- cross-posted to:
- linux_gaming@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- linux_gaming@lemmy.world
One of the lesser known Fedora spins under the “Fedora Labs” initiative is the Fedora Games Lab that showcases some open-source games and can serve as an easy demonstrator for Linux gaming. Looking forward to 2026 with Fedora 44, there is a proposal to revitalize Fedora Games Lab to become a better showcase for the modern potential of Linux gaming.
Fedora Games Lab as it is right now just is a showcase of Fedora with the Xfce desktop and installing a few open-source games by default. They include classic titles such as BZFlag and Freeciv to games popular among Linux die-hards like Extreme Tux Racer as well as some more well known open-source game efforts like Battle for Wesnoth and Warzone 2100.
The value is called money. More people running SteamOS = more money. That’s why they made it.
Are people paying for SteamOS? I thought the only revenue streams around it was the Steam Deck and soon the Steam Machine and the VR thing.
Largely it’s a risk reduction thing for them. Otherwise their dependent on a monopolistic OS and their largely uninterested in collaboration competitor.
No, people pay for games using SteamOS.
Largely people pay for games regardless. From Steams perspective investing the store profits into Linux gaming is a market risk reducer and a cost center for producing viable hardware platforms.
Its not a revenue stream at the moment. If a million more people started running it tommorow on non-steam hardware and didn’t adjust the game buying habits, it would be a net loss for Value, as their support costs would rise with no increase in revenue.
The best case for them is that it acts as a conduit for good PR, and user generated content for the platform (i.e. mods, apps, and of course FOSS merge requests).
Likely many more people would pay for games on Steam if SteamOS went mainstream. They could easily steal market share from the console market. New customer, not existing ones. It’s about expanding their market.
The only thing special about their hardware is that they come pre-installed with SteamOS.
But they would. That’s the point. I know I have.
There are no support costs.
You want them to release SteamOS and ignore all user feedback except for Steam hardware some how? Otherwise that’s all cost. Or significant brand risk.
Tbh I’m not sure what the conversion rate to sales actually would be. The numbers of sold games on the steam machine vs the average machines rates will be a better indicator of that IMHO. The Steamdeck is biased in that showing the form factor support is also an important point for games on the deck.
I would rather them keep investing in the ecosystem then try to rush for growth and have to enshitify to keep it.
They already have…? They are under no obligation to offer support.
Who said anything about enshittification? Why can’t they continue investing in the ecosystem, improve hardware support, and also not become shitty? They’re a multi-billion dollar company.
The rapid growth model only makes sense for people looking for investors and the promise to snag a customer base once their hooked.
Value has a lot to lose but mostly margins to gain.
Listen I’m for keeping them pushing towards ethical contributions to the ecosystem, but I also entirely understand them not doing so just for charities sake alone.
Fair on the release part lol. I didn’t know that, but I guess the ignore part is still an issue since people want them to get it to work with other hardware out of scope, or worse Nvidia
I don’t know where you’re getting this nonsense about a “rapid growth model”. Improving hardware compatibility is absolutely not going to lead to rapid growth.
Yes, but what’s the reason why SteamOS was designed to be that picky? My guess is, Value wants everyone to buy their hardware. Making your OS run on anything isn’t really helping with that.
Project scope. It makes more sense for them to make a distro that solves currently unsolved spaces directly related to their market (merging PC with handhelds, consoles, and VR). More scope either means more hours or more spread of the existing hours accros the added work.
They have been contributing alot back to upstream which does help Linux gaming in general alot.
I think so too. It makes sense to start with making it run on the hardware you have. Making it run nicely on other computers would require more time and money. Doing so can still make sense in the long run, but first you need to launch this new product, so better focus on short term goals.
They have been saying the contrary themselves. They don’t care that much about selling hardware.
Valve does not care if you buy their hardware or not. They only care that you buy games on Steam. They’re not making much (if any) money on the hardware. They made it to improve the gaming experience, to sell more games. They made it to deliver a console living room controller experience, and to deliver the best possible scenario for Steam OS.
Of course, they also made it to protect themselves from Microsoft.
Making your OS run on anything absolutely helps with that.
That would help with selling games, for sure. If that really is the main goal, SteamOS should receive some compatibility updates soon. We’ll see if that’s how they really operate.