Guild Wars 2

ace.1935:

Stick to Ubuntu just like Valve, force more Standards and soon we might have a platform for the future of PC gaming.

This ‘just like Valve’ part is really important guys. Valve people don’t use anything Ubuntu-specific in their code, and that makes Steam pretty much distribution agnostic. Just wanted to highlight this.

I really would like to see a port for Ubuntu as I have pretty much switched all my machines to Ubuntu, except for one which dual boots so I can play GW2. Please consider porting your game.

If they make a client linux i can finally switch to linux. +1 for this one:)

Samsung Laptops also get bricked (not all) if you run Linux on them (Unless you don’t use UEFI):

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2110594

Iyeru.5240:

Samsung Laptops also get bricked (not all) if you run Linux on them (Unless you don’t use UEFI)

I saw that on Phoronix. The comments were also interesting, and one dude said “If software can brick the system, then the system is faulty to begin with.” It’s not really Linux’s fault that the UEFI was poorly implemented and tested only on certain software (Windows).

AMD also released another catalyst driver, claiming up to 300% performance gain in TF2. Keywords “up to”. Still, glad they are giving Linux attention and I hope GW2 will get a client in the future :)

+1 to Linux/Unix client.
Gaming is the only thing, which keeps me using Windows.

Twysted.9824:

I’ve been an active user of Linux the last years and I think it’s sad that gaming companies and developers doesn’t seem to care about the constantly growing Linux market. There are more and more users of Linux based computers which I think game developers should start to take seriously.

You might consider looking at Crossover from Codeweavers.

http://www.codeweavers.com/compatibility/browse/name/?app_id=7951

Todd.8162:

Twysted.9824:

I’ve been an active user of Linux the last years and I think it’s sad that gaming companies and developers doesn’t seem to care about the constantly growing Linux market. There are more and more users of Linux based computers which I think game developers should start to take seriously.

You might consider looking at Crossover from Codeweavers.

http://www.codeweavers.com/compatibility/browse/name/?app_id=7951

That’s still a syscall interpreter though, so it doesn’t count :\
We want native games!

Yes! A native client for GW2 would make me so very happy It would be a lot easier and more convenient.

The only reason I maintain a windows boot now that steam is ported to linux is guild wars 2. So please, please, pretty please make a port for linux. It shouldn’t be difficult, since almost anything that compiles on mac is supposed to compile in linux.
Also, I think that most of the linux gamers wouldn’t mind having a beta with some bugs, so the users could be your beta testers.

Kamikaka.4167:

+1 to Linux/Unix client.
Gaming is the only thing, which keeps me using Windows.

This is exactly the reason I have 1 Windows machine and 1 Gentoo machine, instead of 2 Gentoo machines.

+1 for Linux/Unix client, let me let Windows go!

I would love to see Linux support…
Now when Steam is coming to Linux more gamers will come over….. even tho it’s a long way to go.

+1 Linux

I’ve been trying to move to using only Linux. The only thing I do in Windows is play some (nowadays few) specific games that are not yet natively supported such as Gw2.

The launch of the MAC client was a good start but I seriously think you need to make a native Linux client (probably easiest to concentrate on Ubuntu like Valve did).

Gw2 began as an evolution to MMO genre, making a MAC port was a step forward.. now.. to fully achieve the revolution.. you need to make a Linux port. It is time

+1 Linux

+1 For Linux!!!

After I graduate, I’ll no longer have a reason to hang on to a Windows OS if there is a Linux (preferably Ubuntu) client. The cost savings would be out of this world…

Cyberz.3756:

I would love to see Linux support…
Now when Steam is coming to Linux more gamers will come over….. even tho it’s a long way to go.

+1 Linux

Steam already has a Linux client. They just need to port more games to work with their Linux client.

I would also like to see a Linux Client, following Valve and supporting just one or two Linux Distros would be enough to begin with. Linux is the future of PC gaming if Valve have anything to say about it and as they have the largest active user base of any games company I suggest they know a thing or two about it.

I would love this. The recent introduction of Steam for Linux has meant that I have spent much less time on Windows than I used to – which means, no Guild Wars for me. I’ve tried running it in Wine but I can’t get it quite right (a combination of graphical glitches and awful performance)

However, as a sobering note, I have often seen threads where people ask for a native Linux client for a game. It almost never happens.

I support this. I would spend a lot less time in windows if this existed.

Hi, I’m using GNU/Linux now and don’t play Guild Wars 2 anymore for this reason alone. It would bring me back to Tyria if the game was natively ported to GNU/Linux.

