XCOM: Enemy Unknown now available on Linux and SteamOS

The word went out in late May that the hit strategy game XCOM: Enemy Unknown was in the process of being ported to Linux by Feral Interactive, as were its DLC and expansion packs. Today that port went live, just in time for a pretty sweet Steam Summer Sale price.

I don't like the word "re-imagining" but I have to admit that XCOM: Enemy Unknown got it right. It somehow managed to turn a 20-year-old turn-based strategy game into a modern hit, putting players at the head of an elite international military organization charged with defending Earth from an alien invasion. It's not in the league of, say, Call of Duty, but the enviable review scores and healthy amount of add-on content speak for themselves.

Now it's available natively for Linux, too. Feral's version of XCOM: Enemy Unknown runs on Ubuntu 14.04 and SteamOS, and it's a SteamPlay release, meaning that if you already own the Windows version, you get the Linux release free.

And if you don't happen to own it, this would be a good time to rectify that situation: It's currently in the Steam Summer Sale mix at $7.50 for the base game—75 percent off the regular $30 price—or $16.50 for the Complete Edition, which includes the Slingshot and Elite Soldier DLC packs and the Enemy Within expansion, that normally sells for $50. The Summer Sale pricing will remain in place until 1 pm EDT on June 21.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.