​

When it comes to PC gaming in general, Windows has always been the main OS for users, for its focused development on said OS, and for its compatibility with the vast majority of gaming software available.

While Windows has historically maintained most of the gaming market for PC, other operating systems have also hold a share in it, even if low, like Linux and macOS, which next to Windows, have also their own gaming market. For decades, Windows held the first place, with a percentage of around 95+%, followed closely by macOS and then Linux following with percentages barely breaking above the 1%.

However, due to the popularity of the recently released Steam Deck just a year ago, alongside Valve's own SteamOS, the percentage share for Linux gamers has seen a historical rise in usage, taking the 2nd place with 1.96%, which was held previously by macOS with 1.84%. That 1.96% isn't specific to a particular distribution of Linux, since Linux also ranges from a wide variety of them, with the following braekdown based on Linux distributions for gaming:

SteamOS: 42.07% Arch Linux: 7.94% Ubuntu 22.04.2: 7.38% Freedesktop.org SDK 22.08: 5.99% “Manjaro Linux”: 4.29% Linux Mint 21.1: 3.84% Pop!_OS 22.04: 2.97% Other Linux operating systems: 25.52%

Without a doubt, a huge number of the chart is taken up by SteamOS users, and while SteamOS is the operating system that comes bundled with the Steam Deck, it can also be installed in PCs, though it's unknown just how much of that 42% is taken up by actual Deck users, and how many by PCs with SteamOS users, but it might be safe to say that the majority of that portion from the chart could very well be Steam Deck players.

Source #1
Source #2

 

[AkikoKumagara]

Lol. I'm not sure if you noticed, but there is no mention of Steam in the topic. The topic is gaming.

It's a Steam hardware survey........................... that's where the numbers are from.............................

But whatever, I give up. Clearly you just can't use your own logic to understand where the data's being sourced from (despite both sources making it clear they're gathering Steam user data).

 

[tabzer]

It's a Steam hardware survey........................... that's where the numbers are from.............................

But whatever, I give up. Clearly you just can't use your own logic to understand where the data's being sourced from (despite both sources making it clear they're gathering Steam user data).

I'm sorry. I don't know how many people are actively checking sources and considering context. All I know is that it took a page full of comments before someone to passively admitted it. I only responded to the person who said,"WAIT, DO PEOPLE use MacOS for gaming? wait woooooooooooooot?! what a joke of century........"

If that's the type of comment you can get behind, more power to you.

It's apparent that you'll cheer on any type of representation for linux, even if it is blatantly misleading. As long as it makes it look good, it's good. Screw all of the people you mislead in the process, right?

 

[linuxares]

I still find if facinating that most OSX users are actually playing on Macbook Pro. So laptop users.

 

[tabzer]

I still find if facinating that most OSX users are actually playing on Macbook Pro. So laptop users.

I don't remember the last time I saw a mac desktop. If someone has a Macbook Pro, for whatever reason, and they like games, would you really be surprised if they tried gaming on it?

 

[The Catboy]

I still find if facinating that most OSX users are actually playing on Macbook Pro. So laptop users.

As a Mac user, I prefer their laptops over their desktops. This is largely because I can't afford both their desktop and monitor.

 

[console]

That's great for Linux to growing up for gaming and that's good news. I know Mac computers are overpriced. I did research about all new Mac computer don't allow upgrade RAM and storage like that because Apple company don't allow people to upgrade hardware. I don't like Mac computers because RAM and storage are soldered on motherboard means can't be remove for upgrade hardware. Apple company is greed dirty business that love to rip a lot of money off from some people who bought for that. Windows and Linux use same hardware for CPU, RAM, storage and GPU video cards without problems.

I hope Linux will improve faster and get more better support for gaming right now into the future should become a lot better same like Windows did for gaming. Mac computers did not doing any good for gaming because of cheap hardware inside them. Weak speed and low RAM and lousy GPU video card are soldered on motherboard then people have nothing to do for them and end up going to e-recycle to re-buy another new computer again, again every few years.

