Linux gamers on Steam cross over the 3% mark • Hacker News Board

Re: Linux gamers on Steam cross over the 3% mark

#511

Post by wafflemaker » Mon, Nov 03, 2025, 3:53 PM UTC

dangus wrote: post #165

hu3 wrote: post #31

I didn't expect Linux to be above macOS despite Wine's awesomeness. - Windows 94.84% - Linux 3.05% - macOS 2.11%

This isn’t surprising at all. In this context, “Linux” means “Steam Deck,” which is basically a plug and play console being sold at cost for $300-500. Macs actually run a lot less of the Steam library without doing pretty involved workarounds like hsing CrossOver. Since Valve sells the Steam Deck they put a lot of work into getting Windows games to run on Linux automatically. They didn’t put that effort into the Mac…

This is actually wrong. According to statistics, Steam deck is less than 30% of all Linux distros. It's all pretty fragmented, with Arch holding the lead at around 10% (after SteamOS of course).

Edit: fixed % cos I was way off writing from memory.

Re: Linux gamers on Steam cross over the 3% mark

#512

Post by bcrosby95 » Mon, Nov 03, 2025, 4:12 PM UTC

TACIXAT wrote: post #26

I just made the switch. I had been developing on Windows for the last couple of years, mostly to get used to the ecosystem. I wanted to be able to write C and C++ like I do on Linux, without an IDE and with the native toolchain (i.e. no cygwin). On top of that, I play Overwatch every night. Windows just seems to have zero focus on performance though. React based start menu with visible lag, file Explorer (buggily) pa…

People oversell how much windows just works. It only does so because it comes pre installed. I regularly reinstall my wife's and it's always more of a pain in the ass than Linux.

Re: Linux gamers on Steam cross over the 3% mark

#513

Post by dormento » Mon, Nov 03, 2025, 4:39 PM UTC

DanielHB wrote: post #489

TACIXAT wrote: post #26

I just made the switch. I had been developing on Windows for the last couple of years, mostly to get used to the ecosystem. I wanted to be able to write C and C++ like I do on Linux, without an IDE and with the native toolchain (i.e. no cygwin). On top of that, I play Overwatch every night. Windows just seems to have zero focus on performance though. React based start menu with visible lag, file Explorer (buggily) pa…

Can I transfer my Overwatch battlenet account to steam? I really want to jump ship too. How is Proton with nVidia drivers? I have a 3080. Those are the last 2 issues keeping my home desktop on windows-land

> Can I transfer my Overwatch battlenet account to steam? I really want to jump ship too.

Seems like you can just keep using the Battle.net account on GNU/Linux. You just add the Battle.net installer as a "non-steam game" (bottom left of the games list). Then, you start it, add your account, install the game and it "just works". I used it on the steam deck to play D4 beta and D2R on my CachyOS desktop.

> How is Proton with nVidia drivers? I have a 3080.

My battle-hardened 1060GTX served me for years. I recently upgraded my whole rig from Debian + Intel + Nvidia to full AMD and the RX9070XT works very well, with the caveat that I had to switch to a newer kernel on CachyOS to support it. That was 4 months ago and the situation now should be resolved, so you can prob use any old normie distro.

Re: Linux gamers on Steam cross over the 3% mark

#514

Post by deafpolygon » Mon, Nov 03, 2025, 4:41 PM UTC

SteveNuts wrote: post #43

TACIXAT wrote: post #26

I just made the switch. I had been developing on Windows for the last couple of years, mostly to get used to the ecosystem. I wanted to be able to write C and C++ like I do on Linux, without an IDE and with the native toolchain (i.e. no cygwin). On top of that, I play Overwatch every night. Windows just seems to have zero focus on performance though. React based start menu with visible lag, file Explorer (buggily) pa…

The only thing windows has focused on has been dark patterns to force users towards cloud and figuring out more and more ways to collect data to sell ads. I’m not naive, I know a ton of huge enterprises still run huge fleets of windows “servers” but I still find it hilarious that a supposedly serious server OS would default to showing you the weather and ads in the start menu.

one thing to remember is that window servers are deployed with GPO pre-configured, so you don’t usually see these unless admins leave them at their defaults. plus enterprise/education can turn off tracking using the same mechanisms

Re: Linux gamers on Steam cross over the 3% mark

#515

Post by throwaway106382 » Mon, Nov 03, 2025, 4:42 PM UTC

int_19h wrote: post #499

throwaway106382 wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fortnite is a problem because of kernel level anti-cheat, trying to get it work on Proton....will probably be a long time. The solution is: buy a Playstation.

