Linux Steam users percentage vs. Linux game sales percentage

[Marlock]

The developer of BYTEPATH has shared some sales data including how Linux sales went https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/the-developer-of-bytepath-has-shared-some-sales-data-including-how-linux-sales-went.13638

Linux users are less than 1% of Steam's total, but linux sales for some games are a lot higher percentage than that (like up to 10%). Are we all rich or what? ;)

Also that ratio can vary *a lot* between countries!

And then comes the question:
What's wrong with Linux gaming in China and Japan? Is the issue with linux in general or also specifically with gaming?
(warning: data in the article is for a single game, but Liam does mention weak linux sales in China as a common issue)

And then another related question:
Is there more sales breakdown data like this available? Like... actual statistical data?

[[GNU/LINUX] Norbert]

Helium Rain has something similar

[Marlock]

LINUX facePlanted eredeti hozzászólása:

Helium Rain has something similar

Indeed! And it hit 14% Linux sales, wow!

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/the-developer-of-helium-rain-gave-an-update-on-their-sales-low-overall-sales-but-a-high-linux-percentage.11630/


Also from a 10 seconds search:

Rise to Ruins at 2.47%
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/the-developer-of-rise-to-ruins-has-shared-some-linux-sales-and-players-data.11300

Deep Sixed at 5%
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/deep-sixed-is-another-game-that-shows-some-promising-early-sales-on-linux.11290

Maia at 4,9%
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/space-colony-sim-maia-shows-reasonable-sales-on-linux.11256

[Mr Daylight]

That's because the OS usage statistics on steam are based on the surveys, not hard data. This is flawed in many ways such as:

Bias
Whichever OS is most popular gets more chances for its users to get randomly prompted for the survey, creating huge bias.

Linux users are less likely to agree to the survey
Quite simply, linux users are more likely to be more privacy minded and ignore surveys.

In the end, Valve knows EXACTLY what OS people are using, they don't need the survey for it... that's just public info. The real data is actually valuable (why would they give their competitors that data?), which is why they won't reveal it. But based on their dedication to linux support it's likely nowhere near how low the survey reports linux adoption is.

[[GNU/LINUX] Norbert]

btw i got a survey on my desktop around 1 month ago
and yesterday on my laptop

[Marlock]

Mr Daylight eredeti hozzászólása:

Bias
Whichever OS is most popular gets more chances for its users to get randomly prompted for the survey, creating huge bias.

This part doesn't make sense...

If you have a universe of 1 billion users with 1% linux and randomly select 1 thousand you'll get around 10 linux respondents.

Obviously you might get 7 or 14 or something because the linux segment is so small in that sampling, so the percentage will vary a lot...

But it won't be always smaller, it will just jump all over the place. In other words, it would be imprecise, not biased!



Also Valve may need to hide the secret sauce to some extent, but IMHO pretending there is such low percentage of linux users when it isn't actually would harm their endgame more than help...

Their big existential menaces are Microsoft walling them out of Windows 10 and consoles, plus some new stores that so far don't care about linux too much, so they need/benefit from game devs wanting to port or develop their games for linux (and gamers wanting to come to linux) to fortify their position now and stand a better chance in the future.

[x_wing]

Mr Daylight eredeti hozzászólása:

That's because the OS usage statistics on steam are based on the surveys, not hard data. This is flawed in many ways such as:

Bias
Whichever OS is most popular gets more chances for its users to get randomly prompted for the survey, creating huge bias.

Linux users are less likely to agree to the survey
Quite simply, linux users are more likely to be more privacy minded and ignore surveys.

In the end, Valve knows EXACTLY what OS people are using, they don't need the survey for it... that's just public info. The real data is actually valuable (why would they give their competitors that data?), which is why they won't reveal it. But based on their dedication to linux support it's likely nowhere near how low the survey reports linux adoption is.

I think that there is a more simple answer:

Most of the multiple account users (usually users that have other accounts for card farming) are on Windows. So that generates a lot of noice in the stats.

I am not saying that we are the 10%, but a 2% wouldn't surprise me.

[Zyro]

Marlock eredeti hozzászólása:

Mr Daylight eredeti hozzászólása:

Bias
Whichever OS is most popular gets more chances for its users to get randomly prompted for the survey, creating huge bias.

This part doesn't make sense...

Right. And I doubt the other one, too. As a Windows user, I've never agreed to the survey. As a Linux user, I do, as I want to see a higher percentage.

[jason]

I had the survey pop up three times on the same account in February. First on Linux, which I completed, then a few days later it popped up on Wine and on Mac, which I did not complete.

[Mr Daylight]

Zyro eredeti hozzászólása:

As a Windows user, I've never agreed to the survey. As a Linux user, I do, as I want to see a higher percentage.

Most new users don't think like that. You're talking about a niche interest of an already niche community.

Marlock eredeti hozzászólása:

If you have a universe of 1 billion users with 1% linux and randomly select 1 thousand you'll get around 10 linux respondents.

That's only assuming the survey is
1. true random
2. done constantly
3. Every user agrees to its prompt

Since none of those conditions are met with the hardware survey, it's likely innacruate like you say... or potentially even biased based on some other factors.

Marlock eredeti hozzászólása:

Also Valve may need to hide the secret sauce to some extent, but IMHO pretending there is such low percentage of linux users when it isn't actually would harm their endgame more than help...