Just my opinion.

 

[Dungeonseeker]

Imagine having to configure a kernel in order to plug in a pair of headphones. Linux people are always surprised when normal users point out that their OS cobbled by a thousand anonymous monkeys doesn’t perform the most basic tasks well unless you throw a wrench at it. Linux users spend more time configuring and maintaining their systems than actually using them, it’s the core reason why I firmly stand by using Windows on my desktop and reserve Linux for “set up once and forget about it” devices or SBC’s for tinkering. Linux is great, the customisability is unparalleled, but there simply isn’t a distribution on the planet that’s user friendly, you have to argue with the OS about most things you’d expect to be completely automatic, either because “they want to give you options” or because there’s a hundred different modules that do the same thing and it’s up to you to figure out which one works for your setup. When I want to use a computer, I want to power it on and I expect it to go brrr there and then, if I wanted a weekend project, I would’ve planned one myself.

This post screams of complete and utter ignorance. In the vast majority of cases Linux works better than Windows could ever dream of. The overwhelming majority of hardware is supported out of the box with zero configuration needed. ALL the exceptions to this are when things are propriety such as is the case with Creative X-Fi and EAX and even then, the card will still function at a basic level, the module is only needed for the closed source stuff. Now if we look to Windows, you guys are still trawling the web, assuming your NIC works OOTB and you actually have internet at all, for drivers to have even the most basic of things work at all.

All of the major distributions (outside of Gentoo which is a special case) have their own kernels and all of them will have drivers for everything available included as part of the install. The only notable exception is NVIDIA, again proprietary, which has an open source driver akin to the Standard VGA Adapter in Windows. There is less configuration required on Linux than Windows, 99% of hardware anyone could ever have will simply work and unlike on Windows, users can pull the nvidia driver with a single command and know it has come from a trusted source.

Your experience with Linux is exactly what you make it, you've already said its good to install and forget, how exactly does this exclude it from being a daily driver? If you leave it alone, install what you need and use it it just works. If you start messing then sure, you can (and probably will) break it but that's on you for messing with things you don't understand plus it being Linux, one console command can kill a system and usually, unless you literally delete everything, one console command can bring it back.

As for the arguing with the OS nonsense, wanna clarify? Gnome & KDE are at parity with Windows on both features and ease of use. TBF all 3 have their issues and all 3 have some good things the others don't. I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to say here but even then I can confidently say that you're wrong.

The problem isn't Linux, the problem is that people have been programmed to except the Microsoft way and believe they have no other choice in the matter. The way Windows works is so deeply entrenched that people think any other way is bad or broken and as long as it stays that way M$ will continue harvesting your data and selling your life to the highest bidder.

Edit - Am I saying that Linux is perfect? No. Am I saying that everyone should use it? No, people should use what they need and/or are comfortable with. All I am saying is that Linux is not what most people think it is and the vast majority that bash it do so from a place of ignorance.

 

[Xzi]

In all fairness, that’s just the way I like it. If I knew this is how the PC landscape will look like 20 years ago I would’ve stolen more than a valve from their office. Launchers should be nuked from space.

Sure, but you're the 0.0001%. I can't imagine how much time it would take to manually update and crack even half of my library. Not to mention how many console exclusives never would've been ported over if PC was seen solely as a piracy machine.

 

[Foxi4]

Sure, but you're the 0.0001%. I can't imagine how much time it would take to manually update and crack even half of my library. Not to mention how many console exclusives never would've been ported over if PC was seen solely as a piracy machine.

I already have a piece of software I use to launch all of my other software - it’s called an operating system.

