Well, the writing was on the wall for some time but this confirms it - it seems Feral Interactive aren't likely to do more Linux ports with the official port of A Total War Saga: TROY for Linux cancelled.
It was announced today that TROY would be finally seeing a Steam release on September 2. Feral did their usual thing on Twitter of quote-tweeting, mentioning it would be on macOS soon after the Windows release. A mention of Linux was totally absent.
Feral replied to a user on Twitter to say:
The Linux port was put on hold while TROY was exclusive to Epic, and we are not resuming development for the Steam release. We will continue to assess the feasibility of porting games to Linux, but there is generally less demand for native titles since Valve’s launch of Proton.
Considering there's a chance that Steam Play Proton might be able to play it from day-1, it's not overly surprising to hear this from Feral considering the cost of porting bigger games with it being far easier for indies. Worth also noting, that TROY was free on Epic Games Store when it first launched, so it would have already eaten into plenty of possible sales.
Part of the problem though, is how most Feral ports lack cross-platform multiplayer with Windows and that type of thing simply won't fly on the upcoming Steam Deck. Add into that issues with saves between the Windows version and Feral ports, that could cause more confusion if they don't sync up. Not only that but since the Steam Deck is basically a PC in handheld form, seeing bigger titles launch for it officially months or years later also wouldn't be a good look.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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slaapliedje Jul 28, 2021
Quoting: mylkaIsn't that basically what I said? The problem is we get the short term 'fix' by using Proton. The longer term may never happen now because developers code for 'Proton-friendly' vs 'Native-Friendly.' so we're stuck with never getting the full performance of the Linux system. But instead of longer term becoming a healthy thing where people start seeing the benefits of releasing native software, they just figure they'll sell one version, everyone will buy it anyhow, and there will be no incentive to make a native (hence better performing) version for the Linux users.Quoting: slaapliedjeQuoting: mylkaI mean... maybe to be a little gross. But isn't this sort of like the short term gratification of getting a hooker... but then later down the road you figure out you caught something nasty and long term are forever cursed? That's kind of what this seems like, bad things long term, for short term solution.Quoting: DebianUserExactly what i was afraid of, and why i can't say if Proton is a good thing or not.
on the one hand you have 1 game from feral and maybe some other devs not porting their game to linux
on the other hand you have 1000s of games you can play, including the ones they would have ported.
imho the answer is pretty clear
For me, the specific use case of Proton is for games that would never even remotely get a native port. Games that are years old, and no longer supported. Or for games that won't even run on Windows 10.
what is long term for you?
for how long gaming on linux is a thing and nothing really changed?!?!
do you wanna wait another decade? or 2? or 3?
linux needs market share, which you wont get without games/software. with a bigger market share the native ports will come back
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slaapliedje Jul 28, 2021
Quoting: tuubiHa, yeah someone has been a little blind to all that has happened...Quoting: mylkafor how long gaming on linux is a thing and nothing really changed?!?!Nothing really changed? Are you serious?
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Quoting: bubexelFor me is good news! the day that we dont need ports anymore is closer! And linux gaming wont have limitations to grow. And if it grows enough publishers will care a lot that game runs pretty well on linux also :PStill not going to get people to adopt linux even if x game runs on linux under proton 1 to 1 and there is no difference there will always be an excuse that they need windows. If someone wants to use linux they are using it already. If people dont want to use linux there will always be an excuse for gamers theres always the shifting goal post if gta 5 was avilable on linux i d switch tomorrow okay you can play it on linux and its great via proton oh well multiplayer its gotta have the multiplayer then i ll switch to linux okay the multi player works Red dead 2 when that works on linux i ll switch tomorrow and so on and so on. People like sticking to what they know its the same reason that you could order anything from a chinese restaurant but you dont you stick to the same two or three thing you know you like. People stick to windows because its the ultimate lazy boy os if you fuck up theres probably a program with a gui that can unfuck your system.
I cannot overstate how terrifed people are of the command line terminal why do you think apart from snaps and flatpack debian and ubuntu pushe deb to be the default packing for a program because its extremely similar to an exe you double click it confirms the program and you effectively have to click next and your done. windows users expect and need that because the idea of using the terminal scares the shit of out them in case they brick their system. Why mentioning this people will stick to what they know same with the steam deck theres already plenty of main stream youtube channels that are covering it saying they stick windows on it and let everyone see the benchmarks.
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Or they could go on making a killing by porting to switch since it runs linux and contracts are easier to get[/quote]
You mean Feral? I hope so and wish them well... Personnally I have no Switch to benefit from that.
[/quote]
Nor do i but i think its fair to say Feral has joined Asypr in the departed linux space also we lost VP as they not longer port to linux not too many unhappy about that one though. They lost their contracts with codemasters when EA bought codemasters
You mean Feral? I hope so and wish them well... Personnally I have no Switch to benefit from that.
[/quote]Nor do i but i think its fair to say Feral has joined Asypr in the departed linux space also we lost VP as they not longer port to linux not too many unhappy about that one though. They lost their contracts with codemasters when EA bought codemasters
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Quoting: SolarwingThis is a sad news really.R.I.P Feral future linux ports. Yes this was coming. I saw double rainbows in the sky and winter suddenly changed into summer in 2 seconds. From those signs I knew that there would be no TROY port.. Still Proton kills the need of Linux game ports. Future seems bad but on the other hand making the linux ports wouldn't be simply enough to increase player percentage when it comes to OS statistics in which Windows rules. Probably Steam Deck( which uses Proton) is the the best option to change the situation.Hopefully even slightly.
