Is there a possibility that The outer worlds is available for linux operating systems, will it be available for linux?

[EMILIO ALARCON CEREZO]

Is there a possibility that The outer worlds is available for linux operating systems, will it be available for linux?

[Boeroer]

Maybe not natively. But I guess when it gets released Steam Proton will be out of beta.

[Chairchucker]

Obsidian has been pretty OK with Linux releases in the past haven't they?

[Boeroer]

Yes. But now they are owned by Microsoft which isn't known to support games for Linux and they are using the Unreal Engine. While there is a Linux version of it I believe it's harder (means more effort) to taylor an Unreal game for Linux than it is with an Unity game. I don't say that it won't happen but I would be surprised. Pleasantly surprised.

 

If Proton keeps evolving as it does now then this doesn't matter too much though - unless you don't want to use Steam.

Edited December 29, 2018 by Boeroer

[shmerl]

Maybe not natively. But I guess when it gets released Steam Proton will be out of beta.

 

Why not natively? Aren't they using Unreal engine? Unreal engine should work well on Linux these days, as long as they are using recent one. It works with Vulkan.

Edited January 4, 2019 by shmerl

[injurai]

Yes. But now they are owned by Microsoft which isn't known to support games for Linux and they are using the Unreal Engine. While there is a Linux version of it I believe it's harder (means more effort) to taylor an Unreal game for Linux than it is with an Unity game. I don't say that it won't happen but I would be surprised. Pleasantly surprised.

 

If Proton keeps evolving as it does now then this doesn't matter too much though - unless you don't want to use Steam.

 

But the publishing deal was struck with Take-Two, and Microsoft has acquired Obsidian's legal obligations and contracts. I would not expect a full turning of the page to happen right away.

[Boeroer]

I just suspect it because BAdler said that putting out Pillars and Deadfire for Linux was not worth it (financially).

Edited January 4, 2019 by Boeroer

[shmerl]

That's weird, since they were selling very well (Linux versions I mean). I guess without exact numbers it's hard to estimate what it means "not worth it".

[DekarServerbot]

it's a miracle that it is going to be released in the ps4,,, don't push it

[Wormerine]

it's a miracle that it is going to be released in the ps4,,, don't push it

I don't know how many times I have to repeat it:

 

Microsoft acquisition has JUST happened. While it is likely that the corporation will inherit the rights to develop the IP further, the Outer Worlds is a pre aquisition project with Take 2's Private Division. Outer World's development is in hands of Obsidian and Private Division, not Microsoft. 

 

 

 

I think. 

[AwesomeOcelot]

It's up to the publisher, Private Division, and they won't see it as worth it. Obsidian is a small dev. The team working on Outer Worlds is small. Linux is a small market. Linux support for PoE, Tyranny, and Deadfire made sense, because backers asked for it, because the audience is more likely to run it on Linux, they're using similar engines built on Unity.

 

 

Maybe not natively. But I guess when it gets released Steam Proton will be out of beta.

 

Why not natively? Aren't they using Unreal engine? Unreal engine should work well on Linux these days, as long as they are using recent one. It works with Vulkan.

 

There's engine support, API support, but that doesn't mean it's a complete solution you can just compile for the linux kernel. Unreal Engine has had linux support since version 1, 20 years ago. It takes a lot of work to port to linux, have to switch to different libraries, there's a lot more different systems compared to Windows.

That's weird, since they were selling very well (Linux versions I mean).

Most developers have not said this. Recently a few developers have come out saying Linux users proportionally take up far more support tickets, and they're a small portion of the market. Edited January 9, 2019 by AwesomeOcelot

[Boeroer]

About 1.5% sadly. Linux desktop that is. Wish it was more...

[shmerl]

Linus desktop usage is higher, but it's barely relevant to gaming stats, since percentage there is different. You can see it from the public numbers that we have (like from the Humble Bundle for example).

 

Either way, Unreal engine isn't that difficult to release for Linux. Not any more difficult than to other systems at least. Professional developers are doing it fine. Quite a number of games came out for Linux recently using UE.

Edited January 13, 2019 by shmerl

[injurai]

I do feel most Linux support is a result from building engines and tooling on top of technologies that are multi-system already for the sake of support other non-gaming use cases. Unity with it's mono-runtime for example. Linux is used a lot of medical imaging and has a degree of university support. Super-computers need nvidia drivers to support their CUDA needs.

 

If it wasn't for these things, there would be really zero reason to try and capture that 1% of the market.

[Boeroer]

1.5% was the number for PoE and Deadfire if I remember an interview/talk with BAdler correctly.

 

Unity can compile to Linux and yet there was a lot of work to do to get PoE right for Linux. For example Obsidian integrated a third-party Unity plugin for capes - and realized at some point that this plugin doesn't work with Linux at all. You'll encounter lots of those problems. It's never smooth. Legend of Grimrock 1 came to Linux natively (own engine) but for Grimrock 2 the devs decided it was just too much hassle (looking at the outcome) and went Windows only.

 

I would like more native Linux games. But I understand that it can be too much for a developer.

 

That's why I have high hopes for Proton (since I'm using Steam anyway). It could lead to a point where more gamers tried Linux (since it's free and Windows is not).

[Frak]

Make one bad-ass game. Make the best game ever! That even Trump would play. Then release only on Linux.

 

Problem solved as everyone is forced to switch to GNU/Linux!