This post screams of complete and utter ignorance. In the vast majority of cases Linux works better than Windows could ever dream of. The overwhelming majority of hardware is supported out of the box with zero configuration needed. ALL the exceptions to this are when things are propriety such as is the case with Creative X-Fi and EAX and even then, the card will still function at a basic level, the module is only needed for the closed source stuff. Now if we look to Windows, you guys are still trawling the web, assuming your NIC works OOTB and you actually have internet at all, for drivers to have even the most basic of things work at all.

All of the major distributions (outside of Gentoo which is a special case) have their own kernels and all of them will have drivers for everything available included as part of the install. The only notable exception is NVIDIA, again proprietary, which has an open source driver akin to the Standard VGA Adapter in Windows. There is less configuration required on Linux than Windows, 99% of hardware anyone could ever have will simply work and unlike on Windows, users can pull the nvidia driver with a single command and know it has come from a trusted source.

Your experience with Linux is exactly what you make it, you've already said its good to install and forget, how exactly does this exclude it from being a daily driver? If you leave it alone, install what you need and use it it just works. If you start messing then sure, you can (and probably will) break it but that's on you for messing with things you don't understand plus it being Linux, one console command can kill a system and usually, unless you literally delete everything, one console command can bring it back.

As for the arguing with the OS nonsense, wanna clarify? Gnome & KDE are at parity with Windows on both features and ease of use. TBF all 3 have their issues and all 3 have some good things the others don't. I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to say here but even then I can confidently say that you're wrong.

The problem isn't Linux, the problem is that people have been programmed to except the Microsoft way and believe they have no other choice in the matter. The way Windows works is so deeply entrenched that people think any other way is bad or broken and as long as it stays that way M$ will continue harvesting your data and selling your life to the highest bidder.

Edit - Am I saying that Linux is perfect? No. Am I saying that everyone should use it? No, people should use what they need and/or are comfortable with. All I am saying is that Linux is not what most people think it is and the vast majority that bash it do so from a place of ignorance.

I’m a little bit older than the average bear - Linux is a massive pain in the ass. You’re welcome to have your own opinion, but you’re coming across as an evangelist. You might think Linux is “at parity” with Windows in terms of the out-of-the-box feature set, I on the other hand would rather daily drive my nuts into a panini press than daily drive a Linux machine, because I have shit to do. You yourself list issues relating not to oddball hardware, but to products made by industry titans like Creative or NVidia. That’s not small potatoes, that’s a big deal for the average end user. Let’s chalk it up to preference, this really isn’t a thread to discuss the virtues of the tux in and I’m certainly not interested in having this argument *again*. Linux has its purpose - I use it extensively where it’s needed, primarily on my development boards. A desktop computer is not one of those use cases, at least not to me.

 

[Xzi]

I already have a piece of software I use to launch all of my other software - it’s called an operating system.

Precisely why Steam has been successful where everybody else failed, all of its competition have been "just launchers." Steam OTOH is bursting at the seams with value adds, whether you choose to utilize them or not isn't relevant.

 

[Foxi4]

Precisely why Steam has been successful where everybody else failed, all of its competition have been "just launchers." Steam OTOH is bursting at the seams with value adds, whether you choose to utilize them or not isn't relevant.

I’m not saying Steam’s bad, I’m saying that it’s not for me. It’s cool if you like it - I don’t really care.

 

[tabzer]

We're going to have field trip next month, when "MacOS overtakes Linux as the 2nd most used OS for gaming by doing nothing".

 

[Kioku]

This post screams of complete and utter ignorance. In the vast majority of cases Linux works better than Windows could ever dream of. The overwhelming majority of hardware is supported out of the box with zero configuration needed. ALL the exceptions to this are when things are propriety such as is the case with Creative X-Fi and EAX and even then, the card will still function at a basic level, the module is only needed for the closed source stuff. Now if we look to Windows, you guys are still trawling the web, assuming your NIC works OOTB and you actually have internet at all, for drivers to have even the most basic of things work at all.

