No Steam For Linux
Doug Lombardi puts the rumor to rest.
A few months back we wrote about some discoveries the good folks at Phoronix found that indicated Valve might be toying with the idea of bringing Steam to LInux platforms. Phoronix's own Michael Larabel discovered fresh Linux code in a bash script launcher in the Steam beta, which allowed for speculation aplenty.
But after a few months of hopes, rumors, and outright falsehoods, Valve has finally weighed in on the rumor, officially and with total certainty: It's not going to happen.
Via a GameIndustry.biz interview, Valve Marketing VP Doug Lombardi stated, "There's no Linux version that we're working on right now."
Sorry Penguins. For now you'll have to make due using Wine, playing open source games, or [gasp] sticking with a proprietary platform.
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No Steam For Linux
Microsoft needs to stop. As well with their little DRM having to do with netflix. Ha!
-Chuck-
Well how about this
Check this out:
Senior Software Engineer
Description
Lead engineer and architect on product integration into the highly available digital distribution platform called "Steam". Utilize business/commerce background and engineering skills to drive next generation features for software developed by Valve.
...
* Port Windows-based games to the Linux platform.
http://www.valvesoftware.com/job-SenSoftEngineer.html
Well
Let's not speculate too much
A few things are important to understand:
1) there's probably some strict limits as to what this guy is allowed to say
2) they probably want somewhat of an element of surprise
3) they probably won't release it until they get someone to put some Linux games on there, or port/create some of their own
4) they're probably running into some of the issues associated with porting. Sound is frequently touted as the most difficult aspect to figure out (there is no one standard library, whereas with Windows there's always DirectSound, and Mac probably has its own standard library though I don't know what it might be called).
The last one has got to be the biggest one. One of the best features of Steam is that it facilitates voice chat. Voice chat is a great addition, and many consider it an absolute necessity for some of the games.
Once they figure out a good way to handle 4 (if they haven't already) I'm sure it'll be no time before they release a beta version.
Reply to Jacob Barkdull
"Well, that's just fine and dandy. We don't need anymore proprietary software infesting our Free Software operating systems. Until Steam is liberated I strongly oppose its port to GNU+Linux."
Why would you say that? It's not like you'd be forced to use it, or have it "infest" your system. Some of us might like the choice to have it on our systems.
suckers..
No steam for linux? whoa. not so fast.
Nowhere in that statement do I see "It's not going to happen".
That having been said, I don't feel much love for steam right now, and if they shrivel up and die, metaphorically speaking, I won't shed any tears.
Fine