Steam begins listing Linux system requirements on some game pages

Steam Linux

OMG! Ubuntu are reporting that Valve have started listing Linux system requirements on Steam's game pages, possibly hinting that the company is preparing for an official Steam Linux release.

While the listing's don't appear to be available on non-Linux operating systems, Techgage went rooting through the data for hints of what to expect. Unsurprisingly, the main requirement of many titles is Ubuntu. While the Linux community is spread over many distributions, Ubuntu is arguably the most user-friendly, thanks to its Unity desktop interface. But some games also offer support for other popular variants, with Amnesia: The Dark Descent working on both Mint and Fedora as well.

Linux compatibility is clearly becoming an increasingly important project for Valve, with the recently confirmed Steam Box likely to use it as its backbone. Still, the big sticking point remains the games. The current list of Linux's Steam titles shows 29 available, with the majority being indie games that already support the OS. Listings have also appeared for Valve's own first-party games, but the real test is surely going to be how easy for users to access other AAA releases through the client.

Thanks, Joystiq .

Phil Savage
Editor-in-Chief

Phil has been writing for PC Gamer for nearly a decade, starting out as a freelance writer covering everything from free games to MMOs. He eventually joined full-time as a news writer, before moving to the magazine to review immersive sims, RPGs and Hitman games. Now he leads PC Gamer's UK team, but still sometimes finds the time to write about his ongoing obsessions with Destiny 2, GTA Online and Apex Legends. When he's not levelling up battle passes, he's checking out the latest tactics game or dipping back into Guild Wars 2. He's largely responsible for the whole Tub Geralt thing, but still isn't sorry.