Will Blizzard Be Bringing Their Games To Linux?

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Will Blizzard Be Bringing Their Games To Linux?

It looks like Blizzard agrees with Valve: Microsoft Windows 8 is a wreck. But will Blizzard be bringing their games natively to Linux?..

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=MTE0ODE

[Dukenukemx]

I doubt Blizzard is interested in trying to make Linux into a better platform for end users like Valve is. I think they're going to try to find a legal way around the 30% share of profits that Microsoft wants. Though I think there's more to this then that, cause I would imagine it's very easy to get around the Windows app store 30%. Could be that Microsoft wants 30% of any sale on Windows 8, regardless of how it was sold.

[alexThunder]

I doubt Blizzard is interested in trying to make Linux into a better platform for end users like Valve is.

Me either - but having their games would be nice enough.
Well, I guess, time will tell - as long as there ain't any plans, I won't be too excited, but at least it's good to hear that Blizz also disklikes Windows 8

[smitty3268]

Blizzard is one of the most pro-DRM, anti-user companies out there, but there is no denying that they make some really awesome games.

I'm pretty skeptical they'll make any big linux push, but who knows. If they just make their games WINE friendly that isn't so bad.

[1c3d0g]

Who the hell actually LIKES Windows 8 for real anyways? I can understand Windows 7, although not perfect, is far more useful as a general O.S. This Windows 8 kludge is meant for tablets. M$ has been shown by thousands of its users and hundreds of their most vocal supporters on their development blog, that:

tablet != desktop.

Unfortunately they've failed to realize this fatal error and continued with this Metro crap, and this grave mistake will cost them dearly, mark my words. I've used Windows since 3.1, and Windows 8 is BY FAR WORSE than any other version ever released (including Vista and Millennium Edition)! And yes, I've tried them all, including the early alpha pre-releases all the way down to the latest release candidate (consumer preview or whatever they call it nowadays). For the first time in years I managed to BSOD my PC so bad that I had to reformat the entire SSD (while doing nothing unusual!). Failure is a word M$ will to have get used to unless they're willing to change for the better, like actually listening to what their biggest customers want.

[MartinN]

Valve, and if Blizzard wakes up and focuses on the future instead of only on itself, can set the world free by making Linux the greatest desktop there ever was. Linux has already more or less commoditized the server OS market, and the final frontier is where Apple now has the furthest reach. Games can draw people in like nothing else, and it is probably the best/safest bet for the two game behemoths of making Linux the world's desktop. It's high time this happened.

[Vadi]

Blizzard sure has the technical know-how to make it happen. It's all in the management... which might be convinced if it sees Valve's investment pay off.

[nightmarex]

I doubt Blizzard will go in until Valve sinks or swims on it's Linux venture, however I wish they checked for a Wine key. It would reveal sooo many more Linux users than they think playing their games.

[madjr]

Would love to see blizzard, but their games work on wine pretty well as far as I know, so not that much to gain immediately (I think).

Would be better if we could get more engines on the linux train like Unreal engine.

I wonder If they have any plans to include linux in their supported platforms again now that unity and source engine are doing so ?

[araxth]

The Cedega related scandal dates really back in the day. It appears that, at some point the Cedega software clashed with WoW's anti cheating system. And, they had it fixed in decent timing (considering that Wine wasn't and isn't an official platform.
Personally i was able to play wow through Wine for few years in a round...starting with The Burning Crusade (i think ). Now i had enough of it. I was also able to play Starcraft II nicely (even if it doesnt have OpenGL support on the Windows build) without getting banned or otherwise.

The quality of the gameplay on Warcraft III, DIablo II, World of Warcraft and Starcraft 2 (these I've played on Linux) makes me think that Blizz is keeping an eye open on what happens on Wine side, and i'd dare to say that they even work unofficially to make their products compatible.

Never played Diablo III though.

Regards,
n.