Without any warning, Eleventh Hour Games have completely dropped support for and completely removed the Native Linux version of Last Epoch.
Initially, the patch notes didn't even mention Linux at all, but were later updated with the Steam Deck section expanded to include the notice. In the changelog they state "We’re no longer building a native Linux client and recommend Linux players use Proton on Linux which provides a much better experience".
For people who purchased specifically because it was advertised and sold on having a Native Linux version, it's not great and their communication after the fact is not a good look either. That said, Valve's Proton often really does offer a better experience. A lot of the time because of various game engine issues and/or just not a lot of time spent improving the Linux version. So Linux desktop and Steam Deck players can thankfully still play the game. From what I've seen, many players were already using Proton for it due to various problems.
The game currently has a Steam Deck Playable rating with Proton 9.
As for their promised Steam Deck improvements, they have now added UI scaling options with the latest update. However, a recent announcement noted they've pushed back some other changes as they "feel it’s important that when we say we are Steam Deck verified, players can trust that the experience they will receive on the Steam Deck is up to snuff with our expectations for player experience". So more to come there in future.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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I agree with everything you've said here. I know some people are very firm in supporting native versions so to pull the rug on it in this fashion sucks.
That said, in my experience, native versions are unfortunately almost always worse: missing features, worse performance, slower updates etc.
That said, in my experience, native versions are unfortunately almost always worse: missing features, worse performance, slower updates etc.
11 Likes, Who?
There goes remove from wishlist. Sigh...
Last edited by rea987 on 20 September 2024 at 9:10 am UTC
Last edited by rea987 on 20 September 2024 at 9:10 am UTC
6 Likes, Who?
soulsource Sep 20
Without knowing anything about the game:
Let me guess, Unreal Engine?
Let me guess, Unreal Engine?
0 Likes
PublicNuisance Sep 20
Without knowing anything about the game:
Let me guess, Unreal Engine?
Unity from what I could find.
2 Likes, Who?
Then, sorry, but I can understand them. Supporting Unity linux builds is a nightmare to no gain.Without knowing anything about the game:
Let me guess, Unreal Engine?
Unity from what I could find.
However, they could still provide an old Linux build as beta for those who are stubborn about "native" builds.
6 Likes, Who?
I get the decision, I'm not even mad. The native version was janky compared to Proton, and there is one less version for them to maintain etc etc.
Still should have been communicated a bit better before it happened though.
Still should have been communicated a bit better before it happened though.
8 Likes, Who?
Well, I'm mad about this. I bought this based on there being native support. They took that away. Also, there are plenty of people who have horrid performance on Proton, no matter which version they try. I, for one, don't even want to try. If they've been having problems with maintaining the Linux version under Unity, they obviously need help. But dropping it altogether without warning just isn't honest.
8 Likes, Who?
Without knowing anything about the game:
Let me guess, Unreal Engine?
Unity from what I could find.
This is correct. I personally recommend PCGamingWiki for this information. And AugmentedSteam extension for Firefox to get a sidebar link on Steam Store pages (not in the Steam app though).
Then, sorry, but I can understand them. Supporting Unity linux builds is a nightmare to no gain.Without knowing anything about the game:
Let me guess, Unreal Engine?
Unity from what I could find.
However, they could still provide an old Linux build as beta for those who are stubborn about "native" builds.
I like the idea of having it as a Steam Beta. But I fear from the developers perspective that is again little gain and the risk of extra maintenance - extra issue reporting burden (or tolerating complaints from entitled players) from users of an unsupported build. I guess Rocket League is an example of a game where the old Linux version was left available though - so at least sometimes it isn't that foreign of an idea.
Well, I'm mad about this. I bought this based on there being native support. They took that away. Also, there are plenty of people who have horrid performance on Proton, no matter which version they try. I, for one, don't even want to try. If they've been having problems with maintaining the Linux version under Unity, they obviously need help. But dropping it altogether without warning just isn't honest.
Getting help is more complicated and more costly for them, I'd guess, than switching to maintaining the Proton compatibility instead. But yeah, poor communication on their part.
2 Likes, Who?
As long as it works on linux, I'm not too fussed the way I play it. Don't like stuff putting shit in my /.config and /home directories anyway. At most to me this just means it takes 2 more seconds to start up.
2 Likes, Who?
It's fine
the game was good before they started to add that pollution named "chat" like in D4 it takes so much space on the UI, it's annoying you can't get rid of because they wanted to go online than solo.
This game had potential then useless players asked for online feature...
