All Linux Things

I read this post on the Debian User Forum and it appears Steam is gaining some ground, do you think it will attract more gamers to use Linux?

Steam Announcement

Its more likely if Valve is successful in making it easy to run Windows versions of games on Linux which is being discussed( Wine or other similar programs). Right now gamers dont want to use Linux due to performance issues and limited choices. It may all be a moot point if streaming takes off as people can run games on a variety of devices.
Ive gamed both for fun and professionally and dont play games much on Linux. I actually dont know anyone whos using Linux for gaming presenty, most are still running Win7/10 depdning on their taste in games.

I personally don't. I think a lot of linux users that kept windows around for games might finally be able to get rid of Windows if this works well (myself included), but I don't see this attracting too many that haven't already been attracted. Games has always been the thing that kept Windows around, it didn't really ever prevent people from moving to linux (since most people already had a Windows license, setting up dual boot was easy enough now for years).

At some point when you can play any games on Linux without issues that would be a game changer but people right now dont associate gaming with Linux let alone know what Linux is, mainstream is clueless. Hard core gamers will go where its most advantageous in regards to cost and performance.

The new version of Steam Play isnt going to change anything.

I haven't used Pc's for games since i first bought a PS1 as it was soooo much easier to use a console designed for the job and the results were much better too, I think I still have a Ps2 in a cupboard somewhere and my son (the reason for buying games console in the first place) now has a Ps4 that rarely gets used as he is now a father himself and finds less time for kicking back. I occasionally read articles that say how much better Pc gaming is becoming but when I compare the ease of using a console to the hassles of trying to get Pc's to work at their best for each game the decision for me would be an easy one.

If youre using Windows running games is easy, very few issues overall. It depends on the age of the game as of course some will require a certain version of Windows. Win 7 Im running mostly older games from 1998-2011 with few problems. If you want a wider range of games that offer you more features and genres PC is the place to be. If youre running much older games youll need a bit more knowledge and in some cases older hardware.
If youre a complete newbie PC has a learning curve but with newer games most people will be able to install and just play. Certainly what hardware you own will dictate what you can play as well but given the wealth of games over many years, there are always games you can play with your hardware or by dialing down the graphics a bit.

If youre looking for a pop and play experience then console is a better choice. Gaming on PS4 though is far different than PS1 as the older consoles offer the purest gaming experience with little to worry about. I own a PS1/PS2 and the original Xbox which I play quite a bit.

I still game mostly on PC with my older hardware running win98 and DOS and my newer PC with Win7. Once youve been gaming awhile it all becomes second nature.
Gaming with a keyboard and mouse also provides a richer gaming experience of course depending on the game/genre. I was playing Sega Saturn back in the day and I was given a PC by a relative and tried EarthSiege 2 and immediately was sucked in by the amazing gameplay/strategy using a joystick and keyboard.

If you want to get a different perspective, check out www.gamingonlinux.com and not only read their article on Steam Play but see whats available for Linux gamers.

What I would like to see is a Linux box that could be used for streaming games but could also be used as a compact pc for browsing and multimedia.
Not expeensive where the fees for the streaming service are used primarily to for revenue.

I think that now "Smart Tv's" are becoming the norm it can be easy to use the tv for multimedia and browsing while having a Pc/Console attached for gaming, although I think the browsing capabilities have room for improvement (on the models I have) but it is mostly usable.
One problem I have noticed so far is that with a lot of tv's you cannot simply add your favourite streaming service (catch up tv type) and have to rely upon the services already implemented by the manufacturer, but I'm sure that will be addressed at some time in the future. Maybe Sony or M$ will develop an all-in-one solution for a Smart Tv with their own console built in for gamers, or maybe they already have and I simply don't know about it

No smart tvs for me as they are nothing but spy machines and you have very little control over them versus your own hardware. I guess for the masses its ok versus using Windows but overall its not much better. I want hardware I can control and have decent security and not steal data from me at will.