You know, as a full-time Linux user, I think I rather have game developers continue to create Windows executables.
Unlike most software, games have a tendency to be released, then supported for one or two years, and then abandoned. But meanwhile, operating systems and libraries move on.
If you have a native Linux build of a game from 10 years ago, good luck trying to run it on your modern system. With Windows builds, using Wine or Proton, you actually have better chances running games from 10 or even 20 years ago.
Meanwhile, thanks to Valve’s efforts, Windows builds have incentive to target Vulkan, they’re getting tested on Linux. That’s what we should focus on IMO, because those things make games better supported on Linux. Which platform the binary is compiled for is an implementation detail… and Win32 is actually the more stable target.
Linux is not getting exclusive builds anytime soon, in our lifetime I’d wager. So Windows builds would still exist anyway, so it would make no difference having native Linux builds, it would only be a bonus. Besides, if Linux somehow eclipses Windows to a point developers don’t support Windows anymore, then I’m sure there would be compatibility layers or whatever built to run old Linux games on newer hardware too.
You know, as a full-time Linux user, I think I rather have game developers continue to create Windows executables.
Unlike most software, games have a tendency to be released, then supported for one or two years, and then abandoned. But meanwhile, operating systems and libraries move on.
If you have a native Linux build of a game from 10 years ago, good luck trying to run it on your modern system. With Windows builds, using Wine or Proton, you actually have better chances running games from 10 or even 20 years ago.
Meanwhile, thanks to Valve’s efforts, Windows builds have incentive to target Vulkan, they’re getting tested on Linux. That’s what we should focus on IMO, because those things make games better supported on Linux. Which platform the binary is compiled for is an implementation detail… and Win32 is actually the more stable target.
Linux is not getting exclusive builds anytime soon, in our lifetime I’d wager. So Windows builds would still exist anyway, so it would make no difference having native Linux builds, it would only be a bonus. Besides, if Linux somehow eclipses Windows to a point developers don’t support Windows anymore, then I’m sure there would be compatibility layers or whatever built to run old Linux games on newer hardware too.
Steam has always had a Linux Runtime for that exact reason.