Thursday 5 June 2014

games for linux upcoming

XCOM: Enemy Unknown for Linux

More good news for Linux gamers. XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the multiple-award winning turn-based tactical role-playing video game developed by Firaxis Games is all set to arrive on Linux shores soon. And much to the excitement of gaming fanatics, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is readily available for Linux through Steam!
 
XCOM: Enemy Unknown and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, for Linux
It is confirmed. Feral's first ever game made for Linux will be none other than their award winning title, XCOM: Enemy Unknown. "Linux gamers will be able to join the fight for humanity’s future this summer when the Ubuntu 14.04 version of XCOM: Enemy Unknown is released as a SteamPlay title." Read their full announcement here. It also confirms that, the game will be a native port and not some half-baked "wrap-around". [source: gamingonlinux]
The Witcher 2 on the other hand, was officially released for Linux just a few days back. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings boasts of a metacritic score of 88/100 while XCOM: Enemy Unknown has an even better 89/100 rating on metacritic.com website. The Witcher 2 for Linux can be downloaded from Steam already. Get Steam for Linux.
The Witcher 2 for Linux released
 

Portal is coming to Android through NVIDIA SHIELD 

Valve's mighty Portal video game is coming to Android. This is huge. In a recent briefing, NVIDIA has announced the imminent arrival of Portal for Android through NVIDIA SHIELD gaming console. The announcement about its new partnership with Valve was done by NVIDIA at the GPU Technology Conference (GTC) currently being held at Silicon Valley.

portal for android via NVIDIA SHIELD

GOG.com will support Linux soon, more than 100 games for Linux are getting readied!

"After much deliberation, we've decided that one of the next steps for us is to support Linux." GOG.com becomes the latest firm to appreciate the long-term potential of Linux on computers. The arrival of Steam on Linux has to be the most important factor behind a sea change in attitude of major game vendors towards Linux. Testing of games are on and it seems like Ubuntu and Linux Mint will be the ones to get official support initially.
gog.com support for linux games

GOG.com will support Linux officially starting this fall!
More than 100 games for Linux through GOG.com by the end of this year, that's what they are promising. Right now, they are performing testing on various configurations, training up their teams on Linux-speak, and generally preparing for the rollout of at least 100 DRM-free titles. 
It will, of course, will include games which already have Linux clients, but they will also be bringing a variety of classics that are, for the first time, officially supported and maintained by GOG.com. Also according to the announcement, Ubuntu and Linux Mint will be the officially supported Linux flavours at the start. 'GOG.com Support for Linux' was a widely demanded feature by GOG.com community it seems.

Portal 2 for Linux beta released!

After Metro: Last Light FPS and Football Manager 2014, Portal 2 is the latest blockbuster game from Steam to reach our shores. If you don't know already, Portal 2 is the award winning sequel to genre-defining first-person puzzle platformer, Portal. Both the sequel and the original were huge successes across platforms. Portal was released for Linux sometime in mid-2013 along with the likes of Dota 2, Half Life 2 and Left 4 Dead 2.
portal 2 linux released

Portal 2 for Linux beta
Portal 2 for Linux is still in beta, which means, you need to opt into the Beta from the Portal 2 properties in your Steam Library in order to access the game. Linux system requirements for Portal 2 beta must be similar to that required by Portal.
 

0 A.D. Alpha 15 Osiris released , Get it via PPA in Ubuntu

Wildfire Games has announced the release of 0 A.D. Alpha 15 Osiris, the fifteenth alpha version of 0 A.D., a free and open-source game of ancient warfare. 0.A.D was recently in the news for their crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. 
0ad alpha 15 ubuntu ppa

