Steam OS and The Future of Linux

[Weak1ings]

I have a question:
With Steam OS becoming a platform what does this mean for linux as it's linux based? 
I might use Steam OS on a different drive if needed but does this previous fact show that I could just use Linux, as Windows is obviously a dying breed?

 

Simply put,

 

Is Steam OS making games Linux compatible or Steam OS compatible?

[kazuu91]

Yes, Steam OS is making games Linux compatible, not just steam os compatible. So i you're going to be able to play more games on Linux in the future

[Scia]

Steam OS is based on Debian. Which is a Linux Distro, which makes Steam and the games that run on steam OS playable on pretty much any Linux based system. [used Steam on Ubuntu, Arch, Debian, Elementary,...] ^^

[ToxicFire]

While steam os is good I like to see linux out there competing for the domestic market there are too many variables and its too early on to say what the actual effect will be, while it will probably drive a few games to be more linux os comptible (not that alot already aren't with a bit of tweaking here and there mostly its daft issues that stop it then hardware driver issues that stop top performance) im waiting for some of the big studio's to bite (valve don't count) and put the investment into developing for steam os for linux to become a dedicated branch of the games market I think we need a perfect storm of big developers laying down cash for linux orientated development (the lag time between development and launch can be the killer here)  hardware companies to throw in and really support linux (which we're starting to see now in the past few years) then for the general public to be confident enough to see steam box's as a valid platform not as some weird pc in a box that runs that os, (too many diverse hardware configs for steam box's atm).

 

However that said, the game stream feature is something thats an unknown but i like it, I already imagine building a super cooled overclocked to the teeth uber rig and sticking it somewhere out of the way so the noise isn't an issue and setting down to do some 4k gaming at insane framerates and quality.

[rashdanml]

Valve is making it easier to port existing DirectX based games and game engines to OpenGL, going as far as to perform the porting for game engines for developers. Some of the big ones already have native Linux engines: Unreal 4, Source and Source 2.0, Frostbite (which is rumoured, but makes sense seeing as there's definitely an OSX port of it), CryEngine. The above engines cover a large selection of games by themselves. 

 

Developing games on Linux should be easier in the future. Porting current games to Linux is a larger challenge since there's a bajillion of them to port. Valve wants to make their tools available to developers to make that process easier and also offered to do that part for developers. As a temporary solution, in-house Streaming will take care of that. 

 

Considering the above, Developers don't have much reason not to be on-board. 

[Weak1ings]

However that said, the game stream feature is something thats an unknown but i like it, I already imagine building a super cooled overclocked to the teeth uber rig and sticking it somewhere out of the way so the noise isn't an issue and setting down to do some 4k gaming at insane framerates and quality.

I suspect in the near future that, at the time Steam OS is ready, 4K will be Mid-range ready.  Be excited as it will probably come.

I am even more excited to see the GTX 750 ti and friends as the first Maxwell cards for $140 and under   My Console Killer class rigging has the ability to beat consoles yet have a $450 pricetag as opposed to $500.