Playtron plan to launch PlaytronOS, a Linux-based system for gaming : linux

[–] [email protected] 41 points 7 months ago

Meh, this reads more like an Android approach than a SteamOS approach to me. Make your stuff really open source and develop it in the open and you got me. Otherwise I will stay with "real" Linux.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Their CEO is also Kirt McMaster, a name some might recognise from Cyanogen.

Ah of course, coming from one of the people who had the chance to make something great and absolutely fucking squandered it.

Nothing gets me more hyped to buy a new device than a shot of bad memories straight in the vein.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

As a former Cyanogen user I agree wholeheartedly.

[–] Mango 26 points 7 months ago (2 children)

First off, what the fuck are those buttons? If I'm buying a controller, the point is buttons. That shit is just touchscreen minus screen and out of the way. I may as well buy a tablet at that point.

[–] AnUnusualRelic 12 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Yes, well, buttons are expensive. And according to Tesla, they're overrated anyway.

[–] Mango 5 points 7 months ago

Well then I expect this device to cost $20 since capacitive touch interfaces must be cheap.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

Indeed. I hope that design gets vetoed before being finalised. It would be good to have another native Linux gaming console.

Whoever designed this probably isn't a gamer I reckon.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 7 months ago

On one hand cool, but on the other, just use Bazzite.

[–] mods_are_assholes 15 points 7 months ago

Oh yay another vanity distro that solves no problems but creates a ton more and continues to fragment the ecosystem.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago (1 children)

A what? ... So a Android gaming handheld by Cynagen people?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago

Seems like it's just a Linux distro, no hardware.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago

I’m very sceptical. I’m fine with their launcher being proprietary, but when they utilize FOSS then just contribute to projects and improve the whole ecosystem. Without exclusivity.

Lie about SteamOS being locked to Steam on their front page is immediate red flag. Yes, it’s Steam-first, the easiest way of running games is, well, through Steam, so obviously it doesn’t offer painless controller friendly way of installing games from other store fronts, but at the same time nothing is locked here and other launchers or games from other stores work fine on SteamOS. The point is fair, but the word choice is ass.

And how exactly integration with something like Epic or GOG would be „first class citizen” without official support/agreements? Do they plan deals with Epic? Is their CEO happy to suddenly support Linux or is it going to be locked down to just the platform? If it’s unofficial, how it will work from the legal standpoint that they advertise potentially paid software with other companies brands as if it was official?

If there will be any form of exclusivity, the PR will be horrible

[+] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

[deleted]

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago

Are they? Do they even have a linux client yet? I'd say they are second class citizens at best.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

@mr_MADAFAKA Are they using a single plate for the D pad like those awful modern track pads, or are those super tiny buttons? Either way, those controls look like garbage. Absolutely would not buy.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

@KelvinShadewing @mr_MADAFAKA it's also funded by cryptobros apparently...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

@hexaheximal @mr_MADAFAKA Ewwwww....

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

look I'm sorry I'm getting Gizmondo vibs

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

Oh shoot, I remember that. I remember being young, dumb and excited about it.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago (2 children)

While steam os is really open I do like the idea of it not being tied to steam. "Games you’ve bought from the Epic Games Store are first-class citizens, too" this is closer to the linux ethos. Hopefully they have a good release.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 7 months ago (3 children)

Games bought from EGS definitely are not first class citizen in Linux world. Luckily there are Heroic or Lutris.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Tbf, that's mostly due to Epic themselves

[–] just_another_person 1 points 7 months ago

This.

[+] [email protected] -7 points 7 months ago (3 children)

Yes that's true but the steam deck doesn't ship with heroic so those games are not as easy to access as a steam game. An os that has a neutral platform is better than one that favors a certain vendor.

[–] just_another_person 21 points 7 months ago (1 children)

It's like a 5 minute detour to install the things that work on the Deck. You will have the same issues on any Linux device because Epic doesn't have native Linux support for their launcher or games.

[+] [email protected] -7 points 7 months ago (1 children)

As long as steamOS is the only player in the game then epic has no reason to come to the table. They don't want to make steamOS better its their direct competition.

That's why a neutral platform could be a good addition to the Linux handheld space.