What if you want to play with keyboard & mouse?

Many PS5 games have keyboard and mouse support, Fortnite being one of course.

Re: Linux gamers on Steam cross over the 3% mark

#516

Post by echelon » Mon, Nov 03, 2025, 5:22 PM UTC

bigstrat2003 wrote: post #423

echelon wrote: post #244

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Windows coasted on decades of entrenched users from two sources: games and Microsoft Office. Google docs demolished one of those.

If someone's needs are so basic that the crappy Google docs apps can meet them, then they could've been just as happy with LibreOffice. Google docs is not remotely competitive with MS office.

I haven't needed Microsoft Office in 15 years.

I've built and worked at multiple companies that are entirely in the Google Workspace ecosystem.

If there's some "missing feature", I haven't found it or needed it.

Re: Linux gamers on Steam cross over the 3% mark

#517

Post by jsbisviewtiful » Mon, Nov 03, 2025, 5:27 PM UTC

Considering how Microsoft is handling the Windows 10 to 11 upgrade it wouldn't be surprising to see many developers jump ship over to Linux. Some European countries/companies are already trying to get away from Microsoft due to security and monetary concerns, so why wouldn't developers and consumers do something similar?

Re: Linux gamers on Steam cross over the 3% mark

#518

Post by viktorcode » Mon, Nov 03, 2025, 5:57 PM UTC

scheeseman486 wrote: post #315

viktorcode wrote: post #295

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Two more points to that: First, due to substantial differences in graphics hardware, that is tiled-based deferred rendering for Apple Silicon and immediate mode rendering for NVIDIA and AMD the software simulation or translation layer will never be as good as DXVK/VKD3D, which essentially do rendering on exactly same GPUs. In case of using TBDR the pipeline must be rewritten to get the benefits. Simply put, for Apple…

> First, due to substantial differences in graphics hardware, that is tiled-based deferred rendering for Apple Silicon and immediate mode rendering for NVIDIA and AMD the software simulation or translation layer will never be as good as DXVK/VKD3D, which essentially do rendering on exactly same GPUs. In case of using TBDR the pipeline must be rewritten to get the benefits. Simply put, for Apple hardware every Windows…

I don't think there's any issue to run any older game using Crossover or similar on a Mac. Grab that on Steam or GoG and go. Not sure why Apple should become involved in those simulation efforts.

Re: Linux gamers on Steam cross over the 3% mark

#519

Post by viktorcode » Mon, Nov 03, 2025, 6:03 PM UTC

bigyabai wrote: post #375

viktorcode wrote: post #295

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Two more points to that: First, due to substantial differences in graphics hardware, that is tiled-based deferred rendering for Apple Silicon and immediate mode rendering for NVIDIA and AMD the software simulation or translation layer will never be as good as DXVK/VKD3D, which essentially do rendering on exactly same GPUs. In case of using TBDR the pipeline must be rewritten to get the benefits. Simply put, for Apple…

> the software simulation or translation layer will never be as good as DXVK/VKD3D > every Windows game wrapped in a translation layer will be significantly worse That's not wholly accurate, though. Apple Silicon has reverse-engineered drivers that do perfectly well keeping up with immediate-mode multiple-pass graphics pipelines, MoltenVK is not SOTA anymore: https://youtu.be/BbJMPfXTbbE?t=447 You're correct that til…

I think what you are describing is Apple Silicon GPUs delivering good results with sheer power. However, when the same titles are adopting TBDR you'll get faster rendering time or higher resolution. Cyberpunk is a good example of porting properly done.

Skipping unnecessary operation during frame rendering is always better for games.

Re: Linux gamers on Steam cross over the 3% mark

#520

Post by red-iron-pine » Mon, Nov 03, 2025, 6:09 PM UTC

brettermeier wrote: post #470

ndsipa_pomu wrote: post #449

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Linux also doesn't have as good hardware support My experience has been that I can generally just install Linux on a machine and pretty much everything will just work straight away, but with Windows, I have to go and find the relevant Windows drivers to get things like iSCSI working.

When did you install your last Windows? Like 20 years ago?

"I had to patch drivers to get the dot-matrix printer working, and it didn't play nice with the PS/2 used by my mouse (the big one that goes on the nice mousepad)"