+1 for linux client. I’ve been a linux user for the past few years and hate having to boot into windows just to play a game.

+1 I will come back to game if a linux client is released

I 100% support this. A Linux client would be the best thing ever.

Alright a few more points:

1. Blizzard already has a port of WoW, and definitely agrees with Gabe. Linux might be worth their time (http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTE0ODE).

2. Valve is coming out with their Linux-run steam box, and Guild Wars 1 is already on steam. It might be beneficial to attempt a port to put on steam for this reason alone, especially considering the console-friendly nature f Guild Wars 2.

3. Porting Guild Wars 2 to linux is a daunting task, we all understand this; Guild Wars 1, however, might be easier. The game is still running and I definitely play it quite often. Why not use the game as a sandbox of sorts to see if a true linux port is feasible? Given the strongly instanced nature fo that game, it might be a considerably easier port. I do not know whether it will breathe new life into the game, but I know that I, for one, would be willing to attempt a linux port of the game if given the source code(as few year long summer project, that is).

4. Linux gamers are an odd bunch. They will never pay a single dime for their OS, but if there is a game out and it ports to linux, they support it. I ended up buying $50 worth of games I would never play just because they had a linux port this weekend. I am sure there are quite a few other linux gamers who do the same thing.

And that’s all for now. Please stay tuned for the next installment of “We are Man. Linux for Life.”

Haven’t played for weeks because I hate to boot windows.
+1 for Linux

+1 for Linux client. I’m not in love as much in distros as I am for the KDE desktop (running Kubuntu, probably ditching it in favor of Arch, not sure). And would love to run GW2 at a more decent speed than it can right now under Wine. Optimization here and there it’s all we ask.

I run gw2 in wine , if it werent for this , i wouldnt play at all , the tides are shifting toward linux ….look at android , and now steam linux based console on the way , even ubuntu phone….. linux or nothing

I’d like to chime in as well. The original guild wars client worked well enough in linux/wine that it didnt bother me. However, GW2 is barely playable. So much so that I’ve scrounged a hdd and have a dual boot to windows only for GW2.

I just wanted to pitch in with the folks here suggesting you look to support linux. Windows 8 is a train wreck and when I re-build my computer in the next year I would love to be able to continue playing your game. I don’t plan on dual booting as I do now because W8 fails. I’m not going to only make a selfish plea here, there is a business case in this for you as well. Right now any MMO gaming I play is via windows, if you were the first to offer native or even optimized wine gameplay you’d be the first in a fairly large market and many linux users are the MMO type.

I agree, with steam starting a Linux client there is going to be a large increase in Linux clients demand.

+1 for the linux port

Guild Wars 2 on linux? I definitely support this. I really want to get rid of my Windows Gaming PC, all my other computers work with openSuse.

I also would like to see a linux client.

It’s only a small step from a client for Mac to a client for Linux. Take notice ArenaNet. Linux is the future in operating systems.

Yeah, we want a client for Linux

CyFreeze.1275:

It’s only a small step from a client for Mac to a client for Linux. Take notice ArenaNet. Linux is the future in operating systems.

Linux the future in operating systems? That is highly unlikely, and there are many many reasons why it is highly unlikely. People were saying the same about OpenGL, and look what happened there, hardly anyone uses it other then cheap indie games.

I’m sure if Arenanet feels they can actually make a profit from having a Linux version, they would do it.

Well +1 from me as well, for all the good it will do – people releasing sub par games on Linux and then complaining that they didn’t sell well (Cough, JOHN CARMACK, Cough) hasn’t done much to aid the gaming on Linux cause, which is a shame!

Linux doesn’t have a AAA MMO, it doesn’t even have a AAA RPG! The rewards are there to be reaped by a pioneer riding the new wave started by Valve. GW2 has the perfect financial model for Linux as well, and Linux typically draws more technically minded folk who would play the Trading Post thus generating more income.

But meh, I’ve been posting messages like this in MMO forums for years, nothing ever comes of it.

eisberg.2379:

CyFreeze.1275:

It’s only a small step from a client for Mac to a client for Linux. Take notice ArenaNet. Linux is the future in operating systems.

Linux the future in operating systems? That is highly unlikely, and there are many many reasons why it is highly unlikely. People were saying the same about OpenGL, and look what happened there, hardly anyone uses it other then cheap indie games.

I’m sure if Arenanet feels they can actually make a profit from having a Linux version, they would do it.