Quoting: dubigrasuQuoting: Liam DaweYep.Quoting: dubigrasuOver the years they amassed so much knowledge about Linux porting, and with their latest ports being excellent, to basically throw all this talent away?Weeeeelll, they had a lot of people leave, so quite a lot of that talent went elsewhere.
I think the biggest shock that I had was when Marc left for Unity. It was when the first pillar started to crack.
Yeah had a feeling he could see the writing on the wall when you cant get a meeting with someone who just a year ago contacted you to port a game cough IO and hitman when you sequel comes out and you very publically say linux too we are not independent and we make our owns calls after departing square. Three months later they wont even take your call to discuss a porting deal. I mean this is all from a blog from an ex feral employee so massive grain of salt, sa he does not say what his circumstances are for leaving so he could just be bitter and spouting shite but there you go.
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QuoteWell, silver lining there: I think there's a good chance that a good Linux developer in Unity would have a broader impact making Unity generally make Linux games well and painlessly, than the same person in Feral helping to port one game at a time.
You are right for this positive thinking.
On the other end I really miss the good old feral day with the radar. As an adventure game fan, it was always a pleasure to see new enigma poping on the radar. An overall very well tought puzzle which was almost funnier than playing the port itself :p We used to discuss here what possibly could be the next port with lot of imagination and debate ^^
Last edited by Jahimself on 28 July 2021 at 11:46 pm UTC
3 Likes, Who?
Quoting: slaapliedjeQuoting: mylkaIsn't that basically what I said? The problem is we get the short term 'fix' by using Proton. The longer term may never happen now because developers code for 'Proton-friendly' vs 'Native-Friendly.' so we're stuck with never getting the full performance of the Linux system. But instead of longer term becoming a healthy thing where people start seeing the benefits of releasing native software, they just figure they'll sell one version, everyone will buy it anyhow, and there will be no incentive to make a native (hence better performing) version for the Linux users.Quoting: slaapliedjeQuoting: mylkaI mean... maybe to be a little gross. But isn't this sort of like the short term gratification of getting a hooker... but then later down the road you figure out you caught something nasty and long term are forever cursed? That's kind of what this seems like, bad things long term, for short term solution.Quoting: DebianUserExactly what i was afraid of, and why i can't say if Proton is a good thing or not.
on the one hand you have 1 game from feral and maybe some other devs not porting their game to linux
on the other hand you have 1000s of games you can play, including the ones they would have ported.
imho the answer is pretty clear
For me, the specific use case of Proton is for games that would never even remotely get a native port. Games that are years old, and no longer supported. Or for games that won't even run on Windows 10.
what is long term for you?
for how long gaming on linux is a thing and nothing really changed?!?!
do you wanna wait another decade? or 2? or 3?
linux needs market share, which you wont get without games/software. with a bigger market share the native ports will come back
My response here is applicable as a response here too.
TL;DR: either market share stays the same, in which case none of this matter, or it will rise in which case native ports will come. It absolutely doesn't make sense for a company to "code for 'Proton-friendly'" because no one is going to have a signicant portion of their revenue at the mercy of some layer they can't control. Simple as that.
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This development has been a concern of mine for quite a while, and I'm surprised not more people could anticipate where this was going. Instead of seeing native Linux releases, people are getting locked in to shteam and their DRM instead of enjoying the freedom that Linux USUALLY means. And here we are, seeing the consequences of people blindly supporting shteam, valve, google and proton. Heck, there is barely an article on this very site without a plug about it.
I'm sad to see this happening, also to some games I was genuinely looking forward to. Pathfinder: Kingmaker was released with native Linux support. The sequel, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is not. It MAY have something to do with this trend too, where developers can easily ignore Linux support, because somebody else may do the job for them. Well, provided you enjoy those chains of course.
It feels like a lost cause now. I barely bother to visit this place any more, because all you write about is steam, steam, valve, google, valve, google, steam, proton, proton, proton -- on and on and on.
Once again, the last hope is indie games that for some odd reason is perfectly capable of providing native Linux support, where these giants are not. Funny, that.
I'm sad to see this happening, also to some games I was genuinely looking forward to. Pathfinder: Kingmaker was released with native Linux support. The sequel, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is not. It MAY have something to do with this trend too, where developers can easily ignore Linux support, because somebody else may do the job for them. Well, provided you enjoy those chains of course.
It feels like a lost cause now. I barely bother to visit this place any more, because all you write about is steam, steam, valve, google, valve, google, steam, proton, proton, proton -- on and on and on.
Once again, the last hope is indie games that for some odd reason is perfectly capable of providing native Linux support, where these giants are not. Funny, that.
3 Likes, Who?
I would love to use the Linux native TW Warhammer II, but that is not cross-platform compatible, so I have to use Proton to play with my friend :(
Last edited by kean on 29 July 2021 at 7:33 am UTC
Last edited by kean on 29 July 2021 at 7:33 am UTC
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Quoting: PangaeaThis development has been a concern of mine for quite a while, and I'm surprised not more people could anticipate where this was going.
Everybody could see where this is going.
Quoting: Pangaeathe freedom that Linux USUALLY means.
Believe it or not, Linux usually actually doesn't mean freedom. You have Linux in servers, phones and microcontrollers, non of which offee *you* any freedom. Desktop where it does offer freedom is a small percentage.
Quoting: PangaeaAnd here we are, seeing the consequences of people blindly supporting shteam, valve, google and proton. Heck, there is barely an article on this very site without a plug about it.
This is the part I really don't agree with. No one is "blindly" following Valve. They are in it for the money, we all know it. We like Valve because of all they've done to make Linux a viable gaming platform (despite it all being selfish).
Like it or not, steam is removing one of the biggest hurdles to Linux adoption.
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