[–] just_another_person 8 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Like 5 different Windows-based handhelds launched in response to Steam Deck. ASUS ROG being the biggest player I believe. There isn't a shortage of options here. Valve just has the best product right now, chill out.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Ok so because valve has a good linux handheld operating system then no one else should make a competing Linux handheld system. Why are you so against the idea of more people contributing to the Linux eco system.

[–] just_another_person 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

No. As I said before, plenty are making these PC-style handhelds. There is no shortage of options out there. The CONSUMER is choosing the Steam Deck. It's just the most popular right now.

I'm missing what you're angry about with regards to this. Steam Deck is great. I'm sure the ASUS ROG one is great. What's the problem?

[–] [email protected] -3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I have no idea why you think I'm the one that's angry. I'm talking about linux handheld operating systems and all you've done is bring up that other handhelds exist running windows. I'm aware of that and it's not relevant to my original point at all.

[–] just_another_person 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Okay, if not angry, then what is wrong about SteamOS? Subsequently, what is wrong with the Windows-Based ROG handheld? Where's your beef?

[–] [email protected] -3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

More competition is a good thing. More people making handhelds means rhe space is growing and tech is being pushed forward.

No where in my comments do I care or mention the amount physical handheld types. I've only mentioned the competition between operating systems.

[–] just_another_person 2 points 7 months ago

I think you solidly misunderstand the space, how the OS portion of this works, and how users engage with that. I will leave it at that.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago

I'm not sure the steam deck even could ship with Heroic if they wanted. While epic should like the idea of valve making it easier to play egs games, Heroic is still a tool meant to bypass their product to play their games.

As an open source community project it's fine, but Epic might not take it well if their biggest rival started advertising support for their game store through a non-epic launcher.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Question of time that EU will force valve to make it easier to access other shops. Just like its happening on Windows and iOS

[–] Voyajer 4 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Force Valve to include an unofficial storefront of a platform that doesn't support that that operating system at all? Maybe once EPIC officially supports Linux and with their store client and games a case could be made, but that would force steam and epic to come preinstalled on all windows computers too by the same logic.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago

I never said valve should be forced to deliver heroic. Epic will in some point in time release a Linux client.

And no it wouldn't force Steam and Epic to come preinstalled on a Windows computer, because the Steam Deck ships steam per default. Windows ships Edge and is forced to make it easier to get other browsers. Its really not that complicated.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Its not up to valve to make it easier to access epic. It's up to epic. I think having an os that is owned by neither valve nor epic would make it more likely to have both storefronts supported as first party citizens.

Epic isn't going to come to the table just to make steamOS better. Same as Microsoft isn't going to make steamOS better.

But they epic might come to the table and try and get their platform supported if it was an OS not controlled by their direct competition.

That makes sense in my head but I'm not sure if i have conveyed the idea clearly.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Microsoft supports SteamDeck. They are platinum sponsor of the Linux Foundation.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

This is exactly my point. Microsoft is not supporting linux to improve steamOS or linux gaming. Microsoft supports Linux because they have their own Linux distro that they use and benefit from. The more companies we can get using Linux the better.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago (1 children)

No they support it because of Azure Cloud and DotNet applications. But in some point in time, epic will probably deliver a Linux client and then Valve will probably be forced to make it easier to get the launcher, because they ship steam per default. It's the same thing the EU is cracking down on with Apple and Microsoft.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

No they support it because of Azure Cloud and DotNet applications.

That is exactly what I said.

But in some point in time, epic will probably deliver a Linux client and then Valve will probably be forced to make it easier to get the launcher,

Epic might* make a linux client if they see a reason to. But is very unlikely valve will be forced to adopt the epic games launcher into their "gaming mode" that is unrealistic. There is 10000x more monopolies to crack down on before anyone takes a look at the tiny handheld linux gaming market.

Nothing you've said provides a reason why Playtron entering the linux gaming market is anything but a positive for linux as a whole. I feel like you think I am attacking valve by talking about their monopoly. I assure you I am not, I like valve and I own a steamdeck. The idea of a gaming app that easily allows users to run games from all platforms equally aligns more with the linux ethos more than the only option being the Steam gaming mode store front and everything else must be added as a non steam game.

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