Actually, a shi tload of games uses OpenGL : Brink, Starcraft II (and all Blizzard’s games actually), all Valve’s games, Neverwinter Nights, Amnesia, Doom 3, Deus Ex, Heroes of Newerth, City of heroes, City of Vilains, Far Cry, Hitman, Homeworld 2, Max Payne, Oil Rush, Penumbra series, Quake series, Red Faction, Spore, Stronghold, Serious Sam series, Wolfenstein series and so many more I can’t remember them all but they’re far from “cheap indie games”.

If GW2 would be supported for linux i’d instantly re-install Ubuntu.

World of Warcraft also ran better on linux for me than it did on Windows, if Blizz can do it then so can ANet

Jeyckel.1520:

eisberg.2379:

CyFreeze.1275:

It’s only a small step from a client for Mac to a client for Linux. Take notice ArenaNet. Linux is the future in operating systems.

Linux the future in operating systems? That is highly unlikely, and there are many many reasons why it is highly unlikely. People were saying the same about OpenGL, and look what happened there, hardly anyone uses it other then cheap indie games.

I’m sure if Arenanet feels they can actually make a profit from having a Linux version, they would do it.

Actually, a shi tload of games uses OpenGL : Brink, Starcraft II (and all Blizzard’s games actually), all Valve’s games, Neverwinter Nights, Amnesia, Doom 3, Deus Ex, Heroes of Newerth, City of heroes, City of Vilains, Far Cry, Hitman, Homeworld 2, Max Payne, Oil Rush, Penumbra series, Quake series, Red Faction, Spore, Stronghold, Serious Sam series, Wolfenstein series and so many more I can’t remember them all but they’re far from “cheap indie games”.

Notice how the vast majority of the games you mentioned are very old? Blizzard who take forever to bring out a new game, Valve who take forever to bring out a new game, and IDSoft who take forever to bring out a new game are really the only big names that use it, and then a few others. OpenGL is no where being used as much as it used to be. For the most part, indie games are the ones that use it the most, but for AAA games, yeah, OpenGL is on life support.

A Linux client would be amazing, I only dualboot to play a selected few games!
+1 for a Linux client!

eisberg.2379:

Jeyckel.1520:

eisberg.2379:

CyFreeze.1275:

It’s only a small step from a client for Mac to a client for Linux. Take notice ArenaNet. Linux is the future in operating systems.

Linux the future in operating systems? That is highly unlikely, and there are many many reasons why it is highly unlikely. People were saying the same about OpenGL, and look what happened there, hardly anyone uses it other then cheap indie games.

I’m sure if Arenanet feels they can actually make a profit from having a Linux version, they would do it.

Actually, a shi tload of games uses OpenGL : Brink, Starcraft II (and all Blizzard’s games actually), all Valve’s games, Neverwinter Nights, Amnesia, Doom 3, Deus Ex, Heroes of Newerth, City of heroes, City of Vilains, Far Cry, Hitman, Homeworld 2, Max Payne, Oil Rush, Penumbra series, Quake series, Red Faction, Spore, Stronghold, Serious Sam series, Wolfenstein series and so many more I can’t remember them all but they’re far from “cheap indie games”.

Notice how the vast majority of the games you mentioned are very old? Blizzard who take forever to bring out a new game, Valve who take forever to bring out a new game, and IDSoft who take forever to bring out a new game are really the only big names that use it, and then a few others. OpenGL is no where being used as much as it used to be. For the most part, indie games are the ones that use it the most, but for AAA games, yeah, OpenGL is on life support.

Thats hardly an sign that openGl is on supposed lifesupport, infact opengl run faster than directx and opengl is capable of doing anything that direcx is. direcx is used more because of microsoft business practices and clever marketing. You suppose the coding guru carmack uses opengl cuz its inferior? hardly! Idsoft isn’t as much about making games as they are creating new tech and game engines with more advanced features than most others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MegaTexture
http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/133824-valve-opengl-is-faster-than-directx-even-on-windows

GW2 is the only reason why I boot back into Windows.
+1 for Linux support!

Maokei.8632:

eisberg.2379:

Jeyckel.1520:

eisberg.2379:

CyFreeze.1275:

It’s only a small step from a client for Mac to a client for Linux. Take notice ArenaNet. Linux is the future in operating systems.

Linux the future in operating systems? That is highly unlikely, and there are many many reasons why it is highly unlikely. People were saying the same about OpenGL, and look what happened there, hardly anyone uses it other then cheap indie games.

