" or "Platinum" rating, yet the "white list" for Proton hasn't been updated in quite a while...
and
Quoting: gojulAnyway a whitelist update would be great.Why? What do you both need from the whitelist keeping in mind you can manually set Proton on any game now? The whitelist was originally from before they let us do that.
Are they not morally engaged as they white list a game? I would expect a white listed game to work, and if it doesn't, that they would kind of make it a priority to get it to work again.
On the other hand, for other games you are on your own in theory. That's what I have been thinking about it.
I still prefere that they focus on performance and compatibility in general though
Last edited by toor on 11 February 2020 at 8:51 am UTC
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What people need to take into account
What does that actually mean, counting as Linux sale (if it works, that is). You'll be part of a pie chart that shows that you're a Linux customer, ok. I know some play games ported to Linux on Proton for different reasons, I'm not talking about those. But for games not ported, the developers and publishers will see: "Hey, we're selling to Linux players without even porting the game to Linux! So we're not even losing all those 1% of customers by not porting, some are buying nevertheless!"
Guess how this continues:
[ ] "Let's port to Linux to not lose the chance of way less than 1 percent of people buying our game."
[ ] "We don't need to port to Linux, they are buying our game nevertheless. And we don't need to support the people buying for Proton, we never promised them anything."
What does that actually mean, counting as Linux sale (if it works, that is). You'll be part of a pie chart that shows that you're a Linux customer, ok. I know some play games ported to Linux on Proton for different reasons, I'm not talking about those. But for games not ported, the developers and publishers will see: "Hey, we're selling to Linux players without even porting the game to Linux! So we're not even losing all those 1% of customers by not porting, some are buying nevertheless!"
Guess how this continues:
[ ] "Let's port to Linux to not lose the chance of way less than 1 percent of people buying our game."
[ ] "We don't need to port to Linux, they are buying our game nevertheless. And we don't need to support the people buying for Proton, we never promised them anything."
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Quoting: toorAre they not morally engaged as they white list a game? I would expect a white listed game to work, and if it doesn't, that they would kind of make it a priority to get it to work again.Valve never made any claims about what they support. Edit: In fact, their original announcement made it clear nothing would be marked as supported during the Beta (and it never left Beta).
On the other hand, for other games you are on your own in theory. That's what I have been thinking about it.
I still prefere that they focus on performance and compatibility in general though
Part of the reason I tried to get an interview but it didn't go anywhere sadly. They have their two-hour refund window, and that's how they can get around the initial "oh it doesn't start" - but if it breaks after you've played a while - we have to wait on updates to Proton.
Last edited by Liam Dawe on 11 February 2020 at 9:29 am UTC
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...And there are people that only buy games that works on linux by ethics (interoperability, freedoom of choice, foss support, etc.) and with the aim to switch on only-linux but play them mostly on windows because virtual machine and dual-boots still suck. For example, I know some people with different OS on laptop and desktop for who a game working on linux or mac is essential for few hours when moving even if they mostly play on their desktop windows.
The only real measure would be to tick a box when buying mentioning why we are buying those games, and we may have an access to a "by default" of those ticked boxes in our profile.
Those boxes should be:
drm-free; linux, mac, windows-only (you can tick all the 3 boxes ;) ); independent studio versus big editor;
...and even (if not my main cup of tea) nationality of the studio (for offshoring and so on)
It will also demonstrate may-be that the current situation if not the one desired by consumers ;)
The only real measure would be to tick a box when buying mentioning why we are buying those games, and we may have an access to a "by default" of those ticked boxes in our profile.
Those boxes should be:
drm-free; linux, mac, windows-only (you can tick all the 3 boxes ;) ); independent studio versus big editor;
...and even (if not my main cup of tea) nationality of the studio (for offshoring and so on)
It will also demonstrate may-be that the current situation if not the one desired by consumers ;)
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