Linux Statistics

[Holysword]

I remember reading some ages ago about how Steam counts how many Linux/Mac/Windows users they have. That was a common discussion because people used to wonder if they should **buy** the game in their Windows or in their Linux machines, in order to report the correct operational system.

If my memory doesn't fail, as it turns out, buying doesn't matter, but the first time you **play** the game matters. If you first play a game on Linux, it will be added towards the Linux statistics and so on.

Is that true? Does anyone have any reference for that? Also, most importantly: what happens to things like IdleMaster? It does simulate that you're on the game, but it works on Linux, for Windows-only games too. Does that give a false statistic in favour of Linux?

[Swiskon]

Maybe you'll get a answer with sources but if you don't find it on the web, which should be possible, then surely steam are the ones to ask... Not random fans online.

[Bobtail Squid]

I think it just see's what client you are log into & does it that way.

[Air]

From http://www.fortressofdoors.com/steam-linux-sale-results/

Methodology matters just as much as raw data, so here's how Steam calculates "linux" and "mac" users: "Mac/Linux sales are based on platform of purchase; or after 7 days, the platform with the most minutes played."

I've also heard that mobile app purchases count as Windows purchases if left unplayed for the first week.

[Holysword]

Thanks @Air and @Maleko for the information and the source.

What happens to Bundle Games that were not played, though? Does it go to the platform in which you redeemed the game?

[Holysword]

Originally posted by Maleko:

Originally posted by Holysword:

What happens to Bundle Games that were not played, though? Does it go to the platform in which you redeemed the game?

That was answered in my previous comment:

Originally posted by Maleko:

...if you haven't played the game during the week at all (all platforms have 0 minutes played), in that case the platform of purchase decides.

I refer to the case of Bundles bought externally, not through Steam. In that case, it is the redeeming platform, correct?

[Zyro]

Originally posted by Maleko:

If you buy a Steam key from some 3rd party, whatever platform you use to activate that key is effectively the platform of purchase (to Valve).

I remember Feral stating that keys from key resellers count as Windows sales, no matter what you do with them. Humble, GOG and Steam should be safe - others might or might not be.

[Holysword]

Originally posted by Zyro:

Originally posted by Maleko:

If you buy a Steam key from some 3rd party, whatever platform you use to activate that key is effectively the platform of purchase (to Valve).

I remember Feral stating that keys from key resellers count as Windows sales, no matter what you do with them. Humble, GOG and Steam should be safe - others might or might not be.

If that's the case, then maybe playing the first week on Linux would do the trick?

I am also assuming that IdleMaster would be able to "fake" a Linux play, even for Windows games, if you run it on Linux, as long as the playtime statistics are taken directly from your Steam profile (and not produced by something else, like a runtime library).

[Marlock]

So Linux is actually a little negativelly eschewed by these metrics.

I don't even have windows installed and my games might count towards Windows FOREVER because sometimes I buy them on my phone app and take more than a week to really play them first time...

I just realized I might have some 30+ games wrongly counted towards windows if this is still true!

BTW, why are they tracking purchase platform instead of most time played?

[Zyro]

Originally posted by Holysword:

If that's the case, then maybe playing the first week on Linux would do the trick?

I formed the image that when a game is say sold on dec., 1. and resold on feb., 2., the first week was back in Decembre and has been recorded with 0 hours play time.

[Zef]

No, i think you actually need to buy the product on linux.

I tend to only buy multiplats and make sure i buy the using linux so the devs know which platform my money supports.

[Holysword]

I guess the question is more like this: does generating the key counts as a "buy", or does the activation of the said key counts as a "buy"?

Moreover, I'm referring to further websites, like IndieGala (the bundles, not trades), DailyIndie and BundleStars.

[Marlock]

Well, the comments at that post[www.gamingonlinux.com] actually make things a bit more clear:

"The stuff you're quoting is about getting third parties like Aspyr payed (which is important, of course), not about what stats are visible to developers/publishers (and Aspyr as well, I imagine) - that's the distinction that I'm trying to highlight.

I haven't yet found anybody who's been able to confirm that that first week platform assignment figure is even viewable in the Steamworks stats stuff (I am asking around though and will report back with what I come up with), but either way, developers/publishers can see and probably rely on stats beyond the stuff that the article talks about."

So this criteria is important so Aspyr and Feral get their fair share of royalties for linux ports of the game but at least original game devs can see more stats when evaluating potential market for new games and new portings.

[Marlock]

Originally posted by Maleko:

sidenote: Quite ironic how Aspyr Blair, who makes a living by porting games to Mac and Linux still refers to Windows as "PC"

So I'm not the only one that thinks "PC" indicates the type of hardware, not OS? I'm relieved!

Using PC/Mac/Linux instead of Windows/Mac/Linux is a quite common phrasing now, and it annoys the hell out of me when online gaming articles do it. Just sad when even they do that too...

I was going to say that it was a remnant of when "gaming PC" necessarily meant windows, but really its more that "windows gaming" necessarily meant PC for a decade or more. Other hardware running windows took a while to appear.

Oh, and thanks for digging up those links, man!

[ashragar]

My question is... if you're running Linux, and use the Windows client under WIne, does the statistics gathering system count that as being played under Windows or Linux? If it reports as Windows and registers the game's user as being a Windows user, that would kind of skew the statistics in favour of Windows. I'm pretty sure far more people run the Windows client under Wine than run the native Linux client due to so many games being Windows only.

[ashragar]

Originally posted by Maleko:

It would count as whatever version of Windows, depending on how you've configured Wine. The survey is random (as far as who gets surveyed) and it is optional. People running Linux and wanting to be counted as a Linux user should not take the survey on Wine.

That... probably means the statistics may be highly skewed in favour of WIndows and artificially deflate the number of reported Linux users.