Every year we get told ‘this is the year of Linux! Definitely for real this time! Not like all the other years we’ve said that.’
Looking at the data you see exactly why it isn’t the year of Linux, and it may never truly be until Steam OS is a simple, one-click download, for all users. It has to be as ubiquitous and simple as Windows to compete.
The fact that we have to caveat Linux + specific distro + Proton + some games with Kernel level anticheat will never work is exactly why.
* SteamOS Holo 64 bit 26.32% -0.10%
* Arch Linux 64 bit 9.54% -0.43%
* Linux Mint 22.2 64 bit 7.85% +0.49%
* CachyOS 64 bit 7.20% +0.46%
* Freedesktop SDK 25.08 (Flatpak runtime) 64 bit 6.29% +0.33%
* Bazzite 64 bit 5.89% +0.36%
* Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS 64 bit 3.93% +0.07%
* Ubuntu Core 24 64 bit 3.23% +3.23%
* EndeavourOS Linux 64 bit 2.12% +0.02%
* Fedora Linux 43 (KDE Plasma Desktop Edition) 64 bit 1.91% +1.91%
* Manjaro Linux 64 bit 1.73% -0.17%
* Debian GNU/Linux 13 (trixie) 64 bit 1.72% +0.14%
* Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS 64 bit 1.64% -0.26%
* Fedora Linux 43 (Workstation Edition) 64 bit 1.54% +1.54%
* Linux Mint 22.1 64 bit 1.42% -0.54%
* Other 17.67% -2.76%
The reason 95% of Steam users don’t give a fuck about Linux, and maybe never will, is the fragmentation.
Whether you’re a casual gamer or a die hard, one thing is mostly universal: people mostly don’t give a shit about having to tinker with an OS. Two average Linux users can’t even agree on which distro to use, and until that’s solved, it’s not relevant for the masses.
When Steam OS comes out, I and many others will make the move from Windows 10 or 11.
Until then, Linux is broadly irrelvant outside the 3.5% of people who use it, despite the ongoing PR campaign of Linux advocates declaring this year really is the year.
It’s not. The King doesn’t have to tell anyone he’s the King, and if this really was the year of Linux, you wouldn’t be having to repeatedly claim it is. Everyone would agree.
Also the replies on this thread have recommended wildly different Linus distros, including Mint, Zorin, Bazzite, Ubuntu and popOS. Another reply stated that you can use the Claude LLM to ingest your code and spit out modifications to try and fix it.
Perfectly encapsulating the issue.
Rakx17 on
I think bad microsoft practices (bloatware, spyware and copilot shit) is pushing more people to try alternatives, and nowdays linux with proton is a good alternative, hopefully we see in a future more linux users and less windows users.
superpowerpinger on
Linux is gathering steam.
NiSiSuinegEht on
The only thing really stopping a massive switch to linux is the linux experience.
As someone trying to get back into it after decades, just trying to get Docker installed for the particular flavor of distro I have, finding the extra files needed that aren’t included, not having an installer that “just works” and selects the needed files automatically, is very frustrating.
It makes it very apparent why most people would rather just accept privacy invasions to avoid a lot of hassles.
michaelbelgium on
If it’ll be possible to install Steam OS manually, pretty sure it’s gonna grow even more
jfp1992 on
I switched to Linux fully, I like fortnite and some other games that don’t work on linux but I can do without, I’ll play them if they come to Linux, if not I just won’t buy them and play other stuff like path of exile, I have finite time for games so I have a lot of choice as a consumer
Windows made me pretty mad with how much it got in my way. It’s like when you are walking through town and those people stop you and talk to you about their flyer or whatever. Super annoying. No I don’t want 365, co pilot or one drive(one drive really messes up your normal work flow when saving / deleting stuff)
Jealous_Acorn on
I was very impressed when I realized that Cyberpunk plays equally well on Ubuntu as it does on Windows 11.
Tex-Rob on
I haven’t been interested in Linux for desktop use since like 1999, and Windows 11 caused me to abandon Microsoft after it being my primary OS since MS-DOS 5. Microsoft is a joke these days. Vista and 8 look like huge successes compared to 11.
scarrxp on
I installed Steam on Linux, so I think I’m probably one of those… but I haven’t played any games yet. I wanted to get Expedition 33. But it only has a windows icon so I didn’t risk $50 on it. I’ve read “it works”, but I think they need to make it more obvious in the store.
pcaming on
The masses here on Reddit constantly call for everyone to install Linux, but reality is most people don’t even install their own windows (or macOS). There’s also no choices to make, you buy a pc and get the latest version of windows, you buy a Mac and get the latest version.
