I’m not so sure. Like I say, we saw several studios say “Well since Proton works so well, we’re going to stop supporting a separate Linux version. Linux users are to install the Windows version under Proton, and we’ll only support that.” Because almost all player communities are mostly Windows. As much as us Linux nerds hate it, we’re a small (but rapidly growing!) minority, and developers would rather support the thing most people use and just ladle what everyone else is drinking into a sippy cup for the special kids than have to make a whole separate jug of kool aid. I don’t think we’ll see a reversal in that until Linux-based platforms represent an actual majority of the install base and do so for awhile. Nothing is more permanent than a bodge job that works for now. Not to call Proton a “bodge job” but you know what I mean.
ARM is yet another leap, possibly a farther one, than Linux.
Linux market share is still very small, so it makes perfect sense that devs make their games for Windows: they get Linux compatibility for free. Developing a native Linux build requires extra investment for next to no return. There are lots of bad Linux ports that run much worse than the Windows build running through Proton.
Larian released a Steam Deck optimised build of Baldur’s Gate 3, but only because one of their devs really wanted to make it happen and most companies don’t work like Larian.
If Windows market share was <30% then maybe the economic incentives would be the other way around, but there would need to be a project like Proton that lets Linux games work on Windows.
I’m not so sure. Like I say, we saw several studios say “Well since Proton works so well, we’re going to stop supporting a separate Linux version. Linux users are to install the Windows version under Proton, and we’ll only support that.” Because almost all player communities are mostly Windows. As much as us Linux nerds hate it, we’re a small (but rapidly growing!) minority, and developers would rather support the thing most people use and just ladle what everyone else is drinking into a sippy cup for the special kids than have to make a whole separate jug of kool aid. I don’t think we’ll see a reversal in that until Linux-based platforms represent an actual majority of the install base and do so for awhile. Nothing is more permanent than a bodge job that works for now. Not to call Proton a “bodge job” but you know what I mean.
ARM is yet another leap, possibly a farther one, than Linux.
Linux market share is still very small, so it makes perfect sense that devs make their games for Windows: they get Linux compatibility for free. Developing a native Linux build requires extra investment for next to no return. There are lots of bad Linux ports that run much worse than the Windows build running through Proton.
Larian released a Steam Deck optimised build of Baldur’s Gate 3, but only because one of their devs really wanted to make it happen and most companies don’t work like Larian.
If Windows market share was <30% then maybe the economic incentives would be the other way around, but there would need to be a project like Proton that lets Linux games work on Windows.