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Why make games for Linux if they don't sell?

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11–20 of 75 posts

Re: Why make games for Linux if they don't sell?

#11
post #3

Because if you don't then you can be sure that they will never sell. And Linux is the only game platform without garden walls.

Windows still lets you download and install software last I checked.

Does MS allow one to sell games for both XBox and Windows?

Re: Why make games for Linux if they don't sell?

#12
post #2

I don't expect to play any big AAA titles but I also remember only having Nethack and tux racer. So I am over the moon being able to play these current titles on Linux. Caves of Qud, Dead Cells, Hollow Knight, Rimworld, Oxygen Not Included, Stellaris, Civ, Streets of Rogue, Pillars of Eternity and many more. Those are just my favorites so I hope others will list theirs.

Do you know that wojak meme where a crying guy is wearing a happy mask? That's how I felt playing tux racer in the mid 2000s

Re: Why make games for Linux if they don't sell?

#13
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Windows still lets you download and install software last I checked.

Does MS allow one to sell games for both XBox and Windows?

For Xbox you must use the Xbox Store. Why are you changing the goalpost though? They only mentioned Windows.

Which allows you to just plainly sell games from your own website or use one of the many stores.

Oh side note, you can change your Xbox into a "devkit" and install basically any homebrew app. So technically, you can bypass its walled garden.

Re: Why make games for Linux if they don't sell?

#15
post #7

These two options can work well: 1. The Radiohead model: download and pay anything from 0$ to X$ as you wish. IIRC with the Radiohead release X == 100$. 2. Sell Merchandise. If your game features a character like Lara or Mario, this could go very well. There used to be a lot more of this in the early days of indy development. Postcardware for instance, were you would "pay" for the software by sending the author a nic…

Feels like an admission that there is no formal market.

Re: Why make games for Linux if they don't sell?

#17
post #4

Stadia changes the math a bit. If you’re already targeting Stadia, which uses a Linux variant under the hood, the time to make it widely available might be worth it.

If a game is on Stadia it can already be played on Linux via Stadia and a web browser. It can also be played on macOS. I thought that's where you were going with that.

Re: Why make games for Linux if they don't sell?

#18
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does MS allow one to sell games for both XBox and Windows?

For Xbox you must use the Xbox Store. Why are you changing the goalpost though? They only mentioned Windows. Which allows you to just plainly sell games from your own website or use one of the many stores. Oh side note, you can change your Xbox into a "devkit" and install basically any homebrew app. So technically, you can bypass its walled garden.

One addition, you can sell on all stores at the same time.

Re: Why make games for Linux if they don't sell?

#20
post #3

Because if you don't then you can be sure that they will never sell. And Linux is the only game platform without garden walls.

Windows still lets you download and install software last I checked.

For now. My guess is that one of the reasons Valve has been working so hard on the Linux gaming front is the fear of this changing.
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