Linux will never take over the desktop market because it doesn’t have enough games.
People might use Linux for normal day-to-day tasks, but not for gaming.
Sure, there are some Linux games, but nothing good.
It’s like, maybe Pong with console graphics and stuff.
Or that awful interface — what’s that called? GTK or something?
And every game needs a CS degree to install.
Or you have to compile it for days, just to play.
And they don’t have any cool graphics.
Microsoft just has its finger on the gaming industry.
And DX10 looks awesome.
It’s nothing Linux could even get close to.
Maybe in another ten years or so, but not now.
And without cutting-edge games, who’s going to use it?
Maybe a few geeks here and there.
But nobody who’s serious about games.
Gamers just want the best.
The best strategy, best role-playing and best online games there are.
And none of those are in Linux.
(All screenshots courtesy of a 1Ghz Pentium III with a 64Mb GeForce4 440 Go running Ubuntu 7.04. For many more titles, screenshots and instructions, visit the Ubuntu Gamers Arena. And yes, it did take me all day to put this post together. 😉 )
Motho ke motho ka botho 
Two Games coded for Linux and possibly the best multi-player fps games online still (Linux or PC):
Unreal Tournament 2003
Unreal Tournament 2004
Richard
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And don’t forget idsoftware’s contribution of the dooms and quakes. The latest come with Linux binaries right on the cds. Not only that, they release Linux updates the same time they do Windows or Mac. I’m a big fan of idsoftware.
Haha, a picture’s worth a thousand words. Well put. You get 10 points. ;P
I agree with you when you refute the “there are no games for Linux” argument. There are many excellent games for Linux, open source and commercial alike. However, a more valid argument that can’t be refuted is “the latest games gamers want to play are not available for Linux”. Games like WoW and Spore (insert your current favorite or anticiapted upcoming Windows- and / or Mac-only game title here). And while I do use them, Cedega and Wine are not viable solutions.
Very nice post. Thank you.
There us an answer to get the best of both worlds…use Linux for your PC and buy a console like an XBOX 360 or PS3 (or even a Wiii if you want a novel exercise machine) for gaming. Linux was always designed to be a workhorse PC, it’s adaptation to an overall desktop use is still patchy although Ubuntu have taken a huge step forward on that score.
Except it takes a CS degree to install ANYTHING in Linux.
I consider myself a fairly competent geek, but every time I try Linux(Yes, even Ubuntu), the struggle with dependencies and simple things failing to compile makes me run back to OS X.
I do not think there is anything wrong with OpenGL gaming, or Linux gaming. I think the problem lies with gamers these days. All they care about is flashy graphics and not so much the story. If the story, and gameplay is fun that is ok with me, I could live with out with good graphics.
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I know there are some good games for Linux out there, but I think the problem is that there’s not enough games for linux. It’s that there’s not enough Linux out there to put games on. The it is widely known there are more Linux (especially Ubuntu) desktops than OSX, companies will take notice, and start writing things for it. THAT is the key to getting more games on Linux: Get more Linux out!
That said, I would have thought games would be the prime pusher for Open Source software. Many gamers get into game design. When the push by gamers comes to making their own games, and they become widely known (like World of Warcraft), the communities will have some really good games out there.
I like Flight Gear! Excellent Sim.
Gamers will not like linux currently, theres no two ways around that. The games they want to play are too rarely available on linux. Even if one or two of the games they want to play are, chances of them all being available are low.
People need to figure out how to market games that are designed for Linux, and the guys putting games onto live cds so they make your pc seem like a games console have the idea right. Linux people will like them as decent games, everyone else will hate rebooting the pc to use the game, but they can play.
bravo! nicely done! and with a usb joypad and all the emulators you can game your heart out!
amazon.com, search “Spore”, participate in the discussion titled “Linux?”. If enough people do, EA is sure to notice.
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“Published 2007/04/06 Linux , Ubuntu”
Three years passed. Nothing have been changed.