What's new in 0.A.D. Alpha 15 "Osiris"?
  • Multiplayer Lobby: The new in-game multiplayer lobby is a place to meet other players and play games together. Meet the entire 0 A.D. community online and face the challenge of a multiplayer game.
  • Auras: Units get a bonus when they are in range of a special building, like a wonder, or another unit, such as a hero. This feature adds a new layer of strategy to the game. So far, in Alpha 15, temples regenerate health for nearby units, and most heroes have auras. This feature is set for expansion and further refinement over the next few alphas.
  • Debut of the Ptolemaic Egyptians: Alpha 15 debuts the Ptolemaic Egyptians as a new playable civilization. Some new buildings, units and unique gameplay features can already be tested, but it’s not finished yet and still contains a lot of placeholders. The Ptolemies will be completed in the next alpha releases.
  • Skirmish Maps: Skirmish maps are a new game mode in 0 A.D. They’re similar to scenarios, but can be easily changed according to your preferences.
Download 0.A.D. Alpha 15 in Ubuntu 13.10
0.A.D. is popular enough and stable enough to be included in the default Ubuntu repositories. Click here to install 0.A.D in Ubuntu or simply search for it in Ubuntu Software Center. But, if you want the latest version of 0.A.D. instead, you should try this official PPA by 0.A.D devs.
  • Launch Terminal and copy-paste the following commands. 
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:wfg/0ad
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install 0ad
  • Done. Now, simply search for 0.A.D. in Applications Dash. 
You can try a more up-to-date but less-well-tested version of 0.A.D. from their development snapshot PPA, which will be updated like every week. Simply replace ppa:wfg/0ad above with ppa:wfg/0ad.dev. 0.A.D. is available in all shapes and sizes for a variety of distros. Check out 0.A.D download page for more options.

Metro: Last Light and Football Manager 2014 Available for Linux via Steam

Two more blockbuster games are now available for Linux via Steam. Metro: Last Light is a single-player first-person shooter and horror video game developed by Ukrainian studio, 4A Games. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world and features a mixture of action-oriented and stealth gameplay. On the other hand, Football Manager 2014 for Linux was announced earlier this year and it is heartening to see that the devs have lived up to their promises. 
Metro Last Light for linux, ubuntu

Metro: Last Light and Football Manager 2014 for Linux Released!
Minimum system requirements for Metro: Last Light :-
OS: Ubuntu 12.04
Processor: Dual Core CPU (2.2+ GHz Dual Core CPU or better)
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M 512 MB
Hard Drive: 10 GB available space

Minimum system requirements for Football Manager 2014 :-
OS: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS Linux
Processor: Intel Pentium 4, Intel Core AMD Athlon: 1.8GHz+
Memory: 1 GB RAM
Graphics: NVidia GeForce 7300 GT, AMD Radeon HD 2400 Pro, Intel HD 3000/4000
Hard Drive: 3 GB available space

Valve builds and runs all of its source code, animation and assets on Linux, says Gabe Newell

Linux and open source software in general are not something meant for just hobbyists anymore (which I don't necessarily consider as a bad thing). It is widely used by multinationals in various forms, Goobuntu by Google and Sony PS4's Orbis OS being perfect examples. But the rise of Linux in the gaming scene has to be the most spectacular story of them all. Valve's co-founder, Gabe Newell's keynote speech at LinuxCon was a testament to that. 
The Future of Gaming is Linux

"The Future of Gaming is Linux" - Gabe Newell
The center of gravity has shifted from console hardware platforms with price and access controlled by PC makers, to web-based free-to-play and massive multiplayer online games. As a result, businesses are investing in developers and services and users are the focus of market development strategies, Newell said. The realization that this was the new business model, led Valve to change its approach to game development.
"Valve became convinced that Linux is the future of gaming," Newell said.
Valve also builds and runs all of its source code, animation and assets on Linux - a typical setup for companies in the gaming industry, said Gabe Newell while speaking at LinuxCon. Full keynote speech by Gabe Newell at LinuxCon video below.