No one outside of the sweats are going to want to fight over what distro to use and then learn how to use it. Needing to use command prompt?? Absolutely no way you’re getting people to do that. Drivers?? What the hell are those.
Linux needs a mass market product that can be used brainless and there’s no friction. Which in its own right is against what Linux is about in a way.
If a Linux distro went mass market, I bet it would quickly go down the path of windows and macOS.
Also ironically I feel like younger generations are becoming less tech savvy and come across like the boomer generation when having to use any form of tech. They might be born into a tech era, but they don’t know how to do anything passed what’s placed in front of them.
ICantBelieveItsNotEC on
I’ve been using Linux for over a decade now, and I’m at the point where being forced to use Windows feels like going back in time.
Why do I have to manually download random untrusted binaries from the internet to install things instead of just using a package manager?
Why do I have to manually install drivers for all of my hardware when they could just be built into the OS?
Why do I have to do 50 clicks in a clunky GUI to perform tasks that should be a single CLI command?
_Slabs_ on
I’ve enjoyed Bazzite when I’ve tried it. The HDMI 2.1/AMD issue is irritating but there’s a possible fix coming soon.
deviled-tux on
so how do we invest in Linux desktopÂ
stonksÂ
ieatkittentails on
3.58% after 20 years of crying about dropping Windows for Linux.
TidalHermit on
For me it was Bazzite that won me. Amazing gaming performance, and you can VM Windows for office stuff. Ironically, what has always been a frustration with Linux is compatibility. My specific config, specifically won’t wake up from sleep mode, which I use daily. So the frequent frustration caused me to switch back to Windows.
CNDW on
I’m a long time Linux user that used to use windows for gaming. Recent steam announcements convinced me that gaming on Linux is here to stay, I switched my gaming PC over to Linux. Never going back.
butsuon on
Now if we could only get anti-cheat manufacturers to add Linux support, we’d be in business real quick.
The only thing holding back widespread adoption among gamers is we can’t play games like League of Legends or Call of Duty without their r0 anti-cheat on.
Linux can trivially support r0 anti-cheat, it just takes an anti-cheat manufacturer to bother to support it. Linux has supported SecureBoot *since before Windows*.
18 Comments
Every year we get told ‘this is the year of Linux! Definitely for real this time! Not like all the other years we’ve said that.’
Looking at the data you see exactly why it isn’t the year of Linux, and it may never truly be until Steam OS is a simple, one-click download, for all users. It has to be as ubiquitous and simple as Windows to compete.
The fact that we have to caveat Linux + specific distro + Proton + some games with Kernel level anticheat will never work is exactly why.
* SteamOS Holo 64 bit 26.32% -0.10%
* Arch Linux 64 bit 9.54% -0.43%
* Linux Mint 22.2 64 bit 7.85% +0.49%
* CachyOS 64 bit 7.20% +0.46%
* Freedesktop SDK 25.08 (Flatpak runtime) 64 bit 6.29% +0.33%
* Bazzite 64 bit 5.89% +0.36%
* Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS 64 bit 3.93% +0.07%
* Ubuntu Core 24 64 bit 3.23% +3.23%
* EndeavourOS Linux 64 bit 2.12% +0.02%
* Fedora Linux 43 (KDE Plasma Desktop Edition) 64 bit 1.91% +1.91%
* Manjaro Linux 64 bit 1.73% -0.17%
* Debian GNU/Linux 13 (trixie) 64 bit 1.72% +0.14%
* Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS 64 bit 1.64% -0.26%
* Fedora Linux 43 (Workstation Edition) 64 bit 1.54% +1.54%
* Linux Mint 22.1 64 bit 1.42% -0.54%
* Other 17.67% -2.76%
The reason 95% of Steam users don’t give a fuck about Linux, and maybe never will, is the fragmentation.
Whether you’re a casual gamer or a die hard, one thing is mostly universal: people mostly don’t give a shit about having to tinker with an OS. Two average Linux users can’t even agree on which distro to use, and until that’s solved, it’s not relevant for the masses.
When Steam OS comes out, I and many others will make the move from Windows 10 or 11.
Until then, Linux is broadly irrelvant outside the 3.5% of people who use it, despite the ongoing PR campaign of Linux advocates declaring this year really is the year.
