For quite some time, games were one of the weak points that prevented Linux from becoming massive. However, that is changing little by little and today there are many options available. in this post We will see which platform Linux gamers prefer according to the latest survey of hardware and software carried out by Steam.
Of course, it is not yet the time to uncork the champagne, of the total number of users of the store just 1,44% just below Apple's 1,79 and far from Windows' 96,77%.
Which platform do linux gamers prefer?
Much of that percentage corresponds to the SteamOS Holo 64-bit distribution with 39.33%. This hardware grew in the last time from its usual market share of 20%. This Debian-based distribution comes with the console marketed by Steam or can be installed on its own.
This percentage is likely to grow as, due to Valve's summer sales, the Steam Deck became the best-selling product late last month.
It is available in 3 models:
- 64 GB with eMMC Storage: eMMC stands for Embedded Multimedia Card which is made up of a flash memory, an MMC interface, and a flash memory controller.
- 256 GB solid state storage using the NVMe protocol enabling faster access times. In addition, you get an exclusive profile of the community.
- 521 GB with the same features as the previous model, an anti-glare screen and a virtual keyboard with an exclusive theme.
The second option is surprising to me, although it may only be because of my prejudices. This is Arch Linux that adds 8,33%. Obviously, wanting a highly configurable distro and being a gamer are not incompatible.
The third place corresponds to Ubuntu 22.04, the last version with extended support published by Canonical in April of last year. Its share is 7,87%.
In fourth place, with 6,02% corresponds to the Steam launcher in Flatpak format.
The last two places go to Linux Mint 21.1 and unidentified versions of Manjaro with 4,55 and 4,77 percent respectively.
The remaining 29,54% corresponds to non-individualized distributions. It is worth mentioning that except for SteamOS all lost participation.
I see that you don't understand much about games, right? Because it surprises you that Arch Linux is the second option for gamers..., to play it is better to have the latest of the latest, that's why Arch is the most suitable and I am from debian, but now I don't play, if I played again I'm sure it would be with pure arch.
It could be a good explanation. But, the difference with Ubuntu is negligible and, with SteamOS that is based on Debian it is abysmal.
The version of SteamOS used by the Steam Deck is based on Arch, not Debian.
I just verified that you are right.
But SteamOs is the system that carries the Steam Deck... Although it is possible to change it and even install windows, the vast majority will not touch it. It is a falsified result, in my opinion. It is not a distro that is installed on PC.
I don't understand putting Steam in Flatpak there, since flatpak goes in a distro, it is not independent.
However, there is Ubuntu 22.04 and Mint 21.1 that have an already "outdated" kernel and system, not very compatible with recent hardware.
It is the way the survey records the results.
In fact, in the article I say that a large part of the increase is due to the summer sales of the Steam Deck.