Football Manager 2014 for Linux Release Date Announced

This is great news. After the likes of Dota 2, Half Life 2, Portal and Left 4 Dead 2, another massive gaming title is opening its gates for Linux users. Sports Interactive has announced that Football Manager 2014 will be released on October 31 for Windows, Mac and Linux. 
Football Manager 2014 linux release dates

Football Manager 2014 Coming to Linux!
Sports Interactive has announced that Football Manager 2014 for PC, Mac and Linux will be released at 00.01 (GMT) on Thursday 31st October. You can even pre-order the game from one of the digital or physical retailers such as Steam to get the beta version approximately 2 weeks before the final release. Watch details below
 
 

FEZ for Linux Released via Humble Indie Bundle 9

Humble Indie Bundle is back and this time, Linux users are not left behind. As usual, Humble Indie Bundle 9 offers 6 blockbuster games (all DRM-free) at pay what you want prices. And for the very first time, FEZ for Linux is also released! 
humble indie bundle 9: fez for linux released

Hundle Indie Bundle 9: New Games for Linux
Games offered in this latest Humble Bundle include: visually brilliant magical action-puzzle platformer Trine 2: Complete Story, the sleek side-scrolling stealth game Mark of the Ninja, the deliciously delightful physics-based puzzler Eets Munchies, and finally, the heavy metal action/adventure/RTS rocker BrĂ¼tal Legend
If you pay over the average (US$4.59 at the time of writing this article), you'll also receive the award-winning space strategy sim FTL: Faster Than Light and the critically acclaimed adorably detailed puzzle platformer FEZ. There's more. Humble Bundle team will be releasing more games in the coming days. So if you pay more than the average amount now, the rest of the games will be yours too. Go grab your copy!

0 A.D. Launches Crowdfunding Campaign on Indiegogo, Release Alpha 14 Version

When we wrote about our favorite Real Time Strategy (RTS) games for Linux sometime ago, 0 A.D. was featured right on top. It is a free and open source game which holds a lot of promise. And after nearly 4 years of development, 0 A.D. has just hit version Alpha 14, codenamed "Naukratis". Along with the release, 0 A.D. devs have launched a much-deserved crowd-funding campaign as well to bring the game to completion. 
0 A.D. Crowdfunding Campaign on Indiegogo

0 A.D. Fund Raining Campaign on Indiegogo
The last Indiegogo campaign didn't end well for all of us. Let's hope 0 A.D. doesn't end up like Ubuntu Edge. After all, they intend to raise just $160,000 when compared to Canonical's lofty 32 million goal for Ubuntu Edge project. [Related: First Ubuntu Phone to arrive in early 2014]

"The entire team and I have been developing 0 A.D. open-source for 4 years in a part-time, hobbyist capacity. Even longer before that in a closed-source environment. But now it’s high time to bring this baby home to completion! We want to finish this game and pack it full of rich content and exciting features, and we want to do it as soon as possible," writes Michael Hafer, project leader for 0 A.D on Indiegogo campaign page. Follow the link below.

0 a.d. indiegogo campaign

If you like playing 0 A.D and intends to contribute towards development of the same, this is your chance to show some love. Download instructions for Windows, Mac, and Linux here

Dota 2 for Linux Officially Arrives on Steam!

After the release of blockbusters such as Half Life 2, Portal and Left 4 Dead 2 on Steam, now it's  the turn of popular online multiplayer, Dota 2. For many ardent Linux fans, Dota 2 was the last thing they needed to finally delete the Windows partition and switch completely to Linux. Undoubtedly, 2013 is the most happening year as far as gaming on Linux is concerned. 
Dota 2 for Linux Released


Dota 2 for Linux Released!
Minimum Linux System Requirements as per the Steam website:
  • OS: Ubuntu 12.04 
  • Processor: Dual core from Intel or AMD at 2.8 GHz 
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM 
  • Graphics: nVidia GeForce 8600/9600GT, ATI/AMD Radeaon HD2600/3600 (Graphic Drivers: nVidia 310, AMD 12.11), OpenGL 2.1 
  • Hard Drive: 8 GB available space 
  • Sound Card: OpenAL Compatible Sound Card
[Get Dota 2 for Linux] [Download Steam for Linux in Ubuntu]

Left 4 Dead 2 beta Coming to Linux Next Week!

