After being in Early Access for close to a month now, Stephan Hövelbrinks has posted a brief summary of sales for Death Trash on Steam across the different platforms.
It's worth reminding that so far the game has been pretty successful, with Hövelbrinks noting previously that the game has sold well enough to cover development and that they can finish it on their own. They've also released a roadmap which goes over their plans.
According to Steam's reporting here's how it's sold so far:
- Windows - 95.5 %
- Mac - 2.9 %
- Linux - 1.6 %
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Considering Linux has only just recently made it back to a 1% user share on Steam, that result is quite expected. Hopefully though with the Steam Deck coming, developers will begin to see more Linux sales. At least for this game, the developer says it has been worth it "Might seem low for Mac and Linux, but in our case worth it if I consider extra effort vs. extra revenue.". Designing for multi-platform has clearly always been a goal for Hövelbrinks too, when you take a look at the build tool they created to make it easier.
In another Twitter post Hövelbrinks also mentioned "I think I'm so stubborn on making games multi platform because I remember that feeling of being left out around 2005+ when so many companies were leaving PC gaming (my favorite way to play) for greener pastures elsewhere. I don't want anyone to feel being left out."
You can buy it on GOG, itch.io and Steam.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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16 comments
Their comment reminds me of what has been said by the Primordia dev lately. At the moment, native Linux gaming comes mostly from people who are involved enough to want to bring their game to "all" the people and/or those that have such a long and good experience at developing multi platform that the cost is low enough to actually justify it financially.
Last edited by Eike on 2 September 2021 at 10:07 am UTC
Last edited by Eike on 2 September 2021 at 10:07 am UTC
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PublicNuisance Sep 2, 2021
This is the correct reason to make Linux games. I don't really understand when some developers make a game for a platform that is around 1% of the PC gaming market and then get shocked when we are aren't more than about 1% of their sales. These guys get it, it's about the love of the platform or just simply wanting more people to play your game.
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Generally, I would consider cross-platform-development kind of training for the future.
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Their comment reminds me of what has been said by the Primordia dev lately. At the moment, native Linux gaming comes mostly from people who are involved enough to want to bring their game to "all" the people and/or those that have such a long and good experience at developing multi platform that the cost is low enough to actually justify it financially.Independently of the platform, this is quite obvious and almost a tautology if you're not a benefactor
(emphasis added)Last edited by kokoko3k on 2 September 2021 at 2:30 pm UTC
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Their comment reminds me of what has been said by the Primordia dev lately. At the moment, native Linux gaming comes mostly from people who are involved enough to want to bring their game to "all" the people and/or those that have such a long and good experience at developing multi platform that the cost is low enough to actually justify it financially.Independently of the platform, this is quite obvious and almost a tautology if you're not a benefactor
To say it more clearly: I fear some actually support Linux despite making a net loss.
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It's almost like the benefits of developing a cross-platform application outweighs the cost of the additional work. 
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To say it more clearly: I fear some actually support Linux despite making a net loss.
I think that's believable. One could argue the "loss" is less by looking at it as skill development or training. Probably cheaper in the long run to multiplatform a smaller game at a "loss" and then apply those skills to develop larger, more profitable projects later on.
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It's almost like the benefits of developing a cross-platform application outweighs the cost of the additional work.Yeah, It feeds the soul ^_^
Last edited by kokoko3k on 2 September 2021 at 6:58 pm UTC
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This is the correct reason to make Linux games. I don't really understand when some developers make a game for a platform that is around 1% of the PC gaming market and then get shocked when we are aren't more than about 1% of their sales. These guys get it, it's about the love of the platform or just simply wanting more people to play your game.
Ok, but then when a developer declares they are not developing a native version of their game for Linux, everybody starts complaining how underappreciated the Linux market is and how, supposedly, everybody on Linux would totally buy said game and somehow the entirety of the overall 1% of the Linux segment of the market would be a customer. Then time and time again, when developers actually share sales data, we see it being anywhere between little under 1% to maybe 2% (I think I saw 3%, once), with a definite co-relation between how popular the game is and how small the % of Linux gamers playing is (e.g. the more popular the game the lower % the Linux gamers are).
Don't get me wrong - I am not disagreeing with you. My problem is with the community's attitude in general. It's either: "Why don't you develop a native version - everybody on Linux would buy it?", or: "We're 1% of the market - of course you get around only ~1% of sales on Linux". Damned if you do, damned if you don't...
Last edited by mao_dze_dun on 3 September 2021 at 12:35 pm UTC
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Don't get me wrong - I am not disagreeing with you. My problem is with the community's attitude in general. It's either: "Why don't you develop a native version - everybody on Linux would buy it?", or: "We're 1% of the market - of course you get around only ~1% of sales on Linux". Damned if you do, damned if you don't...
Whoever is writing the first, is, erm, don't get me started.
The second one isn't the result to be expected either, by the way...
Say there's 100 games on Steam, and 20 of them support Linux natively.
And there's 101,000 players, of which 1,000 are using Linux. Every player buys 10 games for their system.
The 100 games get 10.000 sales by Windows users. The 20 games additionally get 500 (10 * 1,000 / 20) sales by Linux users.
So of the 10,500 sales, ~4.7% are Linux sales.
Because the Linuxers got less games to choose from, their per game percentage is higher than their player percentage.