All of the major distributions (outside of Gentoo which is a special case) have their own kernels and all of them will have drivers for everything available included as part of the install. The only notable exception is NVIDIA, again proprietary, which has an open source driver akin to the Standard VGA Adapter in Windows. There is less configuration required on Linux than Windows, 99% of hardware anyone could ever have will simply work and unlike on Windows, users can pull the nvidia driver with a single command and know it has come from a trusted source.

Your experience with Linux is exactly what you make it, you've already said its good to install and forget, how exactly does this exclude it from being a daily driver? If you leave it alone, install what you need and use it it just works. If you start messing then sure, you can (and probably will) break it but that's on you for messing with things you don't understand plus it being Linux, one console command can kill a system and usually, unless you literally delete everything, one console command can bring it back.

As for the arguing with the OS nonsense, wanna clarify? Gnome & KDE are at parity with Windows on both features and ease of use. TBF all 3 have their issues and all 3 have some good things the others don't. I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to say here but even then I can confidently say that you're wrong.

The problem isn't Linux, the problem is that people have been programmed to except the Microsoft way and believe they have no other choice in the matter. The way Windows works is so deeply entrenched that people think any other way is bad or broken and as long as it stays that way M$ will continue harvesting your data and selling your life to the highest bidder.

Edit - Am I saying that Linux is perfect? No. Am I saying that everyone should use it? No, people should use what they need and/or are comfortable with. All I am saying is that Linux is not what most people think it is and the vast majority that bash it do so from a place of ignorance.

What a long, winded post… It’s wrong though..

 

[tabzer]

These Linux commercials are pretty self-unaware.

 

[osaka35]

Using linux requires quite a bit of command line knowledge, even for those "windows parity" type distros.

Linux is like getting fixer-upper. Even the most familiar distros are more like repair jobs. you eventually become good enough you can make everything run. then something goes wrong and it takes you down a rabbit hole of years of advice that aren't completely relevant to your specific model. Eventually, after a few years of learning parts and how they work together, you have a well-put together machine. sometimes. usually.

windows is like buying a german car. it mostly works, and far more useable than some old junkard. but...when you want to fix it, jeez why do they make it so frikin' difficult. WHY is this behind this? I have to do WHAT to fix this? etc.

Mac OS is more like a rental car you don't pay insurance on and are constantly spending money on just using. Just drive it, don't worry too much about stuff breaking down. But dang do you pay through the nose for something when something does go wrong or just in general. lots of money for peace of mind, which you never really get. that and you don't really feel like you ever own anything. and you definitely don't want to play games with it lolol

android is...uh...there too.

really, everything should have games. I'd love a platform agnostic computer world. Percentages I don't care so much about, but i would love the raw numbers to go way up for all platforms.

 

[linuxares]

windows is like buying a german car. it mostly works, and far more useable than some old junkard. but...when you want to fix it, jeez why do they make it so frikin' difficult. WHY is this behind this? I have to do WHAT to fix this? etc.

This is OSX, not Windows.

Windows is more like a broken old South Korean car. It got fixes, but it can be expensive.

 

[tabzer]

This is OSX, not Windows.

Windows is more like a broken old South Korean car. It got fixes, but it can be expensive.

I'm not seeing how the simile works. What's the part that becomes expensive?

 

[Xzi]

We're going to have field trip next month, when "MacOS overtakes Linux as the 2nd most used OS for gaming by doing nothing".

I don't see Apple releasing a portable gaming Mac any time soon, sorry. And even if they did it would cost $3500.

 

[tabzer]

I don't see Apple releasing a portable gaming Mac any time soon, sorry. And even if they did it would cost $3500.

I'm talking when the chart self-corrects next month. Hence "by doing nothing".

View attachment 386539

 

[linuxares]

I'm not seeing how the simile works. What's the part that becomes expensive?

When you enter the enterprise space, you will know how expensive solve a freaking problem can be.

Also not all Windows solutions can be fixed without a reinstall sadly.