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Canonical want your feedback on Ubuntu Gaming

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Looks like Canonical, the creator of Ubuntu, want to get in on more Linux Gaming with their Desktop Product Manager starting a new series of blog posts and your feedback is needed.

The first blog post goes over using Steam and Proton, which won't be news to any of our readers, especially with our full guide existing for some time now. What's interesting though, that I had no idea, is that their Desktop Product Manager is Oliver Smith, who previously worked for Creative Assembly as a Producer on the likes of Alien Isolation - which got ported natively to Linux by Feral Interactive.

As for the actual guide, it's a pretty good intro for those who need to point newer users to get setup ready with Steam and try out Proton.

Pictured - Steam on Ubuntu

At the end of it, Smith mentions how "we don’t want to get complacent, we know there is still a lot more we can do to improve the gaming experience on Ubuntu Desktop" and that Canonical is "keen to hear from you on the issues or areas we should focus on in 2022". A post on their official Discourse Forum has been opened to gather feedback.

The first reply on it already jumps right into thing Ubuntu should look to sort, like making Mesa upgrades easier so people don't need to resort to PPAs for new graphics drivers on AMD/Intel, which is often needed to keep up with newer game releases and new Proton releases.

Hopefully this will be the start of Ubuntu making more progress to make gaming great on Ubuntu, and easier overall.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Proton, Misc, Steam, Ubuntu
28 Likes
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly.
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gradyvuckovic Nov 26, 2021
Encouraging to hear they feel motivated to improve things for gaming.
skinnyraf Nov 26, 2021
Between the Steam Deck and high-profile Windows youtubers doing a Linux gaming challenge, the wave that started with dxvk and Proton is rising even higher. Good times.
elmapul Nov 26, 2021
i think this situation is... ironic to say the least...
canonical bet that linux could become mainstream, spend a lot of money on it, then they failed.
they even tried to do an partnership with valve and got ambitious with their own display server, an phone, tablet, conversible concept...
and ultimately failed, but at least they were the entry point to many in the world of linux and as result, many people build know how on ubuntu wich helped then grow in the server space (cheap laborhood)

the desktop seemed ... abandoned, a few bug fixes here and there but no major new features.

then valve strike again, an big youtuber that reache the masses start talking about linux , and they're like:
hey we're listening to yourfeedback!
i'm not saying they werent before, but they were silent at best...
its almost like they realize that things may finally get into motion now, and they may miss the boat...
anyway, i'm not mad at then, its just that... it may be to later, steamOS is arch based and pop seems to be get the public they were negleting, so lets see what happens =p
fenglengshun Nov 26, 2021
I'm not going to trust Canonical. At any point before this, Ubuntu could have acknowledged gaming as a usecase. But no, Pop and Valve had to wade through until the point where it's useable and now they're like "gaming, eh?"

Ever since I actually take a look at the their history, I don't think I could trust them anymore.

So we'll see.
CyborgZeta Nov 26, 2021
I started off using Ubuntu when I made the switch to Linux last year (Xubuntu and Kubuntu were what I used the most). However, I've since soured on Canonical, and the switch of Firefox from a deb to a Snap caused me to leave anything 'buntu for Debian, the original.

I do not trust Canonical to seriously orient Ubuntu in any way for playing video games. However, I also don't think Debian, or anything based on it, is the best for targetting gaming in the first place.

Personally, I think Valve has the right idea. I think an Arch-based system offers the most flexibility for gaming on Linux. I'm planning on trying out Arch via EndeavourOS myself in the coming weeks as soon as my PC build is complete.
ThePierrasse Nov 26, 2021
Quoting: Guest
Quoting: elmapuli think this situation is... ironic to say the least...
canonical bet that linux could become mainstream, spend a lot of money on it, then they failed.
they even tried to do an partnership with valve and got ambitious with their own display server, an phone, tablet, conversible concept...
and ultimately failed, but at least they were the entry point to many in the world of linux and as result, many people build know how on ubuntu wich helped then grow in the server space (cheap laborhood)

the desktop seemed ... abandoned, a few bug fixes here and there but no major new features.

then valve strike again, an big youtuber that reache the masses start talking about linux , and they're like:
hey we're listening to yourfeedback!
i'm not saying they werent before, but they were silent at best...
its almost like they realize that things may finally get into motion now, and they may miss the boat...
anyway, i'm not mad at then, its just that... it may be to later, steamOS is arch based and pop seems to be get the public they were negleting, so lets see what happens =p

Ubuntu definitely was the first home user friendly distro out there, and they put a lot of effort into making it that way, but I think they lost their way at some point. They tried to turn into a Microsoft, and it didn't work - a little too commerical, not enough looking after their users. Trying to do their own thing rather than work with (and thereby lead) the community. Red Hat gets away with this by looking at a different market.

I wasn't a fan with the direction Ubuntu had started to take, but what kept me away the most was their insistence on Unity, and then trying to put Amazon affiliate links and data collection in by default. That's gone away now (I hope), but that it was tried at all speaks volumes of their priorities. Which is a shame, because they were well poised to become the standard distro that could have been the reference against gaming development.

Unity is still the best DE ever though. Change my mind.
TangoBaker Nov 26, 2021
Quoting: ThePierrasseUnity is still the best DE ever though. Change my mind.

Seconded. I gave up on Ubuntu though. I'm currently using Gnome with the Unite extension on Arch, a combination I've come to refer to as "Baby's First Chainsaw".
ShabbyX Nov 26, 2021
You want feedback? Get rid of snap.
whizse Nov 26, 2021
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Quoting: ShabbyXYou want feedback? Get rid of snap.
I'd say either get rid of Snap, or add Crackle and Pop!
CFWhitman Nov 26, 2021
Quoting: GuestI am, however, uncertain if it hasn't mind controlled you and that now I should wear special sunglasses and start chewing gum.

What happens when you run out of bubble gum?
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