They're not pretending anything. They simply have valuable user usage data that they don't have any reason to share to their competitors. Almost every game client out there doesn't provide any linux support. Even places that sell linux games like GOG... their optional client is windows only. If Valve has data that suggests there's more linux purchases to be had on the horizon, they have 0 incentive to let others in on that. As the saying goes... never interrupt an enemy making a mistake

Marlock eredeti hozzászólása:

Their big existential menaces are Microsoft walling them out of Windows 10 and consoles, plus some new stores that so far don't care about linux too much, so they need/benefit from game devs wanting to port or develop their games for linux (and gamers wanting to come to linux) to fortify their position now and stand a better chance in the future.

Absolutely this is one of the core reasons for the linux support overall. But there's a bit of chicken and egg situation here too. Do more people come to linux because it has support (and other things), or is there more support for linux because people are using it more? Are valve adapting to an emerging market or are they trying to forge one deliberately so they can keep from being overtaken by MC's "one ring to rule them all" cloud computing strategy?

Maybe it's both.

[Zyro]

Mr Daylight eredeti hozzászólása:

Zyro eredeti hozzászólása:

As a Windows user, I've never agreed to the survey. As a Linux user, I do, as I want to see a higher percentage.

Most new users don't think like that. You're talking about a niche interest of an already niche community.

Well... both of us don't know.

Another thing to consider: While Linux users might tend to care more about privacy, Linux users using a closed source program to buy closed source and partly DRMed programs aren't a representative share in the first place.

[Zyro]

Thanks for pointing out, that's very interesting!

[ack0329]

Just FYI

An Amazing Set of Facts that I believe are TOTALLY TRUE

Over 90% of ALL THE BIGGEST Servers in THE WHOLE WORLD are Linux
because of reliability, lack of down time, efficiency, no black/blue screen of death, no viruses, MUCH LESS to NO Back Doors if run properly ...
ex. Most ALL (90-95%) of Google / Facebook / PayPal and even Microsoft's ... Servers (this last one is conjecture though) are ALL Linux

70% of all Phones (Android) are Linux Based

99% of All the BIGGEST Super Computers are ALLEGEDLY 99% Linux, at least 90% ++

70+% of ALL Tablets are Linux based and gaining (ALL YES ALL Samsung Note Pads ?? or whatever name they are calledfor SURE)

All Chromebooks are Linux Based!

And ALL MACS are related to Linux as they have a Linux Kernel and have great Graphics

No Surprise NVidia now has GREAT Linux Support (Chromebook / Android /Servers /Super Computers all need it)

###################################################################

The Only 2 markets now left with the Microsoft Money/Cash Cow/ ILLEGALLY Monopoly by ANY REAL American Fair Trade LAWS!,
and that is Laptops and Personal PC's

ALL of this is quite FACTUAL

[ack0329]

1/ They try to con you into using $1,280 worth of stuff worth $80-$100
∘ Examples of Windows RipOffs (as of Dec 2016)
∘ Word Processor - Office Suite - Free - $40 Value ... Windows $420
∘ Email Manager Outlook - Free - $15 Value .... Windows $380
∘ Home Network manager - Free - $5 Value ... Windows $180
∘ (the only difference between Home and Pro - a total scam)
∘ OS Licence - Free - $40 Value ... Windows $ 220

∘ I forget the last obvious one - but my point should be made

• 2/ Restart or Startup
∘ Windows - with Updates - 3-12 minutes
∘ Linux - 20 - 40 seconds
∘ Windows - Without Updates - 2-4 minutes
∘ Linux - 20-40 seconds

• 3/ Windows is Inefficient, SLOW, and Bad at Multitasking!
∘ examples
∘ Windows and Linux on the same Laptop
∘ Windows can run only run 2-5 Programs at most, and slowly,
∘ CPU at 40-90%
∘ Linux with 8 work spaces and 12 Programs running Still WAY FASTER than Windows
‣ CPU at 3-12%

• 4/ OS BLOAT
∘ Windows grow to 40 GB over a year,
∘ Linux stays efficient and clean at < 10 GB
∘ Windows needs re-installing annually to speed it up
∘ Linux - NEVER

• 5/ If one wants to Re-Install
∘ Windows 4-8 hours - days!
∘ Linux 20-40 minutes Completely Back to You Previous State - Everything!

• 6/ Backups
∘ Windows - cloning or partial system Folder Sync - UGLY
∘ Linux - Just sync you /home Folder - DONE - EVERYTHING one needs is THERE in plain site

• 6/ Hidden Files
∘ Windows - Makes it impossible to find system/App settings (Hidden Files)
∘ Linux - Hidden in PLAIN SIGHT, in ONE Folder ... yes /home

• 7/ Antivirus Software
∘ Windowss - plagued with Spyware/ Malware/ and Viruses...
∘ Linux - not needed at ALL!

• 8/ Defragmenting ...
∘ Windows - 1-4 hours weekly - still degrading over time - requiring annual re-install
∘ Linux NEVER needed! (ALWAYS Fast and Efficient)

‣ I could go on and on ...!

[ack0329]

Awesome Timeline Thanks
I will Edit my Post, and you can find more Corrections - Happy to be wrong!
One can't learn if they are right about everything LOL!!!

[ack0329]

I only See Windows in that awesome table, and as a Unix / Xenix OS / Microsoft SCO?? ... Whatever that means?
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Unix_timeline.en.svg

Does that mean that Windows is as much Unix based as MAC is?

Quite Curious?