Due to the huge increase in gaming options and accessibility, this activity is becoming a hobby for more and more people each year. Although more people can play quality games, there’s a specific group of internet users whose options are more limited, the Linux ones.
As the open-source culture is getting larger, people are starting to opt-in for other operating systems such as Linux, avoiding the traditional ones. Such a migration comes with many advantages regarding security and customization. However, many people are unsure about Linux’s gaming capabilities. In this article we’ll break down all the myths, answering the main question regarding Linux and gaming.
Traditional Gaming
When it comes to gaming on Linux, it is true that the traditional form of gaming is less practical. Game developers are mostly focusing on creating games for the main platforms, Windows, and MacOS, as well as gaming consoles. Linux is a platform often forgotten.
The lower level of support for Linux systems is mostly due to its user base. The main users are software developers, computer enthusiasts, and other professionals. Due to the complexity of this open-source system, regular users tend to stay away. The regular users usually desire an easy “plug-n-play” system, without complicated downloads, installs, and other configurations.
Because of that reason, developers don’t find it ideal to spend more time optimizing their games for platforms like Linux, when their target audience is not using such an OS.
However, traditional gaming is still available on Linux, just more limited. Steam released a version of their platform for Linux back in 2013, and developers started creating more games for the open-source system since then. A number of over 4000 games are accessible to Linux at the moment, Dota 2, Civilization V and Total War being only a handful.
As soon as the interest for open-source alternatives starts rising more and regular people start migrating towards Linux, developers will adapt their games for the Linux distros.
Browser Gaming
Although the traditional form of gaming is more limited on Linux, the world of browser gaming is fully accessible by anybody with an internet connection. This kind of gaming even if less complex, can still represent an entertaining option for the Linux users wishing to play some games.
Gambling represents a widely accessible side of the browser gaming, all Linux users and more being able to play casino games at any time of the day. Online casino owners are usually aiming to make their games available on all platforms, including Linux, the browser environment being ideal for accomplishing that.
Different from most other gaming niches, you can usually access top-notch casino games directly through your browser. A popular game such as Book of Ra, for example, can be easily found in online casinos and playable through your browser, an ideal situation for Linux users.
The innovation of cloud technologies in the following years will give browser gaming a whole new potential. Cloud gaming platforms like Google Stadia will allow all browser users to access even the latest games, regardless of their operating system. This means that by the end of 2019, early 2020, Linux users will have access to a whole new gaming environment.
Conclusion
Linux was never meant to be an operating system for gaming. This OS was created for professionals and developers that want an alternative from the traditional, closed systems. Due to its advantages, the Linux ecosystem quickly became an alternative for regular users as well.
Although gaming is more limited on Linux, users still have access to a lot of entertainment opportunities. Due to cloud technologies, Linux users will soon have access to a whole new gaming world, bridging the gap between traditional and new operating systems.