A product manager for Alienware has expressed optimism for the overall gaming scenario on the Linux ecosystem post-launch of Steam Machines in the next year.
During the E3 2014 gaming conference last week, Alienware's Marc Diana said that more developers are using OpenGL and creating games with Linux in mind than before, with the impending launch of Steam Machines.
Diana expects 700-plus titles to be launched alongside Steam Machines which will be running the Linux-based SteamOS. OpenGL based games are generally easier to port to other platforms with minimum effort, which is a factor that would be beneficial for Linux gamers. Diana also expressed that, with the availability of a wide variety of games and sales of Steam Machines, Linux gaming would increase 30 fold, "overnight". Though it's worth mentioning that, currently, Linux-powered machines only account for 1% of Steam users.
Steam Machines which were expected to be launched by as many as 14 manufacturers during this year, are currently being tested and are expected to be widely available by next year, as Valve recently delayed the program.
Although the success of Steam Machines cannot be predicted so early, some manufacturers such as Alienware itself, are playing it safe by dual booting these computers with Windows 8.1. Alienware is actually launching its future Steam Machine this year with Windows 8.1 installed instead of waiting for the official release of SteamOS.
Source: PC Gamer | Image via Origin PC
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