For our Linux users out there who have helped us with our beta over the past 2 months, thanks. We have recieved thousand of emails of support, many willing to goto great lengths to help us harden Desura on Linux. Whilst we have a long way to go, today we take a big step by officially ending the beta and unlocking the client for all Linux gamers. For those new to Desura what we are releasing today is an application which makes it easy to install, patch and play games on all Linux and Windows distributions.
Here are a few comments from our press release:
"Our company has actively supported Linux for 6 years now. When developing UNIGINE 3D engine, we have often pushed hardware vendors to bring the newest 3D graphics features to this platform." said Denis Shergin CEO of Unigine Corp, maker of Oil Rush.
"... this is the best proof of our strong faith in the successful future of the platform. Being a game developer, we see Desura as the most viable game delivery system that covers the full range of Linux distributions right now. What's even more important, it features comfortable updates for end users. I'm excited to see this long-awaited public release since I believe it is the major step forward for Linux gaming" said Shergin.
"Linux users were continually reaching out to us offering their support and encouragement as we developed the Linux client. I believe we have created a robust tool to help promote and grow gaming on Linux. After an extensive 2 month beta, we are proud to unlock Desura for all Linux users and shift our attention towards adding to the more than 65 Linux games already offered." said Scott Reismanis the Founder of Desura.
Now we look forward to refining the client (currently in discussions to GPL the code in a manner similar to Google Chrome / Chrominium) and expanding our catalog of Linux games which presently includes 65 titles. We also have a few Linux games on sale, to celebrate the launch including the Hacker series from Exosyphen, A Typical RPG from Pyrodactyl and Steel Storm from Kot in Action. Thanks for your ongoing support Linux gamers!
Great!
Interesting that Desura might be going GPL. That'll garner a load of interest and collaborators, I reckon.
Yay! Finally we have Steam killer on Linux :)
Steam killer on Linux? There is no Steam to kill. :)
I think that is his point.
Killing the weed before it can grow.
Great news for everyone! Thanks Desura. The thing of being open source almost make me cry of happyness :D
Just want to point out that it isn't a real "Steam killer" until Mac OSX support is introduced. As the developer of the Free and Open Source FPS "Red Eclipse", we endeavour to support all three platforms, but until OSX support is introduced we can't really adopt Desura as our official distribution medium. Other than that, congratulations on getting this far, it is one step more towards an open future for Indie/FOSS games!
It's trivial to port to OS X from Linux with FOSS, so soon you'll get your wish =]
@Quin
HA! Well thanks for nevertheless being in Desura, anyway. As another hopeful voice that there's finally a distribution platform that allows me (as a (rare and elusive) exclusively Linux gamer,) to stop hounding Steam for a Linux client, thanks.
I'd otherwise not have come across your game, and it's fun. I'm sure once Desura picks up more momentum, they'll have an OSX client. It certainly appears to have the infrastructure and the potential. Linux0rs tend to support those that support Linux. It's not like a company owns Linux, so it's literally up to the communities to convince businesses moves like this are worth it, and I for one, hope they find success.
It feels like it takes some of the pressure off Valve (ha!) to give a crap about Linux for a while while we throw our money at Desura instead. In the meantime, it will be awesome to see what impact Desura can have on the Linux gaming scene..
Like... is it possible to say there is one? The oft exampled Humble Indie Bundle graphs seem to suggest there might be. And if those numbers are anything to go by, there certainly seems to be room for Desura to find a way to fund a Mac client at some point. ^_^
So yay, maybe someday? Maybe even, to some degree, Red Eclipse developers must think so, as your game is totally available on here..
And for that, THANK YOU!!! ^_^
Sincerely,
Random Linux Gamer
Downvoted by mistake :'(
Sorry!
Over the past few months I've been introduced to some amazing (and not so amazing) indie games that I never would have played if it wasn't for the Desura project. I've been following this project for a couple of years now waiting for the beta and full release of the Linux client. I had hope that this project would blossom into something fantastical, but tried to stay real with myself. I've been disappointed in so many broken promises of Linux support from other companies. So many times I've waited months, or even years, for Linux support on a service I'd love to use... only to either: never receive it, get a half-assed release, or have development stop short.