I’m sure if Arenanet feels they can actually make a profit from having a Linux version, they would do it.

Actually, a shi tload of games uses OpenGL : Brink, Starcraft II (and all Blizzard’s games actually), all Valve’s games, Neverwinter Nights, Amnesia, Doom 3, Deus Ex, Heroes of Newerth, City of heroes, City of Vilains, Far Cry, Hitman, Homeworld 2, Max Payne, Oil Rush, Penumbra series, Quake series, Red Faction, Spore, Stronghold, Serious Sam series, Wolfenstein series and so many more I can’t remember them all but they’re far from “cheap indie games”.

Notice how the vast majority of the games you mentioned are very old? Blizzard who take forever to bring out a new game, Valve who take forever to bring out a new game, and IDSoft who take forever to bring out a new game are really the only big names that use it, and then a few others. OpenGL is no where being used as much as it used to be. For the most part, indie games are the ones that use it the most, but for AAA games, yeah, OpenGL is on life support.

Thats hardly an sign that openGl is on supposed lifesupport, infact opengl run faster than directx and opengl is capable of doing anything that direcx is. direcx is used more because of microsoft business practices and clever marketing. You suppose the coding guru carmack uses opengl cuz its inferior? hardly! Idsoft isn’t as much about making games as they are creating new tech and game engines with more advanced features than most others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MegaTexture
http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/133824-valve-opengl-is-faster-than-directx-even-on-windows

I didn’t say it was inferior, not sure where you got that from. What I did say is that OpenGL is basically being kept alive by indie developers, and then very few other developers, with the biggest ones that take a very long time to release a game.

Anyways, the point is for years people have been saying that Linux is the future for PC OS and or for PC gaming, yet is has barely broke any ground, again just a few big developers, and mostly indie developers who do anything with it. Linux only has 1% of PC OS market share http://www.tomshardware.com/news/linux-windows-microsoft-android-ios,20220.html

We’ll see if Valve can actually make Linux into something more serious competitor, but personally I am not expecting more then just Valve games, indie games, and a few games here and there for Steam Linux. I can see how it can be profitable to have a Steam client for Linux games because of the indie games alone, but for a developer of a game like Guild Wars 2, that profit margin just may not be there, but that is for Arenanet to decide based on their own research.

eisberg.2379:

Maokei.8632:

eisberg.2379:

Jeyckel.1520:

eisberg.2379:

CyFreeze.1275:

It’s only a small step from a client for Mac to a client for Linux. Take notice ArenaNet. Linux is the future in operating systems.

Linux the future in operating systems? That is highly unlikely, and there are many many reasons why it is highly unlikely. People were saying the same about OpenGL, and look what happened there, hardly anyone uses it other then cheap indie games.

I’m sure if Arenanet feels they can actually make a profit from having a Linux version, they would do it.

Actually, a shi tload of games uses OpenGL : Brink, Starcraft II (and all Blizzard’s games actually), all Valve’s games, Neverwinter Nights, Amnesia, Doom 3, Deus Ex, Heroes of Newerth, City of heroes, City of Vilains, Far Cry, Hitman, Homeworld 2, Max Payne, Oil Rush, Penumbra series, Quake series, Red Faction, Spore, Stronghold, Serious Sam series, Wolfenstein series and so many more I can’t remember them all but they’re far from “cheap indie games”.

Notice how the vast majority of the games you mentioned are very old? Blizzard who take forever to bring out a new game, Valve who take forever to bring out a new game, and IDSoft who take forever to bring out a new game are really the only big names that use it, and then a few others. OpenGL is no where being used as much as it used to be. For the most part, indie games are the ones that use it the most, but for AAA games, yeah, OpenGL is on life support.

Thats hardly an sign that openGl is on supposed lifesupport, infact opengl run faster than directx and opengl is capable of doing anything that direcx is. direcx is used more because of microsoft business practices and clever marketing. You suppose the coding guru carmack uses opengl cuz its inferior? hardly! Idsoft isn’t as much about making games as they are creating new tech and game engines with more advanced features than most others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MegaTexture
http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/133824-valve-opengl-is-faster-than-directx-even-on-windows

I didn’t say it was inferior, not sure where you got that from. What I did say is that OpenGL is basically being kept alive by indie developers, and then very few other developers, with the biggest ones that take a very long time to release a game.

