microsoft is f!cked 1st game publisher considering going to linux

publisher THQ has just deficated in microsofts cereal. according to THQ after the success of the humble THQ bundle they are now investigating a route to full game publishing of linux games. and more importantly passing this on down to their development companies like vigil, relic, etc.

if this does go down despite THQ's financial situation this could spark a movement of small publishers and more game developers moving to that abandoning a reliance on windows as a gaming platform

there could be some real earthshattering impact to microsofts power in gaming markets period. however the big if of this story remains. IF thq goes through with this and IF this catches on. valve is already prepping steam linux for the kernel popping masses so clearly it has to have some kind of appeal. if this continues i wouldnt be suprised if windows one day found itself out of a job.

http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/12/16/thq-pondering-linux-development-after-the-success-of-the-thq-humble-bundle/

ionusX

This probably has something to do with the Steambox being built around Linux. Maybe its the start of greater things to come, who knows.

pelvist

[QUOTE="pelvist"]

This probably has something to do with the Steambox being built around Linux. Maybe its the start of greater things to come, who knows.

MBirdy88

where did you hear it will run linux? i also heard it will run every steam game but that does not make sence because every game would need to be ported.

[QUOTE="savagetwinkie"][QUOTE="osirisx3"]

android is linux

IgGy621985

Yeah, Dalvik, if you want to be that specific, but basically, it's Linux.

Interesting. I didn't foresee this move at all.

Exactly, I think the drivers and virtualization on windows make the sysetm much more stable, game API's aren't actually going directly to the hardware any more on windows. Switching to Linux isn't going to be an easy process, and the one thing I've learned with linux is it takes a lot longer to fix. I almost spend as much time fixing runtime dependentcies/librarys, finding replacement packages for packages that aren't supported any more, finding compatibility patches and recompiling older, broken packages...

Personally for me, I don't consider linux a valid mainstream OS until they completely replace or rewrite X11. It sucks, and between the drivers being complete **** for linux and x11 I just don't see it as a viable OS to fallback on when all else fails.

with that said, if people did start switching to linux, the only way I could see it work is if most people started buying pre-build machines with support, and hardware that is 100% compatible.https://www.system76.com/desktopsIs a nice link for a start. Ubuntu 12.10 doesnt' support my motherboard so I have to manually install drivers, and I have to do this every time I update...

savagetwinkie

Linux might get relevant if that Ouya console penetrates into mainstream, and if Valve lures more bigger developers and publishers onto Steam (on Linux). I mean, technically, Linux is already one of the most popular gaming platforms - thanks to Android. But without linking it to a closed software or hardware platform I don't see it as future of PC gaming. Windows is just too well established and too popular gaming platform.

[QUOTE="clyde46"]Lol Linux. Good luck convincing PC gamers to switch.k2theswiss

[QUOTE="savagetwinkie"]

Exactly, I think the drivers and virtualization on windows make the sysetm much more stable, game API's aren't actually going directly to the hardware any more on windows. Switching to Linux isn't going to be an easy process, and the one thing I've learned with linux is it takes a lot longer to fix. I almost spend as much time fixing runtime dependentcies/librarys, finding replacement packages for packages that aren't supported any more, finding compatibility patches and recompiling older, broken packages...

Personally for me, I don't consider linux a valid mainstream OS until they completely replace or rewrite X11. It sucks, and between the drivers being complete **** for linux and x11 I just don't see it as a viable OS to fallback on when all else fails.

with that said, if people did start switching to linux, the only way I could see it work is if most people started buying pre-build machines with support, and hardware that is 100% compatible.https://www.system76.com/desktopsIs a nice link for a start. Ubuntu 12.10 doesnt' support my motherboard so I have to manually install drivers, and I have to do this every time I update...

IgGy621985

Linux might get relevant if that Ouya console penetrates into mainstream, and if Valve lures more bigger developers and publishers onto Steam (on Linux). I mean, technically, Linux is already one of the most popular gaming platforms - thanks to Android. But without linking it to a closed software or hardware platform I don't see it as future of PC gaming. Windows is just too well established and too popular gaming platform.

Lol Linux. Good luck convincing PC gamers to switch.clyde46

I'm almost convinced to be honest, the only thing that stops me from switching is the fact that most games are on windows.

[QUOTE="Jebus213"][QUOTE="clyde46"]Lol Linux. Good luck convincing PC gamers to switch.spiderluck

[QUOTE="IgGy621985"]

[QUOTE="savagetwinkie"]

Exactly, I think the drivers and virtualization on windows make the sysetm much more stable, game API's aren't actually going directly to the hardware any more on windows. Switching to Linux isn't going to be an easy process, and the one thing I've learned with linux is it takes a lot longer to fix. I almost spend as much time fixing runtime dependentcies/librarys, finding replacement packages for packages that aren't supported any more, finding compatibility patches and recompiling older, broken packages...