In short:
Thank You.
Lately I've been playing only indie games on PC, and now that the Linux support is official desura is my main digital distribution platform. Congratulations Desura team!
Savior of the PC gaming = DESURA
With Desura, not only gaming on Linux will advance faster, but also graphic vendors will lean on Linux too!
My most humble thanks to you.
I honestly have never heard of Desura until today, and now that I have it installed and working flawlessly on my system, I'm already hooked. I will support this. Finally, something familiar on linux!
Yay, I just re-installed Linux last night!
Excellent work!
Awesome work guys! This should be celebrated with the addition of a bunch of new Linux games. Will keep supporting you, and hoping to see a great Linux game catalog in the near future.
Nicee!!! Now to play Hacker Evolution :)
This is awesome news. Thank you Desura. :)
Awesome news. Thank you for supporting gaming on Linux.
Thank you again for supporting Linux.
GREAT!
Thanks for think in linux.
Thanks Desura guys!
Congratulations and thank you Desura Linux team, without you Linux would literally not be a good gaming platform.
Your contribution is completely heart felt by me, and I hope to stick by your side Desura for as long as you live :D
Great job! Like Loki Games, Sam Lantinga, and icculus in the past you are making history for Linux gaming. This is very exciting.
@Hyper_Eye: Heh... That they are. It's a great beginning and I'm going to seriously check into the whole story for at least 32-bit stuff. (I have the ports for two Indie titles right now and I'm working on more thereof...)
Great times, I think. :-D
Nice!
@openSUSE there is already a request to add it.
Features.opensuse.org
Awesome news! I'm actually quite surprised you guys offer both 32bit and 64bit builds of your client. Thank you very much for doing so. I also see Quin posted here about Red Eclipse (top notch game), i would very much look forward to seeing the game added to Desura one day.
Great stuff... thanks for the early birthday present.
Just to let you know Red Eclipse is already on the system.
Indiedb.com
Just wanna say 'Thanks' too :D
It'd be nice to have a GPLed client application. It'd let me make 64-bit (Yes...) and ARM (Again, YES!) versions of the client to provide game outlets (and an appropriate market) for games on those platforms.
Psssst, Svartalf, there's already a 64-bit version.
Yeah, I caught that after I'd posted. But there's still no ARM one and there's several ARM platforms that're about to burst onto the scene that Indie stuff would be great for.
We are exploring GPL'ing the game client presently
If not, it'd be nice to see an ARM version pop up as well. I can provide at least initial assistance in producing the same- offered to whomever in the Desura team is interested... :-D
Let's rock !
good news,i cant wait to see how desura will be next 2 years
Thanks Desura for the linux support. Exactly what we have needed as a gateway for developers.
Thank you Desura team.
And you know what ?
U're amazing :)
Great work guys!
As a Windows-only developer, that the kind of initiative that makes me open my horizons... +1 to port my game to Linux :)
I'm glad to hear that. What we need is more crossplatform developers.
Hey congrats guys, it's awesome to see this come to fruition!
Keep up the great work, and I can't wait for the OS X port :P Haha.
Cheers,
Keith
Very excited to have something like this on Linux. Thank you guys!
Yeah, thx desura
YAY! This is great, I definitely support the GPL license - go for it ^_^
Way to go people :) Were it not for exams some celebratory gaming would most certainly be in order. Oh well, that gives the developers some time to port over more of the game library ;)
Thanks guys, I'm sure that most of the smaller game developers are even more greatful than we are - after all, you're making it ridiculously easy to target a whole new market.
I must try out on linux, curious how it works on my station :) - but first I must install new OpenSUSE
finally YES!
Any plans for a public bug-submission interface? I'm having some permission problems with the client binary, but don't to spam up a comment thread with it. :P
Great Work!