Long before the official arrival of Steam for Linux client, we had a report revealing Valve's ambitious plans which also included a Linux port of their popular title Left 4 Dead 2 aka L4D2 (further read: 20 most exciting Linux games for 2012). Rumor-mills can all rest now. Valve has officially announced the arrival of L4D2 beta for Linux. And it's coming next week!
Left 4 Dead 2 coming to Linux

Left 4 Dead 2 (L4D2) for Linux is Coming - The Highlights:
  • The L4D2 Beta build is a separate download from the main game. This is where we are testing new features to the game.
  • Next week onwards, there will be a new L4D2 client for Linux as well.
  • The beta itself will also be opening up to all L4D2 owners. It will appear in your library alongside the main L4D2 game starting from next week.
  • Read the full announcement.
The announcement itself couldn't come on a better date, the same day when Ubuntu 13.04 Raring Ringtail was officially released. Linux gaming is on a roll.

Don't Starve: Refreshing Survival Game in Now Available on Steam for Linux

After popular titles such as Counter Strike: Condition Zero (CS:CZ) and Shank 2, Don't Starve becomes the latest entrant into the Linux gaming scene. And as always, Steam for Linux facilitated the arrival. Don't Starve is basically an endless wilderness survival game. Game's goal is to survive for the longest time, while avoiding starvation, insanity, and hostile enemies.

don't starve for steam linux

Don't Starve for Linux now available through Steam
The game is still in public beta and is available for download through Chrome Web Store and now via Steam. Full version of the game will be available in approximately two weeks time (release date is 23rd April 2013). "Don't Starve is an uncompromising wilderness survival game full of science and magic. The game is about exploration, discovery and challenge, and forces the player to learn to survive in our randomly generated worlds."


FSGamer: Simple OpenSource Tool to Create Fullscreen Linux Gaming Experience that Doesn't Suck

Have trouble with fullscreen gaming on Linux/Ubuntu? Try FSGamer for Linux. FSGamer is an opensource utility that runs games in its own X server, which can improve the speed, reduce annoying interruptions, and make switching between fullscreen games and your desktop easy and reliable. FSGamer version 0.1.1 has just been released and it seems to have squashed a number of annoying bugs and is working fine with Steam games now. 
fsgamer-fullscreen linux gaming simplified

FSGamer Version 0.1.1 Released
A quick look at the features/benefits:
  • One can easily switch between the game and your normal desktop using Ctrl+Alt+F7 to get back to your desktop, and Ctrl+Alt+F8 to get to your game.
  • Game might run even faster, especially if you're on Ubuntu 12.04 with Unity desktop.
  • If the game crashes the X server for some reason, it won't affect your other applications.
  • Even games that allow switching back to other applications sometimes mess up when you restore their size, or take a while to minimize, or have various other issues with full screen such as the menu bar appearing over them. A separate X server will always be full screen with no fuss.
Improvements with the current release:
  • Solved multi-monitor support by adding ability to specify custom xorg.conf.
  • Works with Steam games now. You can even add Steam client as such.
  • Dependencies properly listed on DEB package.
How to Install FSGamer in Ubuntu?
Disclaimer: FSGamer is still alpha-quality software and it might crash and cause problems every now and then. You've been warned.
  • Either you double-click on it and Ubuntu Software Center will do the rest, OR you could use command-line method (which I prefer more).
sudo dpkg -i /home/USERNAME/Downloads/fsgamer_0.1.1_all.deb
  • Make sure that your path-to-file is exactly as it is. (Tip: use TAB completion for a perfectly error-free command). 
  • Running above command will give you dependencies error. Do the following then.
sudo apt-get -f install
  • Done. FSGamer is installed in Ubuntu.
  • Now, allow FSGamer to start extra X server. Do the following in Terminal.
sudo cp /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config.backup
sudo gedit /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config
  • Xwrapper.config file will open-up in Gedit. Change the last line from:
allowed_users=console to allowed_users=anybody
  • Finally, allow audio to work in the new X server.
sudo usermod -a -G audio $USER
  • Restart the system and you're ready to go!
  • NOTE: There seems to be no alternative RPM or AUR packages of FSGamer available at the moment. Which means, if you're using flavors of Linux other than the ones based out of Debian, you're out of luck. Make sure you follow this reddit thread for updates. 
FSGamer in Ubuntu for a Trouble-free Full Screen Gaming Experience
  • Run FSGamer from Unity Dash and click on the Add button.
fsgamer-fullscreen gaming on linux
  • Add the games you want to run on a different X server.
fsgamer-fullscreen gaming on ubuntu simplified
  • You can even add FSGamer version of the game to the Unity Dash.
fullscreen gaming on linux issues solved with fsgamer
  • Done. Wishing you all a trouble-free Linux gaming experience :)

