Valve's Gabe Newell Talks Linux Steam Client, Source Engine

[mirv]

I'll still stand by that the original phoronix posts were inaccurate and misleading, and at the very least deserving of apology. Nothing was confirmed back then, none of the so-called release timeframes were proper, and the dead horse was beaten for about 2 years. Even now, all that's shown are some desktops - something I rather suspected Valve to do internally, but still nothing indicative of official support. No actual quotes from Newell himself. Nothing official. UT3 was more official than all this at one point, and look how that turned out.
The point is: until Valve themselves issue a press release, nothing's official. Take everything here with a massive haul pack load of salt. The best you can take from it is that Valve have games running on linux desktops internally within the company. Anything more is pure speculation, and really should be labelled as such within any posts.

[Khudsa]

Very good news Michael. Now to wait a little more to play Portal 2, L4D and others in my box

BTW, how are the Valve offices from inside?

[Kamikaze]

This:

I am still struck by just how interested Valve is in Linux as a platform; it is certainly beyond my original expectations. This Linux work just is not some half-assed attempt by them to make it look like they are a Linux-friendly organization. Gabe's vision to support, embrace, and promote Linux are amazing, assuming they execute, which looks to be very high probability at this point.

And This:

They have plans to bring their other titles to Linux as well as lobby other game developers using Steam and the Source Engine to bring their games to Linux -- natively.

Are huge. Based on the above, it certainly does sound like steam/source for linux isn't their end-game for linux, but rather a beginning. A Linux based steam-box is the most obvious mid-term answer to this as has been suggested before in some phoronix threads.
Now for some wild speculation -- perhaps it's even just the start of a whole new VALVE games platform that they will be pushing... begin with steam/source for linux, iron out the bugs, lobby game devs to use it, then release a steam-box based on it when there's enough of a games catalog. From there they could go into handhelds, and perhaps other types of wearable computing (which we already know they're interested in) and who knows what else...

I also find it very interesting that Gabe apparently detests Windows 8. Having not used it, can anyone shed any light on why that would be the case? (coming from a steam/gaming/VALVE point of view I mean) I would have guessed that he was starting to feel like too many platforms are being locked down into walled garden type setups locking out companies like VALVE from parts of their core business (e.g. distribution), but that doesn't have any direct bearing on Win8, does it?

At first I was deciding to not even say anything and let Valve's brilliant execution work out, but alas I must cover my travel expenses, etc with ad revenue.

lol, I think your readership may have formed a lynch mob if you'd done that.

[not.sure]

Shirley it sounds like they are serious about it. However, at this point it remains good intentions and vaporware.

[Armurier]

The point is: until Valve themselves issue a press release, nothing's official. Take everything here with a massive haul pack load of salt. The best you can take from it is that Valve have games running on linux desktops internally within the company. Anything more is pure speculation, and really should be labelled as such within any posts.

Exactly.
I'm exepecting words from the head only.
Not from one that has already deceived us so often.

[e8hffff]

The Linux gaming scene just needs to be nurtured and lean on standards. Standards being graphics driver quality, graphics libraries and quality releases.

If Linux can build a gamer reputation then it will massively reduce the user base for Microsoft products.

What people use at home ends up being used in the office.

The only problem I can see is the United Nations pushing nations into post consumerism, meaning people wont have the money to purchase games unless there is a major rethink in pricing and maybe delivery.

[grantek]

I'll still stand by that the original phoronix posts were inaccurate and misleading, and at the very least deserving of apology. Nothing was confirmed back then, none of the so-called release timeframes were proper, and the dead horse was beaten for about 2 years.

I have to agree here. The announcement 2 years ago was obviously based off first-hand information from a Valve employee doing initial porting of Steam to linux and playing around with Source, and it was around the time they were porting to Mac OSX as well. From there it could have been 6 months to an official release with the full backing of the company, but they obviously didn't direct resources to it, and it's been in the same state for at least 18 months. That's why companies don't make announcements until they're sure of them, and that's why Phoronix shouldn't have called it "official".

Having said that, Michael's visit to Valve is awesome, and Gabe's knowledge of the platforms his company is developing for is awesome. Congrats Michael

[uid313]

I am trying to read this article at work.
Please refrain from posting pictures of beer.

[Khudsa]

Very good news Michael. Now to wait a little more to play Portal 2, L4D and others in my box

BTW, how are the Valve offices from inside?

Another question Michael, have you asked some statistics from estimated Linux users using wine based on the Steam surveys?

[Nevertime]

I remember when you first reported this. I was so excited I deleted the wine version and waited the months till launch... and waited.