Personally for me, I don't consider linux a valid mainstream OS until they completely replace or rewrite X11. It sucks, and between the drivers being complete **** for linux and x11 I just don't see it as a viable OS to fallback on when all else fails.

with that said, if people did start switching to linux, the only way I could see it work is if most people started buying pre-build machines with support, and hardware that is 100% compatible.https://www.system76.com/desktopsIs a nice link for a start. Ubuntu 12.10 doesnt' support my motherboard so I have to manually install drivers, and I have to do this every time I update...

ronvalencia

Linux might get relevant if that Ouya console penetrates into mainstream, and if Valve lures more bigger developers and publishers onto Steam (on Linux). I mean, technically, Linux is already one of the most popular gaming platforms - thanks to Android. But without linking it to a closed software or hardware platform I don't see it as future of PC gaming. Windows is just too well established and too popular gaming platform.

Google Chrome and Android X86 says Hi. Note that AMD has donated machines and chip information to Android X86 .ronvalencia

Chrome OS has a very, very long way to go if it wants to rival Windows in terms of gaming. And, as far as I can see, it doesn't.

Also, Android x86 isn't even officially supported by Google. It's a community project.

[QUOTE="ronvalencia"][QUOTE="IgGy621985"]

Linux might get relevant if that Ouya console penetrates into mainstream, and if Valve lures more bigger developers and publishers onto Steam (on Linux). I mean, technically, Linux is already one of the most popular gaming platforms - thanks to Android. But without linking it to a closed software or hardware platform I don't see it as future of PC gaming. Windows is just too well established and too popular gaming platform.

savagetwinkie

High performance Android 3D games are programmed on native code, hence the requirement for Intel's ARM-to-X86 translator i.e. Intel's translation module was liberated from Intel's official Android firmware and made to work on Andriod X86. I have been testing Android X86 ICS for quite sometime.

No way in hell am I ever gonna use linux as my main os.

[QUOTE="savagetwinkie"]

[QUOTE="ronvalencia"] Google Chrome and Android X86 says Hi. Note that AMD has donated machines and chip information to Android X86 .ronvalencia

This isn't going to happen, Valve and THQ are just posturing.

The Windows 8 App Store is in direct competition with Steam. Valve knows this and is whining about it.

The core problems with Linux gaming haven't changed:

1. It's a QA and customer support nightmare. That's why nobody sells Linux desktops anymore. This is explicitly why Dell stopped, the only major PC vendor to really ship lots of Linux PCs.
2. While gaming toolkits in Linux are better, they are still dramatically inferior to Windows toolkits. Virtually all 3D games are developed on Windows (regardless of the target platform) for this reason. OpenGL is not a "drop-in" replacement for DirectX and developers would have huge problems proting games. You might notice that Valve hasn't ported ANY of their games to Linux. If this was so "easy" why wouldn't they have altready done this?
3. The Linux community and culture is resistant to paying for software. Period. This makes it really difficult to monetize your Linux game.
4. Very, very, very few people currently run Linux on the desktop (lesst than 2%) and I acutally percieve that to be dropping (at least in the USA). There was a lot of excitement around Ubuntu and that's petered out. I think Ubuntu was the "last gasp" of desktop Linux, and I say this as someone who DOES run desktop Linux.

In order for desktop Linux to work, it really needs to be backed by a tech goliath. And since Microsoft, Google, and Apple are already selling their own OS' that doesn't leave many options. Really, all I can see are Samsung and Sony. And to be blunt, that's not going to happen because it doesn't seem like anyone but Americans can actually produce a decent OS.

I agree with other posters that if Linux on the desktop has a future, that future is Android.

Valve's plan is NOT to sell games for Linux desktops, but to sell their own CONSOLE, which is apparently in development right now so it's going to happen. Due to licensing it's probably going to run Linux, but that's going to dramatically limit the games that can run on it. In fact, most of the current Steam library (80%+) would not work. Wine emulation isn't good enough for games. If I was Valve, I'd just break down and try to license Windows.

Microsoft is Microsoft... They could buy out both Nintendo and Sony if they wanted to, they're not going anywhere.

This isn't going to happen, Valve and THQ are just posturing.

The Windows 8 App Store is in direct competition with Steam. Valve knows this and is whining about it.

rtechie

Windows 8 Store is a total disaster and completely unnecessary on legacy desktop.

I'll never switch from Windows. I actually like having drivers and support for my stuff.

[QUOTE="ronvalencia"][QUOTE="savagetwinkie"] Developing on Android isn't the same as developing on linux, it's completely different since your writing applications on a java stack. I don't see how it's relevant, same with Google Chrome, its designed to work with web apps. From a developers perspesctive, android is NOT linux. Linux is just a host for the android virtual environmentsavagetwinkie

My point was, why Linux/GNU(e.g. Ubuntu/RedHat/Suse/'etc')? THQ wasn't the first publisher to support Linux.

Andriod has a better end-user CE support compared to Linux distros (e.g. Ubuntu).

[QUOTE="rtechie"]

This isn't going to happen, Valve and THQ are just posturing.

The Windows 8 App Store is in direct competition with Steam. Valve knows this and is whining about it.

IgGy621985

Windows 8 Store is a total disaster and completely unnecessary on legacy desktop.