It could have been at the same level as Grim Dawn
the game was good before they started to add that pollution named "chat" like in D4 it takes so much space on the UI, it's annoying you can't get rid of because they wanted to go online than solo.
This game had potential then useless players asked for online feature...
It could have been at the same level as Grim Dawn
2 Likes, Who?
I already switched from the native version to the Proton one - it's just vastly superior, the native one had worse performance for me and several display bugs.
Nice try, but it is clear they never had a good developer for the port.
Better to drop it than to carry an inferior version along.
Though the communication could indeed have been better.
Last edited by TheSHEEEP on 20 September 2024 at 10:56 am UTC
Nice try, but it is clear they never had a good developer for the port.
Better to drop it than to carry an inferior version along.
Though the communication could indeed have been better.
Last edited by TheSHEEEP on 20 September 2024 at 10:56 am UTC
5 Likes, Who?
StalePopcorn Sep 20
FWIW, if possible, I always try to run a game via Proton. The visuals provided via the APIs that Proton can run, when successful, are usually better and due to the moving landscape of Linux, it's more likely to run for a longer period of time via Proton. Were I a bean counter I'd at least make sure my game ran on Linux via Proton.
2 Likes, Who?
Sep 20
Realistically, I would rather a studio just make one good version and make sure it runs well on proton. Be up front about that decision. I know money is a big factor. I don't want a bad version, no one patches, handed to me to play.
I bought Kingdom Come Deliverance on Kickstarter many years ago, with the promise of a native Linux version. They pulled out of that at the last minute. I still have it in my library and have never played it. It pisses me off every time I look at it.
I bought Kingdom Come Deliverance on Kickstarter many years ago, with the promise of a native Linux version. They pulled out of that at the last minute. I still have it in my library and have never played it. It pisses me off every time I look at it.
6 Likes, Who?
This company is a disappointment over another disappointment... With the pathetic launch, to the incomplete campaign, to a pathetic multiplayer launch (and even right now by today's standards)...
And today, I learn that this game, for which I backed up at the beginning for that very reason, is dropping the Linux support...
Anyway, the good news is, they can't really fall at a lower level.
I don't know man, I just feel scammed by a gaming company, yet again...
And today, I learn that this game, for which I backed up at the beginning for that very reason, is dropping the Linux support...
Anyway, the good news is, they can't really fall at a lower level.
I don't know man, I just feel scammed by a gaming company, yet again...
3 Likes, Who?
Windows versions of games are just better.
Even betterer if you play them with no middleware, translation layers or other garbage... just like the universe intended.
Even betterer if you play them with no middleware, translation layers or other garbage... just like the universe intended.
0 Likes
EagleDelta Sep 20
I agree with everything you've said here. I know some people are very firm in supporting native versions so to pull the rug on it in this fashion sucks.
That said, in my experience, native versions are unfortunately almost always worse: missing features, worse performance, slower updates etc.
Honestly, I get really annoyed by the "Proton/WINE isn't native" arguments. If WINE or Proton were Emulation tools, I'd agree, but where emulation tries to mimic hardware and other aspects that simply can't be done "natively", WINE and Proton's other tools are actually rebuilding the Windows and DX APIs for use within Linux. As such, Proton/WINE are absolutely native but the very definition of what an API does. I'm speaking of this as a Software Dev myself that works with various APIs every day. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if WINE/Proton isn't "native", then no API is native.
5 Likes, Who?
EagleDelta Sep 20
This company is a disappointment over another disappointment... With the pathetic launch, to the incomplete campaign, to a pathetic multiplayer launch (and even right now by today's standards)...
And today, I learn that this game, for which I backed up at the beginning for that very reason, is dropping the Linux support...
Anyway, the good news is, they can't really fall at a lower level.
I don't know man, I just feel scammed by a gaming company, yet again...
I mean, take your pick:
- AAA studios that are ready to screw you over (or rather the Investors are) for the sake of more profits, but they can also dedicate more resources to scaling online modes (which is expensive, and MORE expensive the MORE players are using it. I work on a cloud platform and the more successful we got, the more expensive the platform cost us. We literally have to cut features from customers because we were too successful and can't afford to keep running the platform).
- AA or Indie studios that become far more popular than their funds can afford to scale for and then have to cut features, versions of the game, or face performance issues... because they were too successful, but still don't have the money or personnel to scale.
0 Likes
This is especially egregious for those of us that backed the KS specifically due to the native Linux client. They only met their funding goal by about $45K, and that could have been due to the Linux version availability.
4 Likes, Who?
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