Hotline Miami is Coming to Linux

Hotline Miami is a 2D top-down action video game by Dennaton Games, blending top down perspective with stealth, extreme violence and surreal storytelling, along with a soundtrack and visuals influenced by 1980s culture. The game has a Metacritic score of 86/100. Hotline Miami was a Windows only game until recently. It was released for Mac OSX on March 19th 2013 and it seems like a Linux version is also on its way!
Holtline Miami for Linux

Bastion is on Humble Bundle Weekly Sale Now, Promoters Announce their Next Big Title: "Transistor" [Video]

You never get tired of pay-what-you-want Humble Bundles. This time it's just a weekly sale that will last for 5 more days and the game on demand is none other than Bastion, the immensely popular and multi-platform action-RPG. Bastion is one of the most downloaded games in Ubuntu Software Center. The promoters of Bastion, Supergiant Games, have also announced their next big gaming title; Transistor. And the first ever video preview of "Transistor" looks absolutely fantastic. Check out the video below.

transistor, supergiant games, bastion

Pay What You Want for Bastion
  • Humble Bundle Weekly Sale is on, which is basically a charitable pay-what-you-want promotion conducted every week.
  • This week its Bastion's turn. Pay $1 or more and you can unlock Bastion on Steam. 
  • Pay $25 or more and you get some cool Bastion merchandise as well.
Transistor Video Trailer: Supergiant's Next Big Title



Transistor is a science-fiction-themed action RPG expected to be released in early 2014. In Transistor, players assume the role of a young woman who gains control of a powerful weapon after a mysterious group of assailants nearly kills her with it. Now she must fight from street to street against forces that will stop at nothing to recover the weapon. Excited? We're too! 
And look at that trailer. The soundtrack is still playing in my head. Barely 2 minutes long video is one of a kind. That's how it's done folks. The Minuum Android Keyboard Project guys should take a good hard look at this. No confirmations on supported platforms though. Hope they release the game for Linux and Android as well.

Counter Strike: Condition Zero (CS:CZ) Released for Linux, Becomes Fifth Valve Title to be Released for Linux

Another day, another game for Linux. This time, it is an official Valve title, and it is none other than Counter Strike: Condition Zero (CS:CZ). The beta version of this game had a limited release earlier in February and now it is officially available for Linux via Steam. It is the fifth Valve title to be released for Linux taking the total number of games you can install on Linux via Steam client to 80. So when can we expect CS:GO Valve?
Counter Strike: Condition Zero (CS:CZ) Released for Linux

More Valve Titles Coming to Linux!
Along with the announcement, Valve also promises the release of not one, but several official Valve titles for Linux in the near future. Counter Strike: Condition Zero (CS:CZ) is available on Steam for a price tag of US$9.99.

