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Steve said said that Windows games won't run the same on Linux and you can't even test them equivalently because Linux doesn't know how to compute how many frames were generated in a second.

Aren't 3D games scripted in a high level language that can be compiled for any machine? Can't the game engine output OpenGL instead of Directx? Doesn't NVIDIA Write OpenGL drivers? Is OpenGL not powerful enough? Is it not being updated? Is the Linux Gaming community not big enough? Do game developers use Windows API calls?

My unified question:

What's the big deal with 3D games on Linux? All I know about it is what Steve said.

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Aren't 3D games scripted in a high level language that can be compiled for any machine?

yes but there are always things that are specific to the platform.

Can't the game engine output OpenGL instead of Directx?

not always especially if the developer bypassed the engine's renderer abstraction and uses directx directly. And some games don't use a pre-written and portable game engine and just program against directX.

Doesn't NVIDIA Write OpenGL drivers?

yes so does AMD, but neither drivers are fully bug free.

Is OpenGL not powerful enough? Is it not being updated?

it's plenty powerful and the drivers are being maintained and updated. And vulkan support is common. But some developers just don't like dealing with it.

Is the Linux Gaming community not big enough?

this is the major issue. The linux gaming community (at least before the steamdeck) was miniscule. Adding general linux support (outside of the steamdeck specifically) gains you a few dozen extra sales ... and a few dozen extra support issue because linux setups are far from uniform so each install has its own special issues. So the cost benefit of adding linux support ends up a net-negative.

Do game developers use Windows API calls?

They are kind of required to get a window on screen and get user input in windows. Whereas in linux you get a choice between X and wayland. Game engines can abstract over that. However Wine (a implementation of the windows API on linux) got major recent support in the form of proton with the specific aim of making windows games to work on linux this includes the directx api.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Didn't it occur to anybody that, "if you build it they will come?" That is, maybe there's no Linux gaming community because there are no Linux games. At some time, the symmetry needs to be broken. ==== Linux is so simple and straightforward, and Windows Is such a huge mess, that you'd think the whole operation would be streamlined under Linux. ==== Somebody might have a niche that grows \$\endgroup\$ Commented Nov 26 at 21:46
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    \$\begingroup\$ @MissUnderstands "Linux is so simple and straightforward, and Windows Is such a huge mess" You got it backwards. There's one single "messy" Windows distro to target, there are dozens of messy Linux distros each with their own quirks, that tend to care less about breaking old APIs (which might be arguably good, but not for the companies who had to keep updating their app). Games targeting Windows XP likely still run on Windows 11, between those two OS release dozens of distros and competing standards in Linux come and go. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Nov 26 at 22:53
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Linux doesn't know how to compute how many frames were generated in a second

Nah, most user-oriented distros definitely have the necessary API for this

Aren't 3D games scripted in a high level language that can be compiled for any machine?

Not always (some optimization might require OS/platform specific assembly code). And high-level language in itself doesn't mean the necessary libraries for games are available for all platforms.

Can't the game engine output OpenGL instead of Directx?

In theory most engines can be written to do that. In practice it's possible they didn't bother, graphic is just one of (admitedlly large part) of the equation, there's also anti-cheat (which rarely works on other platforms), netcode (can be way more complicated if the original design targets a specific platform) etc.

Doesn't NVIDIA Write OpenGL drivers?

They do, but whether they have the equivalent feature & performance of their Windows counterpart, and compatible with the myriad of distro configurations are coin toss

Is OpenGL not powerful enough?

OpenGL is just a spec. It's the driver and engine implementation that varies. It can be expected that devs and companies will spend more effort to platforms with more users.

Is it not being updated?

It's regularly updated, but again, the driver and engine compliance with the newer standard varies.

Is the Linux Gaming community not big enough?

Not large enough to make most devs prioritize it.

Do game developers use Windows API calls?

They usually do, either indirectly from the libraries/framework they use, or directly.

What's the big deal with 3D games on Linux?

Supporting a platform requires non-zero effort, and unless it's obvious that not doing it loses more money than the cost of the developer time, it will stay that way.

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Martheen is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering. Check out our Code of Conduct.
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  • \$\begingroup\$ Wow, thx! ==== 'Tis more the pity, though. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Nov 26 at 13:01

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