Anyways, the point is for years people have been saying that Linux is the future for PC OS and or for PC gaming, yet is has barely broke any ground, again just a few big developers, and mostly indie developers who do anything with it. Linux only has 1% of PC OS market share http://www.tomshardware.com/news/linux-windows-microsoft-android-ios,20220.html

We’ll see if Valve can actually make Linux into something more serious competitor, but personally I am not expecting more then just Valve games, indie games, and a few games here and there for Steam Linux. I can see how it can be profitable to have a Steam client for Linux games because of the indie games alone, but for a developer of a game like Guild Wars 2, that profit margin just may not be there, but that is for Arenanet to decide based on their own research.

DirectX usually offers better performance on Windows, which is to be expected from the officially supported / recommended API. Most commercial game engines (UE3, CryEngine, Unity, etc) support multiple rendering backends, but use DirectX on Windows for that very simple reason.

Also, it’s my personal opinion that Linux has only become ready for average desktop use quite recently, and it’s not quite there for gaming. Desktop Linux is undergoing massive changes right now (systemd, kernelspace D-Bus, DRM2 and DRI-Next, Wayland), and with Windows 8 there is a real incentive to switch for many.

MehWhatever.1248:

eisberg.2379:

Maokei.8632:

eisberg.2379:

Jeyckel.1520:

eisberg.2379:

CyFreeze.1275:

It’s only a small step from a client for Mac to a client for Linux. Take notice ArenaNet. Linux is the future in operating systems.

Linux the future in operating systems? That is highly unlikely, and there are many many reasons why it is highly unlikely. People were saying the same about OpenGL, and look what happened there, hardly anyone uses it other then cheap indie games.

I’m sure if Arenanet feels they can actually make a profit from having a Linux version, they would do it.

Actually, a shi tload of games uses OpenGL : Brink, Starcraft II (and all Blizzard’s games actually), all Valve’s games, Neverwinter Nights, Amnesia, Doom 3, Deus Ex, Heroes of Newerth, City of heroes, City of Vilains, Far Cry, Hitman, Homeworld 2, Max Payne, Oil Rush, Penumbra series, Quake series, Red Faction, Spore, Stronghold, Serious Sam series, Wolfenstein series and so many more I can’t remember them all but they’re far from “cheap indie games”.

Notice how the vast majority of the games you mentioned are very old? Blizzard who take forever to bring out a new game, Valve who take forever to bring out a new game, and IDSoft who take forever to bring out a new game are really the only big names that use it, and then a few others. OpenGL is no where being used as much as it used to be. For the most part, indie games are the ones that use it the most, but for AAA games, yeah, OpenGL is on life support.

Thats hardly an sign that openGl is on supposed lifesupport, infact opengl run faster than directx and opengl is capable of doing anything that direcx is. direcx is used more because of microsoft business practices and clever marketing. You suppose the coding guru carmack uses opengl cuz its inferior? hardly! Idsoft isn’t as much about making games as they are creating new tech and game engines with more advanced features than most others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MegaTexture
http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/133824-valve-opengl-is-faster-than-directx-even-on-windows

I didn’t say it was inferior, not sure where you got that from. What I did say is that OpenGL is basically being kept alive by indie developers, and then very few other developers, with the biggest ones that take a very long time to release a game.

Anyways, the point is for years people have been saying that Linux is the future for PC OS and or for PC gaming, yet is has barely broke any ground, again just a few big developers, and mostly indie developers who do anything with it. Linux only has 1% of PC OS market share http://www.tomshardware.com/news/linux-windows-microsoft-android-ios,20220.html

We’ll see if Valve can actually make Linux into something more serious competitor, but personally I am not expecting more then just Valve games, indie games, and a few games here and there for Steam Linux. I can see how it can be profitable to have a Steam client for Linux games because of the indie games alone, but for a developer of a game like Guild Wars 2, that profit margin just may not be there, but that is for Arenanet to decide based on their own research.

DirectX usually offers better performance on Windows, which is to be expected from the officially supported / recommended API. Most commercial game engines (UE3, CryEngine, Unity, etc) support multiple rendering backends, but use DirectX on Windows for that very simple reason.

Also, it’s my personal opinion that Linux has only become ready for average desktop use quite recently, and it’s not quite there for gaming. Desktop Linux is undergoing massive changes right now (systemd, kernelspace D-Bus, DRM2 and DRI-Next, Wayland), and with Windows 8 there is a real incentive to switch for many.

What specifically is wrong with Windows 8? I am using it, and to me it is no difference for Gaming then Windows 7. Windows 8 feels like Windows 7 with Metro.

I support this thread !