It’s not. The King doesn’t have to tell anyone he’s the King, and if this really was the year of Linux, you wouldn’t be having to repeatedly claim it is. Everyone would agree.
Also the replies on this thread have recommended wildly different Linus distros, including Mint, Zorin, Bazzite, Ubuntu and popOS. Another reply stated that you can use the Claude LLM to ingest your code and spit out modifications to try and fix it.
Perfectly encapsulating the issue.
I think bad microsoft practices (bloatware, spyware and copilot shit) is pushing more people to try alternatives, and nowdays linux with proton is a good alternative, hopefully we see in a future more linux users and less windows users.
Linux is gathering steam.
The only thing really stopping a massive switch to linux is the linux experience.
As someone trying to get back into it after decades, just trying to get Docker installed for the particular flavor of distro I have, finding the extra files needed that aren’t included, not having an installer that “just works” and selects the needed files automatically, is very frustrating.
It makes it very apparent why most people would rather just accept privacy invasions to avoid a lot of hassles.
If it’ll be possible to install Steam OS manually, pretty sure it’s gonna grow even more
I switched to Linux fully, I like fortnite and some other games that don’t work on linux but I can do without, I’ll play them if they come to Linux, if not I just won’t buy them and play other stuff like path of exile, I have finite time for games so I have a lot of choice as a consumer
Windows made me pretty mad with how much it got in my way. It’s like when you are walking through town and those people stop you and talk to you about their flyer or whatever. Super annoying. No I don’t want 365, co pilot or one drive(one drive really messes up your normal work flow when saving / deleting stuff)
I was very impressed when I realized that Cyberpunk plays equally well on Ubuntu as it does on Windows 11.
I haven’t been interested in Linux for desktop use since like 1999, and Windows 11 caused me to abandon Microsoft after it being my primary OS since MS-DOS 5. Microsoft is a joke these days. Vista and 8 look like huge successes compared to 11.
I installed Steam on Linux, so I think I’m probably one of those… but I haven’t played any games yet. I wanted to get Expedition 33. But it only has a windows icon so I didn’t risk $50 on it. I’ve read “it works”, but I think they need to make it more obvious in the store.
The masses here on Reddit constantly call for everyone to install Linux, but reality is most people don’t even install their own windows (or macOS). There’s also no choices to make, you buy a pc and get the latest version of windows, you buy a Mac and get the latest version.
No one outside of the sweats are going to want to fight over what distro to use and then learn how to use it. Needing to use command prompt?? Absolutely no way you’re getting people to do that. Drivers?? What the hell are those.
Linux needs a mass market product that can be used brainless and there’s no friction. Which in its own right is against what Linux is about in a way.
If a Linux distro went mass market, I bet it would quickly go down the path of windows and macOS.
Also ironically I feel like younger generations are becoming less tech savvy and come across like the boomer generation when having to use any form of tech. They might be born into a tech era, but they don’t know how to do anything passed what’s placed in front of them.
I’ve been using Linux for over a decade now, and I’m at the point where being forced to use Windows feels like going back in time.
Why do I have to manually download random untrusted binaries from the internet to install things instead of just using a package manager?
Why do I have to manually install drivers for all of my hardware when they could just be built into the OS?
Why do I have to do 50 clicks in a clunky GUI to perform tasks that should be a single CLI command?
I’ve enjoyed Bazzite when I’ve tried it. The HDMI 2.1/AMD issue is irritating but there’s a possible fix coming soon.
so how do we invest in Linux desktopÂ
stonksÂ
3.58% after 20 years of crying about dropping Windows for Linux.
For me it was Bazzite that won me. Amazing gaming performance, and you can VM Windows for office stuff. Ironically, what has always been a frustration with Linux is compatibility. My specific config, specifically won’t wake up from sleep mode, which I use daily. So the frequent frustration caused me to switch back to Windows.
I’m a long time Linux user that used to use windows for gaming. Recent steam announcements convinced me that gaming on Linux is here to stay, I switched my gaming PC over to Linux. Never going back.
Now if we could only get anti-cheat manufacturers to add Linux support, we’d be in business real quick.
The only thing holding back widespread adoption among gamers is we can’t play games like League of Legends or Call of Duty without their r0 anti-cheat on.
Linux can trivially support r0 anti-cheat, it just takes an anti-cheat manufacturer to bother to support it. Linux has supported SecureBoot *since before Windows*.
Full steam ahead