Linux Format forums

Re: Is there a market for commercial games on Linux?

OnlyTheTony — Fri May 09, 2008 6:00 pm

Author: OnlyTheTony

Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 6:00 pm

I came across this link on a blog:

http://valvesoftware.com/job-SenSoftEngineer.html

Note the line "Port Windows-based games to the Linux platform."

Could this be the tipping point?

Re: Is there a market for commercial games on Linux?

Deadly_Ernest — Thu May 08, 2008 1:04 pm

Author: Deadly_Ernest

Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 1:04 pm

Yes there is a demand for Linux versions of major commercial games. I know hundreds of gamers who know thousands of others and their biggest complaint is that they have all sorts of problems with running their favourite latest games in Windows, because of issues with the OS itself, and bitch because they aren't provided in Linux or Mac versions so they can play them on a more stable OS. The problem is more a case of having the games programmers releasing a Linux compatible version at the same time. Some of the mid 1990s games I have were released with both a Windows and Unix/Linux version on the disc together, the Linux version ran in a sort of virtual machine. The disc start up detected the OS and then loaded which you had.

The main reason that LGP is behind is mostly legal and the latest version of the GPL may resolve the issue. Previously, to put a commercial game on Linux meant you had to make it, or significant parts of it, open source software - something the major commercial games companies didn't like doing as it affects their profits. Once the main profit growth areas have been reached, they don't mind cutting back. More will provide Linux versions once they can be assured of the full legal protections they get with Windows.

However, with the improvements in virtual machines, in WINE, Crossover, Cedega, and especially the Transgaming Linux game development software (I forget its name) we should see more movement along this line.

My nephew is big into the on-line gaming type games and he's hooked into a large group that have informed the developers of the major game they play, that if future updates of the game ever becomes such as to require Vista, they'll all resign - the lobby group membership is in six figures, so you can imagine the financial hit that would be. They're pushing for either Linux compatible versions or for the game to become totally platform independent and only require a basic Web Browser to play the game. It'll be interesting to see how well they go with their campaign.

Me, I'll settle for playing my old tried and true Lord of Destruction and Doom 2 and Broodwar - they're enough for me.

Re: Is there a market for commercial games on Linux?

OnlyTheTony — Thu May 08, 2008 9:44 am

Author: OnlyTheTony

Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 9:44 am

With the exception of Steam-based stuff (Day of Defeat: Source in particular) I will now only buy games that have Linux clients for them - Doom3, UT2004 and more recently Enemy Territory: Quake Wars.

I think it's important to let the publishers know that there IS a market out there for Linux games as, for many, gaming is the only thing still tying them to Windows. If you get a Linux game then contact the game's publishers to let them you know bought it because of the Linux support!

Another, but less ideal, solution would be for the publishers to approach the Wine team with a view to them getting the latest games working on Linux as it's obvious that most games companies either can't or won't dedicate the resources needed to produce Linux binaries.

Re: Is there a market for commercial games on Linux?

Pingus — Tue May 06, 2008 7:36 pm

Author: Pingus

Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 7:36 pm

I think there could be a market for commercial games on Linux but at the moment there is none. This is because of this, its not open source so I will not get it kind of attitude. Linux users will have to face it that an open source game will never compare to a commercial one and ditch the attitude.

At least if gaming did take off on Linux all Linux users would have a reason to need better Nvidia/Ati drivers so in the end it would benefit everyone.

Is there a market for commercial games on Linux?

Epsilon — Mon May 05, 2008 2:51 pm

Author: Epsilon

Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 2:51 pm

Quite often I hear mention of commercial games coming for Linux, the most prominent one though must've been Neverwinter Nights 1. And recently Savage 2 got a Linux client.
But it seems to me that most companies only releases Linux versions of their games as an afterthought and not as if it's something thats originally on their roadmap.

Now Linux Games Publishing might be on to something with porting commercial games from developers who might not consider doing so themselves, but generally I see their games gets released years after the Windows version, for example I saw that they're currently working on "Bandits Phoenix Rising" and "X3: Reunion". Looking at the LGP website, the first game will sell for 28£, if I look at Amazon.co.uk I can get the Windows version for 0.48£ so in comparison thats an increase of 5800%!, just for the priviledge of running the game natively, instead of wine, and thats considering the game was first published in August 2005 so almost 3 years old now.
Looking at what the game offers which is a fast paced action experience, might one not be better off staying with whatever Quake3 or Ut clone suits one best?, of course thats always a matter of opinion.

X3:Reunion however was reviewed in february issue of LXF, so one might think that the game was already available for purchase. LGP's website says different though "Release Date expected to be 01 August 2007".
One might be able to write this off as poor website maintenance and expect the game to be available regardless, however tuxgames.com also supports the LGP date "Expected 01 Aug 2007 (Estimated Release Date)" and if you try to buy the game you're also told that it will ship when it's released.
This is a 48£ game, a game that was also released originally for Windows in 2005 and back then sold for 45£, however the Windows version can now be found at amazon.co.uk for 10.95£ so thats an increase of 410% for the Linux version.
These games are both quite old and are only getting older, what is the incentive to buy these games from LGP when they finally get around to releasing them? to support the company?
This is a capitalist society, you have to compete if you want to make money, this is also why many of us are using Linux, because it does some jobs better than what else is available.

If games are going to make it on Linux and Linux is ever going to be able to appeal to many of the windows desktop users who primarily use their desktop for games, Linux games will have to get released at the same time as their Windows equivalent or the year after at the latest. Some companies might look at the success of LGP or lack of, and think that theres not a market for Linux games, when there possibly might be a market but because people want to play their games when their friends are and might not want to play the games when they're finally released for the platform of choice, if they can even be bothered to pay premium for an old product.
If you look at the Windows (PC) market it has in large part succeeded because of the games available on the platform, many people started using pc's because of Wolfenstein3D and Doom.
I stayed on the Amiga as long as I could, even got a Blizzardppc to run 3d graphics and such, but in the end the pc was more readily available and more people played the games there and of course with the advent of Quake and Command & Conquer I and many of my friends went to the pc - but stayed closet Amiga users.

It can be debated if Linux will ever break through as anything else but an enterprise desktop, if theres not quality games available for the platform to make people use the Linux Desktop.
Not to mention the fact that many Linux users despise closed source and so might not want to buy a game of which they cannot svn the source code - but that is a different discussion
And lets face it, penguin racer or globulation2 is never going to appeal to the mainstream no matter how entertaining they are. True many people would argue that Linux users don't need the mainstream, but the mainstream and particularly the mainstream gamers is what guides companies like Nvidia to make the products they do. It's those companies who're the reason (some of us) have been able to have such awesome experiences with Deus Ex, Half-Life and Total Annihilation with it's successor (Supreme Commander) to name a few.

I apologize for the lengthy read, but I expect people to give the subject some thought and not just give usual short forum answers, as this is a serious subject.