I’m currently playing GW2 on linux+wine but there are small things (especially with the market) that requiere some hacking to work. An official port would make all this smoother.

eisberg.2379:

MehWhatever.1248:

eisberg.2379:

Maokei.8632:

eisberg.2379:

Jeyckel.1520:

eisberg.2379:

CyFreeze.1275:

It’s only a small step from a client for Mac to a client for Linux. Take notice ArenaNet. Linux is the future in operating systems.

Linux the future in operating systems? That is highly unlikely, and there are many many reasons why it is highly unlikely. People were saying the same about OpenGL, and look what happened there, hardly anyone uses it other then cheap indie games.

I’m sure if Arenanet feels they can actually make a profit from having a Linux version, they would do it.

Actually, a shi tload of games uses OpenGL : Brink, Starcraft II (and all Blizzard’s games actually), all Valve’s games, Neverwinter Nights, Amnesia, Doom 3, Deus Ex, Heroes of Newerth, City of heroes, City of Vilains, Far Cry, Hitman, Homeworld 2, Max Payne, Oil Rush, Penumbra series, Quake series, Red Faction, Spore, Stronghold, Serious Sam series, Wolfenstein series and so many more I can’t remember them all but they’re far from “cheap indie games”.

Notice how the vast majority of the games you mentioned are very old? Blizzard who take forever to bring out a new game, Valve who take forever to bring out a new game, and IDSoft who take forever to bring out a new game are really the only big names that use it, and then a few others. OpenGL is no where being used as much as it used to be. For the most part, indie games are the ones that use it the most, but for AAA games, yeah, OpenGL is on life support.

Thats hardly an sign that openGl is on supposed lifesupport, infact opengl run faster than directx and opengl is capable of doing anything that direcx is. direcx is used more because of microsoft business practices and clever marketing. You suppose the coding guru carmack uses opengl cuz its inferior? hardly! Idsoft isn’t as much about making games as they are creating new tech and game engines with more advanced features than most others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MegaTexture
http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/133824-valve-opengl-is-faster-than-directx-even-on-windows

I didn’t say it was inferior, not sure where you got that from. What I did say is that OpenGL is basically being kept alive by indie developers, and then very few other developers, with the biggest ones that take a very long time to release a game.

Anyways, the point is for years people have been saying that Linux is the future for PC OS and or for PC gaming, yet is has barely broke any ground, again just a few big developers, and mostly indie developers who do anything with it. Linux only has 1% of PC OS market share http://www.tomshardware.com/news/linux-windows-microsoft-android-ios,20220.html

We’ll see if Valve can actually make Linux into something more serious competitor, but personally I am not expecting more then just Valve games, indie games, and a few games here and there for Steam Linux. I can see how it can be profitable to have a Steam client for Linux games because of the indie games alone, but for a developer of a game like Guild Wars 2, that profit margin just may not be there, but that is for Arenanet to decide based on their own research.

DirectX usually offers better performance on Windows, which is to be expected from the officially supported / recommended API. Most commercial game engines (UE3, CryEngine, Unity, etc) support multiple rendering backends, but use DirectX on Windows for that very simple reason.

Also, it’s my personal opinion that Linux has only become ready for average desktop use quite recently, and it’s not quite there for gaming. Desktop Linux is undergoing massive changes right now (systemd, kernelspace D-Bus, DRM2 and DRI-Next, Wayland), and with Windows 8 there is a real incentive to switch for many.

What specifically is wrong with Windows 8? I am using it, and to me it is no difference for Gaming then Windows 7. Windows 8 feels like Windows 7 with Metro.

Metro is a matter of choice, though it seems like a complete clusterkitten of everything that could possibly go wrong and a bit more. The real issue here is that Microsoft is starting to build a closed ecosystem with Windows 8, a ‘walled garden’ similar to Apple’s. Windows RT doesn’t allow you to sideload applications, and other stores like Steam are not allowed on the Windows Store, which leaves the developers with the Windows Store itself as the only distribution channel. For now, it’s just WinRT, but it’s only a matter of time (and one, maybe two subsequent Windows releases) for Microsoft to lock down the desktop, too.

Game plays fine in Ubuntu with wine. No problems… doesn’t need a special client.

+1

I much prefer Linux, and GW2 is basically the only game I’m stuck playing in Windows currently. Wine doesn’t even come close to native on any computer I’ve tried it on (for GW2)

DarkHorse.1059:

Game plays fine in Ubuntu with wine. No problems… doesn’t need a special client.

Out of curiosity alone, what’s the CPU you’re running it on?