Counter Strike for linux

Several reports indicate that Left 4 Dead 2 (L4D2) is undergoing extensive testing on Linux and might even be released in the coming months. But what about the others like CS: GO or Portal 2? We'll have to wait and watch. Kudos to Steam for their hard work. 

Steam for Linux Adoption Spiking, Closes in on Mac in Just a Few Months of Existence!

Exactly a month ago, we published Steam's hardware and software survey results for January with a lot of excitement. Many considered it as a one off event and predicted that Ubuntu and Linux won't be able to sustain that kind of momentum. Well, February's survey results are out and the percentage share of Linux on Steam has almost doubled again! From 1.12% to 2.02% to be precise, without factoring in the "others" category.
Steam for Linux Adoption Spiking, closes in on mac

Linux Gaming is on the Rise
If you think that 2.02% share on Steam is not significant enough, consider this fact. It took nearly 3 years for Mac to reach its current 3.07% share on Steam. And Linux is closing in on Mac within just a few months of actual existence! There is one other interesting tid-bit. Linux Mint Nadia has made it to the official list with a 0.17% share on Steam. "Linux 64 bit" is another new entrant. It was all but an Ubuntu only affair last month. With the inclusion of this generic sounding "Linux 64 bit" entry, I wonder what the "Other" category constitute of? Anyway, here's the quick drill down of percentage share of OSes:
  • Windows 7: 69.31%
  • Windows 8: 9.63%
  • Windows XP: 9.33%
  • Mac OS: 3.07%
  • Ubuntu: 1.71%
  • Linux Mint: 0.17%
  • Linux 64 bit: 0.14%

Shank 2, Waking Mars Arrives on Steam for Linux

Highly acclaimed 2D brawler, Shank 2, finally arrives on Steam for Linux. After the official release of Steam client last year, Valve created waves by finally making the Steam client available in Ubuntu Software Center for free download just a few days ago. Barrage of games went on SALE for a full week to celebrate the occasion and now, porting of more games have been completed. Apart from Shank 2, Waking Mars and Kentucky Route Zero have also been ported to Linux and is now available on Steam client. 
shank2 for linux arrives on steam

Shank 2 arrives, along with Waking Mars and Kentucky Route Zero on Steam
Shank 2 is a sequel to 2D side-scrolling brawler called Shank, made by Klei Entertainment. Shank 2 holds a Metacritic score of 73 out of 100. Game is currently on sale and is offered at a discounted  price tag of just US$4.99. Offer will last till 27th of February 2013.

shank2 for ubuntu on steam

Waking Mars is an Platform-adventure game produced by Tiger Style (Metacritic score: 79/100) in which players jetpack through underground Mars caves and encounter a host of alien lifeforms that operate as an ecosystem. Price: US$9.99. The game has been nominated for Best Mobile Game and Excellence in Audio in 2012 Independent Game Festival. It is available on Android as well, for a price tag of US$4.99 in Google Play Store. For more information, visit steampowered.com OR download the client from Software Center. or visit torrent.

Steam Linux Client Arrives on Ubuntu Software Center, Steam Games for Linux now on SALE!

This has to be the biggest headline for the month. Gaming on Linux will never be the same again. It all started with rumors, which hinted at Valve's sudden change of mind and its new found love for Linux. This culminated with the eventual release of Steam for Linux client. And now, the Steam Client is available for download directly from Ubuntu Software Center. To commemorate the occasion, Valve is conducting Steam for Linux celebration sale with as much as 75% off on some of the most popular games! 
Steam Arrives on Ubuntu Software Center, Celebration Sale is ON

Steam Arrives on Ubuntu Software Center, Celebration Sale is ON!
Although Steam for Linux client has been available for free download ever since Dec 2012, for a novice user to discover it was not easy. Not anymore. Steam client is now available in Ubuntu Software Center and it is currently a featured app too. Not many users could miss that.

steam on ubuntu software center
And to commemorate the occasion, Valve is conducting the biggest celebration sale of Linux games yet. You can now save 50-75% on every single game available for Linux. Even if you are a wannabe gamer, this is an opportunity you don't want to miss.

promotion of Ubuntu by Steam

Along with the celebration sale, you can also see some clever promotion of Ubuntu by Steam. This has got to be the year of Linux gaming for sure!

