What is the first thing that comes to mind that says “Linux?” For most people, it’s definitely not a game. That’s because for decades now, Microsoft Windows-powered computers have dominated PC gaming, getting almost all the major titles. Mac and Linux machines have seen a few ports and/or quirky exclusives, and both platforms are now supported by Valve’s digital Steam service. But for the most part, Windows is where it is.
Unless the game itself is consoled, that is. And while the long-awaited “Xbox 720” and “PlayStation 4” / “Orbis” consoles, as if they are coming next year, they will face two new challengers … not one, but two new game consoles, both. of them powered by Linux. And unlike previous Linux hardware designs, such as Pandora, both of these companies have already received major awards.
Did someone say “Steam?”
SO. The first of these platforms is supported by none other than Valve, the providers of the aforementioned Steam service.
As many of you may know, Valve has just been working on Big Picture, a new console-style game interface for Steam. It is a great picture mode deposit to be used with a game controller, and it gives especially games that can be. We played using the mox controller.
What you may not know is that Valve also recently released a beta version on Linux (specifically an Ubuntu distro), Big Picture and all. Or in an interview with Kotaku’s Jason Schreier, Valve co-founder Gabe Newell mentioned how Steam on Linux would give the company “more flexibility with its hardware development.”
SO. Not only is Valve going to create PCtheir vaporizer machines, they have their eyes on a special version of Linux that runs on Windows 8 destruction” will be free. Obviously, the entire Steam library just doesn’t work on Linux yet. But dozens of games have already been introduced, including Team Fortress 2, and Valve has made Linux support a priority.
“The riot will be televised”
That’s the slogan appropriated by the makers of the Ouya, a $99 Android game console. “Wait,” you say, “isn’t this about Linux?” So it is! You wouldn’t call Linux a “distro,” but Google’s Android source operating system is powered by the Linux kernel under the hood, so to speak. Like its unfortunate rival, Palma (after HP) webs.
The Ouya does not have open source firmware, nor is it the enthusiast emulator that Pandora was designed for. But it’s basically a box that plugs into your TV and plays Android games that are optimized for its controller. The downside is that it doesn’t have Google Play or the Amazon Appstore; You will have to redeem the games you are attached to. The good news is that all of his games are free, in one way or another, whether that means “trial mode” or otherwise. So you will have plenty of chances to enjoy new games.
Mojang, Square-Enix, and other big-name publishers have already helped Ouya, which has smashed Kickstarter boards with more than $8 million in pledges. Its NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor makes it about the same as Google’s Nexus 7 tablet, so you can expect almost last-gen performance… which won’t hold it back as much as having only 8 GB of storage. Still, it’s hard to go wrong for the launch price of $99.