Windows 8's upgrade pace is faster than Windows 7 e.g. 40 million units within 1 month. With two months and keeping the similar upgrade pace, it would be 80 million install base. It can easily exceed Valve's Steam store install base.

After firing Sinofsky, Microsoft is bring it's IP across it's all products i.e. it would not be crippled by MS's internal politics.

I thought M$ had nothing to do with PC gaming...

I thought M$ had nothing to do with PC gaming...

RyanShazam

MS has the technology that underpins PC Gaming's ecosystem..

[QUOTE="RyanShazam"]

I thought M$ had nothing to do with PC gaming...

ronvalencia

MS has technology that underpins PC Gaming's ecosystem..

[QUOTE="ronvalencia"]

[QUOTE="RyanShazam"]

I thought M$ had nothing to do with PC gaming...

RyanShazam

MS has technology that underpins PC Gaming's ecosystem..

[QUOTE="RyanShazam"]

[QUOTE="ronvalencia"]

MS has technology that underpins PC Gaming's ecosystem..

ronvalencia

Refering to Windows?

Yeah, I think THQ filing Chapter 11 is more likely than them publishing anything for Linux.Cherokee_Jack

[QUOTE="ronvalencia"][QUOTE="RyanShazam"] Compiling native code through the NDK and writing a C++ application from start to finish is completely different. Its not the same, at all. Android really isn't linux, its just only supported on linux. It's quite possible you could port android to WinCE, Applications wouldn't know the difference. Android isn't a linux platform, it's a new platform built on a Linux kernel. So again, this is completely irrelevant to gaming on Linux. There is a lot more to programs than having instructions native to the processor...savagetwinkie

You also missed poster's Andriod = just java POV.

That´s a great move,probably a bit too late for THQ but it´s the right way at least.

I already use ubuntu way more than I use windows,the only thing making me dual boot are the games,otherwise I would barely touch windows these days.

[QUOTE="spiderluck"][QUOTE="Jebus213"] Joke right? At least enthusiasts will happily use Linux without any problems.Jebus213

[QUOTE="RyanShazam"]

[QUOTE="ronvalencia"] My point was, why Linux? THQ wasn't the first publisher to support Linux.ronvalencia

I wonder why my name got qouted...

[QUOTE="ronvalencia"][QUOTE="RyanShazam"] Why didn't you just say that to began with, you never bother to back your statements with a point or counter argument, you just post information and hope people can figure out what your original intent was with this information.RyanShazam

I wonder why my name got qouted...

[QUOTE="ronvalencia"][QUOTE="RyanShazam"] Why didn't you just say that to began with, you never bother to back your statements with a point or counter argument, you just post information and hope people can figure out what your original intent was with this information.RyanShazam

I wonder why my name got qouted...

[QUOTE="RyanShazam"]

[QUOTE="ronvalencia"] You also missed poster's Andriod = just java POV.

ronvalencia

I wonder why my name got qouted...

I was sitting here thinking "I never typed that!" lol Gamespot is always bugging out!

[QUOTE="savagetwinkie"]

[QUOTE="ronvalencia"] My point was, why Linux? THQ wasn't the first publisher to support Linux.ronvalencia

You also missed poster's Andriod = just java POV.

[QUOTE="ronvalencia"]Google Chrome and Android X86 says Hi. Note that AMD has donated machines and chip information to Android X86 .IgGy621985

Chrome OS has a very, very long way to go if it wants to rival Windows in terms of gaming. And, as far as I can see, it doesn't.

Also, Android x86 isn't even officially supported by Google. It's a community project.

Google has an official Android build for Intel X86 SoC. Android X86 aims to expand the support list for other X86 based hardware.

Lol Linux. Good luck convincing PC gamers to switch.clyde46

Why go Windows 8 or make the transition to Linux when you can just stay on Windows 7.

Why go Windows 8 or make the transition to Linux when you can just stay on Windows 7.

Gxgear

[QUOTE="Gxgear"]

Why go Windows 8 or make the transition to Linux when you can just stay on Windows 7.

ronvalencia

Windows 8 uptake: More like Vista than Windows 7

[QUOTE="IgGy621985"]

[QUOTE="rtechie"]

This isn't going to happen, Valve and THQ are just posturing.

The Windows 8 App Store is in direct competition with Steam. Valve knows this and is whining about it.

ronvalencia

Windows 8 Store is a total disaster and completely unnecessary on legacy desktop.

Windows 8's upgrade pace is faster than Windows 7 e.g. 40 million units within 1 month. With two months and keeping the similar upgrade pace, it would be 80 million install base. It can easily exceed Valve's Steam store install base.

After firing Sinofsky, Microsoft is bring it's IP across it's all products i.e. it would not be crippled by MS's internal politics.

I didn't say anything about the Windows 8 upgrade pace. I just noted that, from a user standpoint, Windows 8 App Store is completely useless on legacy desktop. RT devices are a different story.

It can exceed Steam user base, but it wouldn't mean anything.

Can Windows 8 be used like a normal desktop or do you have to use their fancy new UI?