Half-Life and Counter-Strike are now Linux Ready, Arrives Officially on Steam for Linux Client!

Gaming on Linux is really taking off. Half-Life and Counter-Strike: Source officially arrives on Steam for Linux client and those hugely popular game titles are now playable on Linux!
 Half-Life and Counter-Strike: Source are now Linux ready!

Valve has just released two more of their popular game titles for Linux. And these new additions are no pushovers either. Half-Life and Counter-Strike: Source are among the most popular gaming titles from Steam.
This has been an amazing turn of events. Almost a month and a half ago, Steam for Linux client was officially unveiled to the public. And since then, it has been a steady upward spiral for Linux gaming. Valve even did some active promotion of Steam for Linux, encouraging its vast user-base to give Ubuntu a try. And it is showing results already. Ubuntu grabbed more than 1% OS market share on Steam with just a few games in its fold. 
There have been unconfirmed reports that, apart from Half-Life and Counter-Strike: Source, 3 more games have been released for Linux. They include Shank 2, Closure and Psychonauts.
 

Valve Now Actively Promoting Steam for Linux, Encourage Users to try Ubuntu

This has been an amazing turn of events. Until an year or two ago, Valve Inc. was a company popular among Windows users primarily. A great number of Linux users maintained a dual boot system with Windows on it because of the lack of good games for Linux, especially those from the Steam library. There were rumors like these as early as in 2010, but nothing concrete. Things are the exact opposite now. Valve not only released its official Steam for Linux client, they are now even promoting it actively to non-Linux users too through their website, encouraging its users to try Ubuntu 12.04 LTS!

Valve Now Actively Promoting Steam for Linux, Encourage Users to try Ubuntu

This has been an amazing turn of events. Until an year or two ago, Valve Inc. was a company popular among Windows users primarily. A great number of Linux users maintained a dual boot system with Windows on it because of the lack of good games for Linux, especially those from the Steam library. There were rumors like these as early as in 2010, but nothing concrete. Things are the exact opposite now. Valve not only released its official Steam for Linux client, they are now even promoting it actively to non-Linux users too through their website, encouraging its users to try Ubuntu 12.04 LTS!
Valve Now Actively Promoting Steam for Linux, Encourage Users to try Ubuntu
 
Truly an Amazing Turn of Events
Just visit http://store.steampowered.com/about page and you will see Valve's new promotional item. Not all games available for Windows hasn't been ported to Linux yet, but even then, this is an amazingly brilliant start. Things like these just might be the kind of traction Linux requires to go mainstream in the Windows dominated laptop and PC market. 

Steam for Linux Beta is Now Open to Everyone!

Nobody in their right minds would have imagined this an year ago. An officially supported Steam client for Linux? Are you kidding me? Well it just happened and the official Steam client for Linux is open to public. We should especially thank Microsoft for shooting its own feet with their new App Store style "one marketplace to rule them all" strategy for Windows 8.
steamforlinuxbeta open to public

Steam for Linux Beta Open to Public
An early Christmas gift from Valve to you all. Steam for Linux beta is now open to public. To use it, you have to either download latest Steam Linux client or upgrade your existing Steam for Linux client to the latest version. List of changes with this new version include:
  • The Steam for Linux client closed beta transitioned to an open beta.
  • Linux - Fixed excessive CPU usage by the Steam client when running Team Fortress 2.
  • Linux - Fixed overlay crash when starting Cubemen.
  • Big Picture - Improved back navigation behavior throughout user interface.
  • Big Picture - Added discount timers and other user interface to store.
Read the full announcement here. I don't have a capable machine to test out those awesome games. Let us know how it went. Happy gaming :)

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