(This is disregarding Proton, unrealistically distributing game sales and all that, but you get the picture.)
Last edited by Eike on 3 September 2021 at 12:59 pm UTC
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What always strikes me about Linux is that while Steam claims we're 1% of their userbase, we consistently feature much higher than 1% of any given title's sales. Death Trash is actually pretty low as the trend goes, I think.
And I don't think it's because there's less choice either. Honestly, I don't know what it is. Perhaps its skewed because my main source of information about this stuff is GOL, so it's more likely to be about games Liam covered, so Linux users are more likely to have heard of and been hyped by the game in question?
I dunno. I just know that I can't remember figures that suggested less than 1% of sales.
Dual-booters maybe? But if they're spending more time in Windows, why buy the game on Linux (or play it mostly on Linux for first two weeks)?
The other thing that confuses me is scale. If we're 1%, and that's over a million active monthly users on Steam... then a game like Death Trash sells, let's say 50K units, then 500 sales were Linux. But that's only 500 sales out of a million active Linux users. I'd expect the units to be much higher, honestly. You know, higher than 1.6%, I mean, which is still only 800 units.
I mean, especially a game like Death Trash, which, because it's indie, is more likely to get press from places like GOL and hence a higher ratio?
I have a degree in mathematics, but failed my first year statistics (and the re-sit... not my proudest moment). My brain isn't geared for this kind of stuff.
And I don't think it's because there's less choice either. Honestly, I don't know what it is. Perhaps its skewed because my main source of information about this stuff is GOL, so it's more likely to be about games Liam covered, so Linux users are more likely to have heard of and been hyped by the game in question?
I dunno. I just know that I can't remember figures that suggested less than 1% of sales.
Dual-booters maybe? But if they're spending more time in Windows, why buy the game on Linux (or play it mostly on Linux for first two weeks)?
The other thing that confuses me is scale. If we're 1%, and that's over a million active monthly users on Steam... then a game like Death Trash sells, let's say 50K units, then 500 sales were Linux. But that's only 500 sales out of a million active Linux users. I'd expect the units to be much higher, honestly. You know, higher than 1.6%, I mean, which is still only 800 units.
I mean, especially a game like Death Trash, which, because it's indie, is more likely to get press from places like GOL and hence a higher ratio?
I have a degree in mathematics, but failed my first year statistics (and the re-sit... not my proudest moment). My brain isn't geared for this kind of stuff.
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TheRiddick Sep 4, 2021
How long/big is this game meant to be? I've heard people say they beat the EA in around 4hrs which is ultra short even if its not full content yet! (heard EA was like 75% of the game).
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How long/big is this game meant to be? I've heard people say they beat the EA in around 4hrs which is ultra short even if its not full content yet! (heard EA was like 75% of the game).
20 hours has been mentioned as far as I remember.
Last edited by Eike on 4 September 2021 at 2:12 pm UTC
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How long/big is this game meant to be? I've heard people say they beat the EA in around 4hrs which is ultra short even if its not full content yet! (heard EA was like 75% of the game).The road map mentions these headlines:
* Story Chapter One (Early Access Start Content)
* Story Chapter Two (During Early Access)
* Story Chapter Three (For the full release of the game)
So I guess the content in EA is roughly 1/3 of the full game at the moment. The howlongtobeat.com entry for the game suggest 5-6 hours in the current state so something like the promised 20 hours for the full game do seem likely.
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PublicNuisance Sep 5, 2021
This is the correct reason to make Linux games. I don't really understand when some developers make a game for a platform that is around 1% of the PC gaming market and then get shocked when we are aren't more than about 1% of their sales. These guys get it, it's about the love of the platform or just simply wanting more people to play your game.
Ok, but then when a developer declares they are not developing a native version of their game for Linux, everybody starts complaining how underappreciated the Linux market is and how, supposedly, everybody on Linux would totally buy said game and somehow the entirety of the overall 1% of the Linux segment of the market would be a customer. Then time and time again, when developers actually share sales data, we see it being anywhere between little under 1% to maybe 2% (I think I saw 3%, once), with a definite co-relation between how popular the game is and how small the % of Linux gamers playing is (e.g. the more popular the game the lower % the Linux gamers are).
Don't get me wrong - I am not disagreeing with you. My problem is with the community's attitude in general. It's either: "Why don't you develop a native version - everybody on Linux would buy it?", or: "We're 1% of the market - of course you get around only ~1% of sales on Linux". Damned if you do, damned if you don't...
I really dislike when people say things like "everybody says" because all it takes for me to make you wrong is find one person who doesn't and in this case it isn't hard because I don't say those things. I agree it is a problem but in the end I can't control what thousands of other people do any more than you can and I refuse to have any responsiblity for their actions. I act very simply. If a game makes a Linux version and I like the look of the game then I buy it when I can. If they don't then I move on to someone who did. I don't complain or point fingers over the chocies of a developer, it isn't worth my time. The times I will complain is when they use weak wording like "maybe down the road we will make it for Linux" which we all know is a response that means no but comes from someone with no spine to say so. Also if you are someone who is deciding whether to invest their time in making a Linux version then you shouldn't be taking the words of randos on the internet you should be hunting down actual market data to get an idea for what your sale projections may be to see if it is worth your time. If you based your sales projections on someone on a forum saying you would sell 100 000 copies on Linux then you deserve to lose money.
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